Luton Town FC vs Mansfield Town (29th Nov 2014)

Whalley's brace helps Town see off Stags

Luton Town 3 Benson 19, Whalley 59, 63 Mansfield Town 0

The Hatters bounced back from last weekend’s defeat at Burton to record their seventh straight league win at Kenilworth Road to lift them back into second place.

Winger Shaun Whalley was the Hatters’ hero with a fine brace – the first a cross-cum-shot, the second a sumptuous finish after a trademark mazy run – but the Town’s victory was overshadowed by the injury suffered to striker Paul Benson, who opened the scoring in the 19th minute.

It was another deserved three points on home soil in yet another solid display and although Mansfield threatened briefly at the start of the second half, after Benson’s opener there was only going to be one winner – and Whalley’s brace blew them away, and that was that.

It all started with Still making three changes to the side that their 11-match unbeaten run the previous weekend. Fraser Franks replaced the suspended Luke Wilkinson at centre-half, whilst Andy Drury and leading goalscorer Mark Cullen both started.

The Hatters began well, pushing the Stags back into their own third of the pitch and the Town came close to taking the lead on 11 minutes when Nathan Doyle’s fierce low drive from 25 yards was pawed away by Mansfield goalkeeper Sascha Studer.

It was all the Town against the visitors, who axed Paul Cox as boss two weeks ago, and Benson wasn’t far away from converting a deep left-wing cross from Drury with a back-post header.

Winger Whalley was given another start on the right flank and his pace and direct running got the Mansfield defence back-pedalling, but he was booked by referee Gavin Ward on 17 minutes after going down in the box under Lee Beevers’ challenge. A yellow card for simulation.

But two minutes later the Town did have a goal to cheer as Benson poked them ahead. Drury sent Cullen down the left flank with a fine ball and the striker’s cross was met by Benson whose first effort was blocked. However, seizing on the loose ball, Benson held off several Mansfield defenders and rolled the ball into near corner. It was his first league goal of the season.

Buoyed by that goal the Hatters began to turn on the style and Cullen was denied a certain second four minutes later by a fine piece of defending from the Stags’ Kieron Freeman following a peach of a cross from Whalley.

However the Town were dealt a blow on 27 minutes when goalscorer Benson was stretchered off the field with a suspected broken leg. Jake Howells was sent-on in his place. It was later revealed that Benson has broken his leg following an innocuous incident with a Stags player.

As the Hatters dealt with the loss of Benson, Franks did well to block a Mansfield effort full in the face before Drury dinked a lovely effort just wide from the edge of the area.

Drury then orchestrated a superb move on 37 minutes when his stunning cross-field pass got Whalley away but the winger’s effort was well blocked. From the resultant corner, however, Franks saw his bullet header cleared off the line by Stags skipper Martin Riley.

It was more of the same soon after half-time. Four minutes after the restart the Town came close again when Cullen hung in the air to nod a Michael Harriman pass onto the top of the crossbar.

Having been denied once more, the Hatters then had to face a strong Mansfield spell that saw Mark Tyler save from Riley and substitute Junior Brown, and Stephen McNulty block a Vadaine Oliver shot from the edge of the area.

However, on the hour, with Luke Rooney about to come on, his replacement Whalley had other ideas and duly doubled the Hatters’ lead. He strode down the right flank after Studer’s poor clearance, and thundered in a cross that nobody moved for. Seconds later the ball nestled gloriously in the net. A fluke? Maybe, but no-one cared, and the Town were 2-0 up.

Rooney had to sit back down and four minutes later Whalley doubled his tally with a stunning solo effort to make it 3-0. He waltzed past a number of Mansfield challenges before sending a sweet low left-foot strike into the bottom corner of the net past the outstretched arms of Studer. The Town faithful had a new hero.

Kenilworth Road was bouncing with the Hatters on their way to another three points. Scott Griffiths headed straight at the keeper from a Drury free-kick on 69 minutes as the Town hunted a fourth.

Whalley was at it again with 10 minutes left when he left a statuesque Stags defence behind with another mazy run. The loose ball the dropped to Jonathan Smith but the midfielder’s deflected shot struck the base of the post.

The last word went to Whalley when he was substituted in the final stages to which he received a deserved standing ovation – and that was most definitely that.

Seven straight home wins, up to second in the table, one defeat in 13 games. The Town juggernaut is back on track after last weekend’s defeat at Burton.

Town: Tyler; Harriman, Griffiths, McNulty, Franks; Doyle, Smith, Whalley (sub Rooney 86), Drury; Benson (sub Howells 27), Cullen (sub Walker 82). Subs not used: Lacey, Miller, Ruddock, Justham.

Attendance: 8,418, including 294 from Mansfield.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-town-3-0-mansfield-2112744.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxlEIespC4M

League Two: Luton Town 3 Mansfield Town 0

A quickfire double from flying winger Shaun Whalley saw Luton Town send struggling Mansfield Town to another defeat this afternoon.

With Hatters 1-0 in front, the wideman was about to be taken off on the hour mark with Luke Rooney readied on the sidelines, only to pick up a poor clearance from Stags keeper Sascha Studer, drive forward and see his cross shot fly into the far corner that left the Kenilworth Road crowd purring in delight.

Rooney was then sent back to sit down and Whalley produced a brilliant individual run and finish moments later to make it 3-0.

Prior to the game, Hatters made three changes for the clash as Fraser Franks replaced the suspended Luke Wilkinson to partner Steve McNulty in the back-line.

Top scorer Mark Cullen came in as did Andy Drury, with Jake Howells dropping to the bench and Luke Guttridge missing out.

A quiet opening exchange saw Luton eventually have the first effort of note on 11 minutes, Nathan Doyle’s low drive turned behind by Studer.

The hosts came close moments later too when Paul Benson rose highest to meet Drury’s free kick, but nodded over.

Whalley was controversially booked on 17 minutes as he raced past Lee Beevers in the area before going down under the defender’s challenge.

Referee Gavin Ward adjudged the Luton man had dived though and brandished a yellow much to the furore of Town’s management staff.

However, within seconds, Town were in front as Cullen escaped on the left and his cross was flicked goalwards by Benson.

Studer parried the initial effort but Benson showed great determination to win the loose ball and his low shot beat the keeper’s dive and trickled over the line almost in slow motion.

With the bit between their teeth, Hatters came close to a second as Whalley sent over a marvellous cross and Kieron Freeman’s superb sliding intervention prevented Cullen nothing a certain goal.

Hatters were then dealt a real blow as Benson, who had looked something like being back to his best, injured himself while making an innocuous challenge and had to be stretchered off in real pain.

With Jake Howells on his place, Town took a while to get going once more, Drury scooping wide from just outside the area.

As they often do, Hatters upped the tempo quickly though, Whalley’s drive deflected behind and from the corner, Fraser Franks’ header was nodded off the line by Martin Riley.

After the break, the visitors almost levelled in spectacular style, Reggie Lambe’s overhead kick flying narrowly over.

With the game becoming more open, Town threatened as Michael Harriman dinked over the perfect cross and Cullen arched his back to nod against the bar.

Tyler easily gobbled up Martin Riley’s header, while as Stags started to become more dominant, second half sub Junior Brown’s fierce drive was parried by the Luton keeper.

Out of nothing though, Town had their crucial second thanks to Whalley’s wing play, with Studer rooted to the spot.

If the first one had an element of luck to it, there was nothing fortunate about Whalley’s second minutes later as once again, he beat his man, and curled a beautiful left-footed dasiycutter into the bottom corner.

The visitors almost had a reply as Chris Clements’ shot deflected off Franks and just was wide of the post.

However, Luton were coasting now as Griffiths’ far post header was claimed by Studer, as Hatters boss John Still brought on Charlie Walker and finally Rooney as Whalley was given a deserved standing ovation.

Results elsewhere meant Town climbed back up to second place, leapfrogging Burton Albion, who lost 1-0 to Shrewsbury Town, as they remain a point behind leaders Wycombe Wanderers

Hatters: Mark Tyler, Michael Harriman, Scott Griffiths, Steve McNulty (C), Fraser Franks, Shaun Whalley, Jonathan Smith, Nathan Doyle, Andy Drury, Mark Cullen (Charlie Walker 82), Paul Benson (Jake Howells 27).

Subs not used: Elliot Justham, Alex Lacey, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Ricky Miller.

Stags: Sascha Studer, Martin Riley (C), Ryan Tafazolli, Kieron Freeman, Simon Heslop, Reggie Lambe (Matt Rhead 76), Lee Beevers, Rob Taylor (Junior Brown 46), Vadaine Oliver, Chris Clements, Jamie Sendles-White (Fergus Bell 61).

Subs not used: Rakish Bingham, Ollie Palmer, Liam Marsden, Dimitar Evtimov.

Booked: Whalley 17, Beevers 67.

Attendance: 8,418 (Stags 294).

Referee: Gavin Ward.

Hatters MOM: Shaun Whalley. Reborn winger dazzled in the second period.

Hatters boss John Still admitted he was about to take off winger Shaun Whalley before his match-winning double against Mansfield Town yesterday.

Luke Rooney was readied on the touch line to come on, before Whalley took Stags keeper Sascha Studer’s poor clearance, set off for the byline and fired in a cross shot that arrowed into the top corner.

That saw Rooney sent back to the bench and Whalley went on to bag a second with another superb individual attempt.

When asked if it was the winger he had been planning to take off, Still said: “We were. We had planned to play Shaun for about an hour, because he hadn’t had too much football and I wanted to be sensible with him.

“But when he got that goal it gave him another lift, gave him another level, so I thought we’d leave him on.

“Out intention was to play him for an hour, so what do I know?”

Whalley himself had noticed movement on the bench but hadn’t known he was the intended substitution, as he said: “I’ve seen someone getting ready but didn’t know it was me for certain.

“Obviously if the gaffer was doing that then fair play to him, but luckily I’ve scored just before he was going to bring me off and then I’ve scored another one, which is perfect.

“Football’s a crazy game, one minute you’re up there, one minute you’re down there. Luckily its all gone right for me and the lads have got a 3-0 win.”

Luton Town winger Shaun Whalley is starting to show the Hatters' fans what he can do, according to manager John Still.

The 27-year-old who joined from Southport in the summer of 2013, scored a magnificent double during the 3-0 win over Mansfield, his first league goals in over a year, as Luton climbed back up to second in the Sky Bet League 2 table.

Still said: "He just wants to play football. As he's got older, he's realised he's got a talent and if he really takes it seriously, he could push on and fulfill the potential that he obviously had as a young man.

"He came in here, started and it never went particularly well and the team went on an unbelievable run and no matter what he did, he couldn't get in the team.

"But it's been a really pleasing experience that he's playing and playing as well as he is playing at the moment."

Luton dominated the first half in terms of chances, as Nathan Doyle tested Sascha Studer early on from 25 yards.

The Hatters then took the lead on 19 minutes as Paul Benson netted at the second attempt after he had originally been denied by Studer.

Town's top scorer Mark Cullen was then denied by a superb challenge from Kieron Freeman as he went to turn in Whalley's accurate cross, while Benson had to be stretchered off after 27 minutes, injuring himself making an innocuous challenge.

Luton almost had a second as Andy Drury scooped narrowly wide, before Whalley's fierce drive was deflected behind and Stags defender Lee Beevers headed Fraser Franks' attempt off the line.

In the second half, Reggie Lambe's overhead kick flew narrowly over while Luton striker Cullen headed against the bar from Michael Harriman's pinpoint delivery.

However, Luton made the game safe through Whalley on 59 and 63 minutes.

First, he saw his cross-shot fly into the far corner and then set off on a mazy run to beat Studer once more with a lovely left-footed curler.

Stags caretaker boss Adam Murray said: "I'm disappointed we've lost a game of football. I think in key moments of the game we've seen why Luton are where they are, and we are where we are at the minute.

"The first and second goal we gave them, the third goal, we're chasing to get one and always have a chance of getting countered.

"Let's not get this wrong, though, this is a side that have been together two-and-a-half years, function like a machine and we've gone from black to white in the space of five days. So for me, we have to give these boys credit."