Luton Town FC vs Morecambe (1st Mar 2016)

PUBLISHED 22:20 1st March 2016 Marriott winner gives the Hatters a third straight win

LUTON TOWN 1-0 MORECAMBE

Jack Marrott’s goal 14 minutes from time handed the Hatters a third victory on the spin.

The striker slotted home his 11th goal of the season from an acute angle following Paddy McCourt’s pass to finally break Morecambe’s resistance.

Marriott went close in the first half with a shot that bounced inches wide of the post but the forward made no mistake to secure the Hatters their first back-to-back home wins since September.

It all began with Nathan Jones making three changes to the side that beat York on Saturday. Craig Mackail-Smith, Paddy McCourt and Jonathan Smith both started, replacing Alex Lawless, Joe Pigott and Danny Green who all dropped to the bench.

Playing through McCourt, the Town began patiently but couldn’t find the killer pass to test the Morecamebe back-line.

In fact the visitors had the first serious chance of the game eight minutes before half-time when the evergreen Kevin Ellison, 37, turned Scott Cuthbert and tested 38-year-old Mark Tyler with a firm effort from 12 yards.

The Hatters had to wait until the 42nd minute to fashion their best chance of the half when Marriott, latching onto Cameron McGeehan’s pass, hit a low shot across goal that flew inches the wrong side of the post.

After the restart the Town upped the ante again, forcing Morecambe back, with McCourt the orchestrator once more. The midfielder created a superb opportunity for Mackail-Smith on 50 minutes with a stunning pass – only for the striker to be thwarted by the giant frame of Barry Roche in Shrimps goals.

Three minutes later McCourt saw a shot deflected behind for a corner before Marriott saw another shot blocked moments later.

While the Town continued to dominate, the threat at the other end was minimal: Tyler got down to keep out Paul Mullin’s 25-yard free-kick on 66 minutes, but the Hatters kept up the momentum and Stephen O’Donnell’s stinging drive was turned around the post by Roche.

McCourt almost conjured up another piece of magic, only to see his vision seen at the last moment by the Morecambe defence on 74 minutes – but two minutes later the Hatters had the lead at last.

It was McCourt’s run that led to it: his trickery paved a pass into the path for Marriott who kept his composure despite offside claims from the visitors to tuck home a low finish from a really tight angle. It was his third goal in his last four games.

Now it was the visitors’ turn to attack and the Hatters needed Tyler to be alert on 80 minutes to spring to his left to prevent Chris Doyle’s header from creeping into the corner.

Back came the Town as they sought to put the game to bed. Mackail-Smith’s cross – on a plate for someone – was cleared behind for a corner before the striker then failed to find the target when running through with seven minutes to play.

It was almost game-set-match for the Hatters with four minutes left when McCourt poked a shot into Roche’s gloves but, as time ticked down, the Town needed a fine defensive clearance from Alan Sheehan to avert the danger from a right-wing cross.

In the three added minutes there was one final chance for the visitors to snatch a last-gasp equaliser – only for defender Ryan Edwards to head over from 10 yards.

And the Hatters were able to see out the remaining moments to claim another victory – their fifth at home this season – to move to within six points of the Play-Offs. See you at Leyton Orient.

Town: Tyler; O’Donnell, Howells, Cuthbert, Sheehan; Lee, Smith, McGeehan, McCourt (sub Ruddock 90); Marriott, Mackail-Smith. Hatters subs not used: Lawless, Benson, Green, Okuonghae, Pigott, Justham.

Attendance: 7,153, including 56 shouting for the Shrimps.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-luton-town-1-0-morecambe-2983209.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FqitROjF_Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUrCqpo3Ev4

League Two: Luton Town 1 Morecambe 0

A moment of clinical opportunism from Hatters striker Jack Marriott saw Luton make it three victories in a row and back to back home wins at Kenilworth Road last night.

With 14 minutes to go, it looked like Town were going to suffer further home frustration, before Marriott escaped his markers to reach Paddy McCourt’s through ball and slide an effort under keeper Barry Roche for his 11th goal of the campaign.

That was enough to defeat a free falling Morecambe side who have now lost eight of their last nine matches and keep alive Luton’s slim hopes of a play-off place this term.

Town boss Nathan Jones made three changes to the side who beat York on Saturday, with Jonathan Smith, McCourt and Craig Mackail-Smith coming in for Alex Lawless, Danny Green and Joe Pigott.

McCourt tried to get Luton on the front foot immediately as he fed Stephen O’Donnell whose cross was met by Marriott, his header easy for Roche.

Centre half Alan Sheehan was then off target with his curling outside of the boot effort, before Morecambe went close, Aaron Wildig’s shot deflected narrowly wide.

Town continued prodding and poking, but were unable to land a knock out blow, Jake Howells sending Marriott away but his cross was cleared away from almost on the goal-line by Chris Doyle.

Despite their monopoly on possession, it was Tyler who was the busier keeper in the first half, saving well from Kevin Ellison’s sharp turn and shot.

Luton were inches away from the first goal on 42 minutes when McCourt and McGeehan combined well to slip in Marriott whose touch took him wide, before shooting narrowly past the post.

With the scores goalless at the break, it meant Hatters failed to score at home for the sixth game running in the first half, Paul Benson’s effort against Northampton on December 12 the last time they were on target before the interval.

After the break, Luton made a bright start, as McCourt’s marvellous hooked pass drew gasps of admiration from the home faithful, but the finish was lacking with Mackail-Smith failing to lift his toe-poke over Roche.

Jamie Devitt thundered over the top, before McCourt flashed in a shot that deflected just off target.

With 20 minutes to go, Luton began to show more urgency, O’Donnell’s drive flicked behind by Roche.

On 76 minutes, the deadlock was eventually broken as Marriott pounced from close range as Morecambe looked in vain for an offside flag.

Although McCourt had an effort parried by Roche, once Luton had the lead though, it was the Shrimps who got the bit between their teeth and they could have levelled.

First Sheehan made a vital intervention, before, in stoppage time, Ryan Edwards popped at the back bost, only to direct his header over.

However, Luton held on to register another crucial three points ahead of a trip to seventh-placed Leyton Orient this weekend.

Hatters: Mark Tyler, Stephen O’Donnell, Jake Howells, Scott Cuthbert (C), Alan Sheehan, Jonathan Smith, Olly Lee, Cameron McGeehan, Paddy McCourt (Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu 90), Jack Marriott, Craig Mackail-Smith.

Subs not used: Elliot Justham, Paul Benson, Magnus Okuonghae, Joe Pigott, Danny Green, Alex Lawless.

Shrimps: Barry Roche, Shaun Beeley (C Luke Conlan 44), Alex Kenyon, Ryan Edwards, Jamie Devitt, Tom Barkhuizen, Kevin Ellison, Paul Mullin, Alan Goodall (Lee Molyneux 82), Aaron Wildig, Chris Doyle.

Subs not used: Aaron McGowan, Laurence Wilson, Ben Hedley, Kieran O’Hara.

Attendance: 7,153 (Morecambe 56).

Referee: Darren Deadman.

Hatters MOM: Paddy McCourt. Pulled the strings all evening as Luton tried to break the deadlock.

Hatters boss Nathan Jones was bursting with pride after his side made it three wins in a row against Morecambe at Kenilworth Road last night.

The Luton chief had urged his team to back up the 3-2 triumph at York City on Saturday night with another home victory, and they did just courtesy of Jack Marriot’s 76th minute strike.

Jones was particularly animated when leaving the field, urging the Town fans to appreciate the players’ efforts, and speaking to the press afterwards, he said: “I’m thoroughly delighted. I thought until we scored, we were in total control.

“They slowed the game down so they killed the tempo, but we tried to play, we broke lines, got into good areas. The final ball killed us a little bit, but I’m really proud of them.

“They gave me a proper shift, tried to do what I asked of them, missed chances as we could have made it easier for ourselves again, but I’m really, really delighted, a total difference to how I was Saturday.

“We came out of the blocks, got right at them and I’m delighted, really delighted with the three points and the performance.”

Although the goal was late in coming once more, Marriott’s strike from Paddy McCourt’s through ball with 14 minutes to play settling the contest, Jones insisted supporters will have to learn to accept a more patient style of play.

He continued: “I keeping saying that we’re going to gain a reputation where we’re going to have to be patient.

“It’s not going to five and sixes, but there’s going to be a way of how we do stuff, a way of how we move the ball, how we control the ball and we’re going to have to be patient, going to have to learn to play under pressure.

“Because I know the crowd are demanding but we did it and I’m proud of them.

“We won 3-2 the other day and everyone was buzzing, this was a 10 times better win than it was the other day, 10 times better.

“There was more control, there was more fluency in our play. There was a way about us and Morecambe came here and I know they’re struggling for results, but they killed momentum in the game and we picked it up.

“I’m really proud of them and I’m delighted because that’s a proper performance. If anyone’s gone away from here, thought, well it was half hearted, they’ve watched a totally different game to I have, and I’ll watch it again, I’m buzzing, absolutely buzzing.”

The one slight disappointment for Jones was his side’s final ball once more as they dominated territorially but apart from the goal, Shrimps keeper Barry Roche had a fairly quiet evening.

He added: “We got into great areas, but just the final ball wasn’t quite there, which again we’re going to have to work on.

“The little cutting edge in the games we probably didn’t have, but our build up play, how we went about it, how we worked, how we pressed, how we tried to get into the final third, I’m delighted.

“Paddy McCourt’s ball for (Craig) Mackail-Smith’s chance is above the level, it’s outstanding play, a lot of our build up play was.

“I would have liked it to be more comfortable, I’d liked have Craig Mackail-Smith’s chance to have gone in, then Jack’s makes it two, then it’s way, way, way more comfortable. But it wasn’t to be, that’s what we’ve got to improve, that’s the only tinge of disappointment I have. In terms of our performance, I’m proud of my boys, proud of them.”

Luton Town 1 Morecambe 0

It only takes a second to score a goal but it's the other 89 minutes and 59 seconds either side of Jack Marriott's winner against Morecambe that 7,153 Luton fans will never get back. They won't care though, as their side narrowed the odds on mission impossible.

It was a maximum return that cut the deficit between them, the League Two play-offs and Saturday's opponents Leyton Orient from eight points to six. And all this for a side that, under boss Nathan Jones, remains a work in progress.

They made hard, and at times, tedious work of despatching a Shrimps side that had taken one point out of the last 24, but despite the performance – which if DVDs of the first half ever emerge, could be a boon as an insomnia remedy – things are starting to get interesting.

And there's always that old adage about successful sides grinding out wins. Town haven't shown too many of those attributes this season but maybe the tide is turning.

Jones seemed to think so as he beat his chest and howled with delight as the players marched triumphantly back towards the tunnel at the final whistle.

And he's got every reason to be cheerful with a result which also confirmed a third win on the spin for the first time since September.

Marriott struck in the 76th minute to claim his third goal in four games and it was a composed finish, make no mistake, as the striker – now on 11 for the season – squeezed the ball home from a tight angle after Paddy McCourt somehow poked through a mess of Morecambe legs and into 21-year-old's path.

The Northern Irishman had earlier produced a through-ball of sublime quality – fit to win any football match – which Craig Mackail-Smith took perfectly in his stride but somehow failed to finish.

It was for those two moments of quality, in a match lacking in any real spark, that the playmaker was named the sponsors' man-of-the-match and replaced at the death to fulsome applause. After two games resigned to the bench it was not a bad night's work.

Jonathan Smith and Mackail-Smith were the other changes to the starting line-up, but like the first 45 minutes at York on Saturday, the pace was pedestrian, enlivened only by a Marriott chance just before the break that he almost cut in from an acute angle.

It was only one he'd got his measurements right with 14 minutes left of the match that Morecambe any threat at all. Yet they should have punished Town late on.

Mark Tyler, who'd made some routine saves in the opening half, pulled off something a little more acrobatically to keep out a Chris Doyle header, but it was Ryan Edwards who conspired to nod over when unmarked inside the box in the dying seconds.

It left Marriott to soak up the glory and maybe, just maybe the result an otherwise forgettable performance could be the springboard to something this season that lasts rather longer in the memory banks.

Luton Town: Tyler, O'Donnell, Smith, Cuthbert, McGeehan, Marriott, McCourt (Ruddock Mpanzu, 90), Lee, Mackail-Smith, Howells, Sheehan Unused subs: Lawless, Benson, Green, Justham, Okuonghae, Pigott

Morecambe: Roche, Beeley (Conlan, 44), Kenyon, Edwards, Devitt, Barkhuizen, Ellison, Mullin, Goodall (Molyneux, 82), Wildig, Doyle Unused subs: McGowan, Wilson, Hedley, O'Hara

Referee: Darren Deadman

Attendance: 7,153 (56)

Luton Town: Nathan Jones says beating Morecambe was ‘10-times better’ than York

Luton boss Nathan Jones insisted that his side's 1-0 home win over Morecambe last night was "ten-times better" than their dramatic late triumph at York on Saturday.

Town took until the 76th minute to break the deadlock against the League Two strugglers, who were without a win in eight games, when Jack Marriott converted from an acute angle for his third in four games and 11th of the season.

It was a game of little excitement, unlike the cut-and-thrust of the weekend, when Olly Lee's injury time solo goal sealed all three points in a five-goal second half thriller at Bootham Crescent.

Jones had previously claimed that was the worst performance of his two-month reign, but was more effusive as the Hatters secured their first consecutive home victories since September.

"We won 3-2 the other day and everyone was buzzing. This was a ten-times better win than it was the other day," the manager said.

"There was more control, there was more fluency in our play and there was a way about us. Morecambe came here, and I know they're struggling for results, but they killed the game. They killed momentum in the game and we picked it up.

"I'm really proud of them because that's a proper performance and if anyone has gone away from here and thought they were half-hearted, they've watched a totally different game to what I have – and I'll watch it again. I'm buzzing, absolutely buzzing."

The victory was also the first time since September that Town have taken maximum returns from three games on the trot, while it also narrowed the gap to the play-offs from eight to six points.

Jones said: "It's three on the bounce, we've gone back-to-back, but also [achieved] away and home, which is important. We hadn't won at home in a long time and it's a demanding crowd, I know, but I hope they've all gone home happy. They won't be delighted but I hope they're happy."

There were groans from the terraces at times as Town struggled to carve out chance and Jones responded, saying: "I keep saying to you [media] and I keep saying to the team that we're going to gain a reputation where we're we'll have to be patient.

"It isn't going to be fives and sixes, but it's going to be about how we do stuff, the way we move the ball, control the ball and we'll have to be patient.

"We'll have to learn to play under pressure. I know the crowd are demanding, we did it and I'm proud of them [players] tonight."

The manager did admit that finishing was one area that could have been improved after Craig Mackail-Smith couldn't make the most of the game's only other highlight.

Jones said: "Paddy McCourt's ball for Mackail-Smith's chance is above-the-level. It's outstanding play. A lot of our build-up play was. We got into great areas, but the final ball just wasn't quite there which, again, we'll have to work on.

"I'd have liked it to have been more comfortable. I'd have liked Mackail-Smith's chance to have gone in and then [if] Jack makes it two then it's way, way more comfortable, but it wasn't to be.

"That's what we have to improve and that's the only tinge of disappointment that I have, but in terms of our performance, I'm proud of my boys."