Luton Town FC vs Milton Keynes Dons (9th Oct 2018)

LUTON 3 MILTON KEYNES 0

Sheehan, LuaLua and Grant goals seal Checkatrade qualification as group winners

The Hatters recorded a second win in Checkatrade Trophy Southern Group H to ensure qualification for the knockout stages as group winners tonight with a comfortably 3-0 victory over Milton Keynes at Kenilworth Road.

Captain Alan Sheehan’s penalty and Kazenga LuaLua’s first goal for the club, on his full debut, gave the hugely impressive Hatters a 2-0 half-time advantage over the Sky Bet League Two visitors, before Jorge Grant sealed the win with a third after the break.

The victory, coupled with Peterborough’s draw with Brighton and subsequent bonus point penalty shoot-out defeat, meant that the Hatters guarantee home advantage in the second round with six points, even before the final group match at Posh on November 13th.

It also extended the club’s unbeaten run to six matches in all competitions – and just one defeat in the last 11 – with three straight wins coming in the past week.

Town boss Nathan Jones chose a side that had Harry Isted in goal behind a back four of James Justin, Glen Rea, Sheehan and Jack Senior. In a three-man midfield was Alan McCormack, Andrew Shinnie and Arthur Read, with Grant and LuaLua as the wide attackers either side of Aaron Jarvis.

The Hatters started like a train, Shinnie firing narrowly over in the third minute, seconds before LuaLua crossed from the left for Jarvis to stab just wide of the near post, then Read cut in from the right, only to see his left foot shot beaten away by former Hatters loanee Stuart Moore.

The visitors had their first attempt in the tenth minute when Ousse Cisse shot over from the edge of the box, but Town were playing some cracking stuff and Jarvis met a 13th-minute Justin cross with a firm header, straight at Moore, then Read sent another low shot narrowly wide from 20 yards.

The Town deservedly got their noses in front on 17 minutes when Shinnie was tripped just inside the box by David Kasumu, and Sheehan stepped up to ping his penalty past Moore.

The lead was doubled in the 28th minute when LuaLua bided his time in the box and bent a beauty with into the bottom corner, after using Grant’s run on the overlap as a decoy, before delighting the crowd with his double somersault celebration.

The visitors looked to find a way back in on 52 minutes when a Hancox cross from the left found Aidan Nesbitt via a flick-on, but Isted made a wonderful double save to deny the half-time substitute with his initial powerful drive, and his follow-up.

Hatters were soon back on the front foot, however, and Read nodded inches wide after Shinnie’s effort had been parried into his path by Moore, just before Grant made it three on the hour.

Jarvis turned centre-half Finn Tapp magnificently on the Town left and aimed a shot at goal that Moore got a hand on, but only to lob it up for the onrushing Grant to steer in with his head from close range.

Read went closer still to extending the lead in the 68th minute the midfielder raced clear of the Milton Keynes back four and slipped the ball past Moore, but saw his effort bounce off the outside of the post.

Rea blazed over five minutes later when Senior and Grant combined down the left to set him up 12 yards out, then LuaLua called Moore into action again before Grant pinged a corner to Sheehan, lurking outside the box, but the captain’s left-footed Paul Scholes-style volley was deflected wide.

LuaLua was running riot and after reaching the left byline, he cut a beautiful ball back for Justin to run on to, Moore getting down low to keep the right-back’s side-footed 20-yarder out.

Jones handed youth teamer Jake Peck his senior debut with three minutes to go, before Josh Neufville and Connor Tomlinson came on to make it five academy graduates or current scholars on the pitch at the final whistle as the Hatters progressed through the group for a third season in a row.

LUTON: Isted, Justin, Rea, Sheehan ©, Senior, McCormack, Shinnie (Neufville 90), Read, LuaLua (Tomlinson 90), Grant (Peck 87), Jarvis. Subs: Bradley, Stacey, Collins, Shea (GK)

Goals: Sheehan 17 (pen), LuaLua 28, Grant 60

Yellows: Senior

MILTON KEYNES: Moore, Lewington © (Gilbey 46), Cisse (Nesbitt 46), Watson, Aneke (Thomas-Asante 46), Hancox, Simpson, Brittain, Jackson, Kasumu, Tapp. Subs: Sietsma (GK), Nombe, Sole, Pattison.

Yellows: Aneke

REFEREE: Craig Hicks

ATT: 875 (208 away)

NATHAN JONES ON THE 3-0 WIN OVER MILTON KEYNES

Town boss Nathan Jones felt his side put in a class performance in their 3-0 win over Milton Keynes last night in the Checkatrade Trophy – the result securing his side's place in the next round of the competition.

Alan Sheehan opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Andrew Shinnie had been tripped, before Kazenga LuaLua got his first for the Hatters with a well taken finish.

Jorge Grant grabbed the Town's third as he nodded in after Aaron Jarvis' effort was saved.

With Peterborough losing on penalties to Brighton & Hove Albion Under-21s, Town have finished top of the group and will play at home in the next phase of the competition.

Jones said: "I am delighted, apart from a nine minute period in the second half I thought we were dominant in everything we did.

"I thought we were excellent, we probed. We got the penalty and the first goal and then Kaz who was just magnificent all night got the second. Then second half we should have won by five or six goals. I am not being disrespectful, we've had clear cut chances where they have tried to come out and we have hit them on the counter as has happened in every home game we've played so far.

"I am very pleased because we have been stretched a little bit with our squad. JJ, Shinnie, Grant and Rea have had to double up with games – we don't like doing that.

"But we've had so many injuries that we've had to do it, but I thought we were magnificent and that's why I love my football club because they're right at it the boys to be fair and they were class tonight, a touch of class."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HURQnn8Cpfg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fxr4Al30NEk

Hatters ease past Dons to qualify for knock-out stages

Checkatrade Trophy, Group H: Luton Town 3 MK Dons 0

Luton qualified for the knock-out stages of the Checkatrade Trophy with a thoroughly comprehensive victory against League Two MK Dons this evening.

In front of what was the lowest ever gate at Kenilworth Road in the Hatters' history, with just 875 turning out, beating the 897 who turned up for the FA Trophy replay with Dorchester in 2012, those in attendance were treated to another fine performance from Nathan Jones' side.

The Town boss picked a strong team, nine changes from Saturday, but Glen Rea and Jorge Grant kept their place, Rea dropping to central defence, while there were run-outs for Alan Sheehan, James Justin, Alan McCormack and Andrew Shinnie, Kazenga LuaLua making his first start for the club too.

Town had two excellent chances early on, an unmarked Shinnie rifling over the top from the edge of the box and then LuaLua escaping on the left to cross for Aaron Jarvis to stab wide.

On seven minutes, Luton tested former keeper Stuart Moore, the stopper doing just enough to parry away Arthur Read's low effort, while Jarvis went close, not getting enough on his header from Justin's excellent cross.

Read wasn't afraid to get his efforts away, sending one snapshot narrowly wide on 15 minutes.

Luton then got the goal their early dominance deserved, when Shinnie was tripped in the area by David Kasumu, allowing Sheehan to hammer his penalty down the middle.

Town had a second just before the half hour, with LuaLua showcasing just why he Jones was intent on signing him.

The winger stood up his man and just when there looked like nothing on, shifted the ball on to his right foot, found a yard of space and blasted into the bottom corner.

After the break, MK Dons made a triple substitute and one of them, Aidan Nesbitt, warmed Harry Isted's gloves with a fierce strike.

The keeper then produced a sensational double save on 52 minutes, as Nesbitt was left unmarked eight yards out, the young keeper brilliantly blocking his first effort and then somehow twisting his body to paw away the point blank follow up attempt.

Town threatened what surely would have been a clinching third, as Jarvis sent Shinnie clear, with Moore denying him, while Read couldn't direct his follow up header on target.

However, they were 3-0 in front on the hour mark as Jarvis escaped on the left and when Moore could only parry his effort back into the danger area, Grant nodded home.

Luton could have extended their lead even further, Read going through one-on-one and hitting the outside of the post, while Jarvis was denied by a superb covering tackle.

Rea skied an effort from 12 yards hideously over the bar, while LuaLua almost had a second, his low drive brilliantly tipped behind by Moore.

The keeper gathered Justin's 25 yarder, while Dons threatened sporadically, Nesbitt just wide of the mark, as late on, Jones brought on U18s midfielder Jake Peck came on for his professional debut, with Connor Tomlinson and Josh Neufville joining him moments later.

With Brighton U21s beating Peterborough on penalties, it means the Hatters will finish at the top of the group, no matter what happens in their trip to Posh next month.

Hatters: Harry Isted, James Justin, Jack Senior, Glen Rea, Alan Sheehan (C), Alan McCormack, Arthur Read, Andrew Shinnie (Josh Neufville 88), Jorge Grant (Jake Peck 87), Kazenga LuaLua (Connor Tomlinson 88), Aaron Jarvis.

Subs not used: James Shea, Sonny Bradley, Jack Stacey, James Collins.

Dons: Stuart Moore, Dean Lewington (C Brandon Thomas-Asante 46), Ousse Cisse (Aidan Nesbitt 46), Ryan Watson, Chuks Aneke (Alex Gilbey 46), Mitch Hancox, Robbie Simpson, Callum Brittain, Oran Jackson, David Kasaumu, Finn Tapp.

Subs not used: Wieger Sietsma, Sam Nombe, Liam Sole, Charlie Pattison.

Booked: Aneke 35, Jackson 71, Hancox 90, Senior 90.

Referee: Craig Hicks.

Attendance: 875 (MK Dons 208).

Hatters boss overjoyed to secure top spot in the Trophy

Luton chief Nathan Jones was thrilled to see his side confirm their place as Checkatrade Trophy Southern Group H winners by disposing of MK Dons 3-0 last night.

Peterborough United’s penalty shoot-out defeat to Brighton U21s after a 2-2 draw in which they had led 2-0 with 20 minutes to go, means that with six points, the Hatters can’t be caught by the other three sides in the group who all have two.

They still have to visit Posh next month, but will now be guaranteed a home draw in the round of 32 which takes place in December, as Jones said: “That’s good, we wanted to top the group, because that means we get a home game.

“I saw an interview with Steve Evans that he went really strong because he wanted to win the game, so he could have a grandstand game against us.

“It’s still be a grandstand game, but winning that means we’re going to top the group, which is what we set out to do.”

Town moved away from their diamond formation during the victory on Tuesday night, opting for a 4-3-3 to utilise Kazenga LuaLua on the left flank.

When asked about the switch, Jones said: “We use two formations, anyone who says we have one formation, we don’t, we use two formations pretty much every week.

“We go to 4-3-3 and we played a diamond, but we can play a 4-3-3 and that’s why we bought Kazenga in it, so it give us real potency there.

“We’ve got Cornick for the other side and we’re always looking to improve, it’s not different for us, we work on those things week in week out and players know it.

“As far as players gelling, most of them have been here two years, and they work, they work on stuff religiously so it’s not shock to me.”

Town were in front on 17 minutes when Alan Sheehan confidently tucked away his first goal of the season from the penalty spot.

The defender used to take spotkicks for Notts County during his time at Meadow Lane earlier in his career, leaving Jones with no concerns over Town’s club captain stepping up.

He continued: “His record from pens is outstanding, we’ve got three or four there who take them, Sheez is absolutely outstanding and I’m delighted he did it.

“I had utmost faith in him, I’m very confident when Sheez stepped up, I can’t believe we don’t let him take them for the first team, especially last year, but I’ve got strikers who want to take them.

“I thought we were well worth the lead, we always like to get the first goal as it gives us that first goal for how we play, but I thought we were excellent.”

Sheehan was one of the more experienced players on display for the Hatters, along with Alan McCormack, as Jones praised those first-teamers who featured due to a host of injuries at the club.

He said: “I’m so proud of them as they’re such a good group and the experienced ones. You put Glen (Rea) in that as well, Shinnie and Jorge Grant, the attitude they showed, the appetite for work the appetite to do well was wonderful tonight.

“I’m proud of my club and I’m proud of what we do as it’s wonderful work.”

Hatters could and should have won by more on the night, creating a number of chances, as Jones added: “It was just a little bit of cutting edge and we should have been more ahead by half time as we got into their box a lot, as only the last bit of the half did they come into it.

“I thought for the full 90 we were excellent, we really were. Ready (Arthur Read) hit the post and he was clean through, (Aaron) Jarvis was through, we’ve had umpteen opportunities.

“They had to come out as they wanted to win the game, and 2-0, it’s not a precarious lead, as it’s a wonderful lead, but when they came out and we were on the counter attack, we’re pretty devastating on the counter attack against whoever we play.

“It’s just for me if there’s any criticism, it’s not more, but I’ve been stood here and that’s 10 goals in a week that we’ve scored and we could have got so, so many more and that’s the level we’re at.”