Luton Town FC vs Ipswich Town (13th Aug 2019)

LUTON TOWN 3 IPSWICH TOWN 1

Hatters book second round trip to Cardiff with home victory

The Hatters booked their place in the second round of the Carabao Cup tonight with a comprehensive win over Sky Bet League One side Ipswich at Kenilworth Road, marking manager Graeme Jones’ first victory in charge of the Town.

On a night when deadline day loan signings Luke Bolton, James Bree and Izzy Brown all made impressive full debuts, as well as suummer recruit Brendan Galloway, there was a first for Lloyd Jones too, as the centre-half got the ball rolling with his opening goal for the club in the eighth minute.

Elliot Lee doubled the advantage from the penalty spot ten minutes later, then Andrew Shinnie – wearing the captain’s armband for the first time – made it three with a second-half free-kick.

Ipswich pulled one back with just over 15 minutes to play through teenage debutant Armando Dobra, but it was the Town who progressed to a second round tie away at Cardiff, and the perfect opportunity to avenge last Saturday’s last-minute defeat in the Welsh capital.

Jones made 11 changes from that game, with James Shea returning in goal behind a back four of Bolton, Bree, Jones and Brendan Galloway, another making his competitive debut for the club.

Luke Berry anchored the midfield with Shinnie, Brown and Lee ahead of him, supplying a front two of Harry Cornick and Kazenga LuaLua, who played his first 45 minutes since returning to the club three weeks ago.

Brown started with a delightful turn with his first touch, ghosting past his man in midfield, before sending a shot on target with just 80 seconds on the clock.

Before long, Cornick was racing onto a slide-rule pass from Lee, only for his shot to be deflected onto the crossbar.

The goal wasn’t long in coming, and Brown was the architect, bending in a lovely cross that Jones met with a thumping header into the top corner that gave Tractor Boys’ keeper Will Norris no chance.

Dobra shot straight at Shea and Andre Dozzell bent a free-kick high over the bar as Ipswich mounted a response, but by the 18th minute the lead had doubled – Lee brought down by Josh Emmanuel just inside the box, and the ex-West Ham man sending Norris the wrong way from the spot.

Ipswich enjoyed a decent spell of possession over the next ten minutes, but LuaLua was unlucky with an attempted flick around the back of his heel, before the forward had another effort blocked after Brown set Cornick free down the right, Berry side-footing the loose ball just wide from 18 yards.

Brown was running the show, and within 35 minutes the fans were singing the new-boy’s name as he drove at the Ipswich defence and slipped the ball to his left to Lee, whose attempted curler was beaten behind by Norris.

Shea was keen to get in on the act and his drilled 70-yard ball over left-back Emyr Huws’ head set Cornick clear again on the right, and Shinnie almost made it pay a dividend with a shot that whistled just past the post, shortly before Berry saw another effort from outside the box blocked.

Jones made a double change at half-time, bringing on Josh Neufville and Martin Cranie for Bolton and LuaLua.

Brown was delighting the crowd with his balance and vision, and after carrying the ball from halfway, he once again slipped Lee in to his left for the attacking move that led to the third goal, with Shinnie being tripped on the edge of the box, then curling the 55th-minute free-kick home himself.

Brown’s next act was to tee up Lee for a shot that was straight at Norris, then Cornick down the right, picked out the Chelsea loanee, but his shot deflected wide for a corner.

Ipswich mounted a rare attack just after the hour when Shea had to be alert to tip over an Andre Dozzell drive, then Galloway cleared a dangerous looking effort from Roberts before Brown left the pitch to a standing ovation in the 66th minute.

Norris raced off his line to deny Callum McManaman, Brown’s replacement, after some wonderful link-up play with Lee on the edge of the box, then the former Wigan and West Brom forward let fly with a left-footer from 25 yards that drew an oohh from the crowd, but it flew high and handsome.

Ipswich pulled a goal back with a deflected strike from Dobra with just over a quarter of an hour to go, but almost immediately Bree came within a whisker of restoring the three-goal advantage as he climbed highest to meet a skied clearance from a corner, but his header went just wide with Norris flapping.

TOWN: Shea, Bolton (Neufville 46), Bree, Jones, Galloway, Berry, Shinnie ©, Brown (McManaman 66), Lee, LuaLua (Cranie 46), Cornick. Subs: Jervis, Moncur, Panter, Stech.

Goals: Jones 8, Lee (pen) 18, Shinnie 55

Yellow: Lee

IPSWICH: Norris, Emmanuel, Chambers ©, Wilson, Clements, Edwards (Rowe 61), Dozzell, Huws (Downes 66), Dobra, Roberts, Judge (Jackson 77). Subs: Holy (GK), Skuse, Jackson, Nolan

Yellows: Judge, Roberts, Dobra, Emmanuel

Goal: Dobra 74

REFEREE: Brett Huxtable

ATT: 5,433 (1,064 away)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stVRrycDVPY – Match highlights (ITFC)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwIVzHJ39hU – Graeme Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHGgzY4ij6c – Lloyd Jones on his first goal

GRAEME JONES ON THE 3-1 WIN OVER IPSWICH TOWN IN THE CARABAO CUP

Graeme Jones was pleased to get his first competitive win as Town boss as his side cruised to a 3-1 win over Ipswich Town in the first round of the Carabao Cup.

Lloyd Jones headed in from debutant Izzy Brown’s cross, before Elliot Lee doubled the lead from the penalty spot.

Andrew Shinnie made it three with a well take free-kick in the second half, before Armando Dobra’s deflected strike got the visitors their consolation goal.

The Town have been drawn against Cardiff City in the next round, with the fixture set to take place at the Cardiff City Stadium in two weeks time.

Jones said: “I am delighted, absolutely delighted [about drawing Cardiff]. We had a post-match meeting yesterday, it took me five hours to go through it on Saturday and Sunday. The boys know what we’ve got to improve at for the next game, so in two weeks we’re going to measure that improvement. So I am really, really happy with the fixture.

“In the second 45 tonight we had a few forced changes to make – I don’t think we were as fluent. I really wanted to go for the throat, take the game out of sight, we didn’t. We gave a stupid goal away which is disappointing.

“But overall it’s the first win of the season, we’re off and running, it’s positive, I am happy really. We’ve been competitive in the first two games and then first win tonight, you take a minute out of the game at the weekend and we sit here a lot happier.

“It wasn’t difficult [to change the whole team] because we worked tactically on Sunday when I am sure most teams were off. We worked tactically yesterday and then we had a meeting about the tactical work we have done.

“So we gave the players every opportunity to perform. The group that have been playing since the start of the season, I think we have added to that group, football has made those decisions out on the pitch. I spoke at the end of the game about consistent football behaviour and I have seen that in four or five players tonight, so that means you can trust them. There were lots of positives.”

Brown stars as Luton see off Tractor Boys in Carabao Cup

Carabao Cup, first round: Luton Town 3 Ipswich Town 1

Luton Town reached the second round of the Carabao Cup this evening with a comfortable 3-1 victory over League One Ipswich Town.

The Hatters swapped their entire side for the clash, with full debuts handed to Brendan Galloway and loan trio James Bree, Izzy Brown, who was excellent all night, plus Manchester City youngster Luke Bolton.

Defender Lloyd Jones began his first non-Checkatrade Trophy match, with Andrew Shinnie captaining the side, James Shea returning in goal and Kazenga LuaLua back as well.

Brown showed some good skill early on, beating two men and eventually firing in a 20-yard effort that was easy for Will Norris.

The keeper was extended further moments later, Elliot Lee sending Harry Cornick away, his attempt flicked on to the bar and behind by Norris.

There was nothing the stopper could do on eight minutes though, when a corner was cleared as far as Brown and he dinked a wonderful cross over for Jones to cushion a header into the corner for his first Hatters goal.

Ipswich tried to hit back, Armando Dobra's attempt easy for Shea, but they were left up against it on 17 minutes, Josh Emmanuel wrestling Lee to the floor in the area, leaving referee Brett Huxtable with liittle choice but to award a penalty.

Lee took it himself, confidently sending Norris the wrong way for his first goal of the season.

Now in full control, Town were close to a third, LuaLua's audacious flick blocked, and Luke Berry dragging a sidefooter wide from 20 yards.

Chelsea loanee Brown was having a superb debut, showing some real quality in possession with a fine array of passing, driving forward with real purpose, unselfishly teeing up Lee, who couldn't beat Norris.

Shinnie went for goal from 25 yards, his daisycutter inches away from the bottom corner with Norris beaten, while Brown found LuaLua, who didn't miss by much.

Luton made two changes for the second half, Josh Neufville and Martin Cranie on for Bolton and LuaLua.

They continued to attack, Cornick speeding away to find Lee via Brown's pass, the attacker curling narrowly off target.

Town had their place in the third round sewn up on 55 minutes though, Shinnie winning a free kick on the edge of the box and then calmly firmly sidefooting the set-piece into the corner past a hapless Norris.

Lee's effort after more glorious play from Brown was straight at the Ipswich keeper, while the visitors finally had a chance of note, Andre Dozzell's blast flicked over by Shea.

Galloway was then required to head off his line after Shea missed his punch, while Cornick drilled wide at the other end.

Brown's excellent debut was ended on 66 minutes, replaced by Callum McManaman to a wonderful ovation from an appreciative home crowd, who were already chanting his name.

Town continued to turn on the style, Lee's backheel sending McManaman through and Norris out smartly to repel his effort.

The visitors then had a slither of hope with 15 minutes left, Dobra allowed to run and run, before his shot flicked off a defender to leave Shea wrong-footed.

Luton almost restored their three goal cushion instantly, Bree rising highest to glance just wide, but they saw off the final moments with little alarm to go through.

Hatters: James Shea, James Bree, Lloyd Jones, Brendan Galloway, Luke Berry, Andrew Shinnie (C), Elliot Lee, Harry Cornick, Kazenga LuaLua (Martin Cranie 46), Luke Bolton (Josh Neufville 46), Izzy Brown (Callum McManaman 66).

Subs not used: Marek Stech, Jake Jervis, George Moncur, Corey Panter.

Ipswich: Will Norris, Luke Chambers (C), James Wilson, Gwion Edwards (Danny Rowe 61), Alan Judge (Kayden Jackson 77), Jordan Roberts, Andre Dozzell, Josh Emmanuel, Armando Dobra, Emyr Huws (Flynn Downes 66), Bailey Clements.

Subs not used: Tomas Holy, Cole Skuse, Jon Nolan, Myles Kenlock.

Booked: Judge 56, Roberts 79, Dobra 86, Lee 86, Emmanuel 90.

Referee: Brett Huxtable.

Attendance: 5,433 (1,064 Ipswich).

Jones thrilled to get Cardiff rematch in the second round

Luton boss Graeme Jones declared hs was overjoyed to be handed a trip to Cardiff City in the second round of the Carabao Cup after beating Ipswich Town this evening.

Town's reward for seeing off the Tractor Boys 3-1 at Kenilworth Road, was a visit to Wales, after having lost to the Bluebirds 2-1 on Saturday, Isaac Vassell scoring a stoppage time winner.

However, Jones said: "I'm delighted, absolutely delighted.

"We had a post match meeting yesterday (Monday), it took me five hours to go through it on Saturday and Sunday, and the boys know what we need to improve on in the next game.

"So in two weeks time we’re going to measure that improvement. I'm really, really happy with the fixture."

Lloyd Jones got a Town team, with 11 changes from the weekend, up and running against Ipswich, burying a header from Izzy Brown's delicious cross on eight minutes.

Elliot Lee's penalty (17) made it 2-0, with Andrew Shinnie's goal 10 minutes into the second half killing off any resistance from the visitors.

They pulled one back through Armando Dobra with 15 to go, as on his recording first victory as Luton manager, Jones added: "For the first 45 minutes (I was delighted), second 45, we had a few forced changes to make (Kazenga LuaLua and Luke Bolton going off), I don’t think we were fluent, as I wanted to really go for the throat and take the game out of sight.

"We gave a stupid goal away which is disappointing, but overall, first win of the season, we’re up and running, it’s positive, so I’m happy.

“We’ve been competitive in the first two games, first win tonight, so take a minute out of the game at the weekend (stoppage time defeat to Cardiff) and we’re sitting here a lot happier.”