Luton Town FC vs Newport County AFC (30th Sep 2017)

MATCH REPORT & GALLERY: LUTON TOWN 3-1 NEWPORT COUNTY

An Alan Sheehan free-kick and a Danny Hylton brace secure the points for the Town

The Hatters made it four wins from their last five Sky Bet League Two fixtures as they put Newport County AFC to the sword at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

Alan Sheehan's free-kick evaded everyone and found the back of the net 12 minutes in, before Danny Hylton netted a brace before half-time with a well-executed back heel from close range and a Panenka chip penalty after Glen Rea had been brought down in the Newport 18-yard box.

The hosts got their consolation goal 10 minutes after the restart, but even with a strong spell in the second 45 minutes, they were unable to drag the game back into contention.

Jack Stacey's surging runs down the right have been a prominent part of the Hatters' attacking threat so far this season and it was no different today as his teasing cross four minutes in was met by Danny Hylton, but the striker's effort flew well over Joe Day's goal.

The former Oxford United man very nearly turned provider in the seventh minute as his left wing cross forced Day off his line to punch clear – had the keeper not got there James Collins would have had the simple job of heading into an empty net.

Town took the lead just five minutes later as the visitors' captain Joss Labadie brought down Glen Rea 35 yards from the Exiles' goal. Alan Sheehan took the resulting free-kick and his decent delivery drifted over the heads of everyone and into the bottom left corner.

It could have been 2-0 on the 16-minute mark when Hylton won possession in midfield – he sent a perfectly weighted ball down the right for Cornick with Collins making an excellent run into the middle of the box, but the ex-Bournemouth man's cross was collected comfortably by Day.

The Hatters were pouring forward and only a minute later Olly Lee's great pass to Cornick saw the 22-year-old fire an effort across the face of goal looking for the bottom left corner, but Day palmed it away.

Nathan Jones' side finally doubled their lead in the 22nd minute, when James Collins' low cross from the right was expertly tucked away by Hylton from close range, as he let the ball run through his legs and back heeled it with his right boot into the bottom left corner.

The visitors should have halved the deficit three minutes later, when Robbie Willmott's cross from a free-kick on the left – after Scott Cuthbert was adjudged to have fouled Frank Nouble – missed everyone, with Joss Labadie guilty of missing a tap in at the back stick with the goal gaping.

Town's relentless effort began to cool as the match started to settle, but they found themselves with the opportunity to add to their lead when Glen Rea was brought down as he tried to meet Alan Sheehan's cross from a corner. Hylton was given the chance to double his tally – and his Panenka chip just off centre to the left found the back of the net after Day had already committed to diving the other way.

That reignited the Hatters as they went in search of a fourth, with Jack Stacey hitting the base of the post two minutes before the break, before Hylton nearly completed his hat-trick with an audacious long-range effort, curling the ball just over the Newport crossbar from 35 yards two minutes into added time.

Jones' side kept up their efforts as soon as the whistle was blown for the restart, as Collins teed up Cornick but shanked it wide to the left.

Labadie got his side back in the game with 55 minutes on the clock as the Town failed to clear a cross into the box – the midfielder hammering it through Marek Stech's legs from close range to make it 3-1.

Newport pressed for a second, but in their efforts to do so left themselves short at the back which the Town should have punished them for on the hour mark, as Cornick did well to turn in midfield with David Pipe breathing down his neck. He powered on with Hylton and Collins providing options on the right, but he elected to tee up Gambin, who cut in onto his right, but his strike was blocked.

Mike Flynn's side took a grip of the game for a 15-minute spell and the Hatters rarely left their own third as the Exiles pummelled the Town box with crosses and long balls, but Stech and his defence stood strong.

With 20 minutes to go, Cornick should have added a goal to his strong performance, as Collins played him down the left. He cut in, but blazed his effort over with the ex-Crawley Town man screaming for the ball on the edge of the area.

He was then unfortunate not see his 83rd minute effort find the bottom left corner, as Lee's excellent pass picked out Jordan Cook, who played it back for Cornick, but he fell as he went to hit it and the ball rolled narrowly wide.

The result sees the Hatters remain in fifth on 21 points, having now picked up five wins from six in League Two at Kenilworth Road so far this season.

LINE-UPS:

TOWN: STECH, STACEY, CUTHBERT ©, SHEEHAN, POTTS, REA, LEE, GAMBIN (COOK 71), CORNICK (JUSTIN 85), HYLTON, COLLINS

SUBS: JUSTIN, MULLINS, COOK, JARVIS, SHEA (GK), LEE, FAMEWO

YELLOWS: COLLINS, POTTS

NEWPORT: DAY, PIPE, LABADIE ©, WHITE, WILLMOTT, AMOND (QUIGLEY 76), NOUBLE, TOZER, O'BRIEN, RIGG, DEMETRIOU

SUBS: BITTNER, BUTLER, DOLAN, REYNOLDS, MCCOULSKY, BENNETT, QUIGLEY

YELLOWS: WHITE, O'BRIEN

ATTENDANCE: 7,681 AWAY 296

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3ZMzglC9LI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14LfkYs9eQE

NATHAN JONES' VERDICT ON THE NEWPORT WIN

Hatters gaffer delighted by 3-1 win over the Exiles at Kenilworth Road

Hatters boss Nathan Jones spoke of his delight at seeing his side make it five games unbeaten with a 3-1 victory at home to Newport County AFC this afternoon.

Alan Sheehan’s 12th-minute free-kick found its way in at the far post before Danny Hylton added two more before half-time to set Jones’ side well on their way to a fourth win in that sequence.

Jones said: “I’m thoroughly delighted with the result, first and foremost. The performance I thought was excellent, especially first half where I thought we were really on the front foot, and had a great cutting edge about us, and I think we saw the game out very well.

“They came into it for about a 15-minute period after they scored, and we know they put you under pressure. They put a mountain of people in the box, they put the ball in your box from everywhere, so we knew we’d have to come under pressure and we’d have to defend well.

“Apart from one chance that went past the post, we dealt with that.

“But apart from that I thought our attacking play was first class and we were a real, real threat.”

Jones felt the scoreline should have been more emphatic, just as it should have been in last week’s 1-0 win over Chesterfield and at Morecambe in midweek, when the Town created 19 chances but drew 0-0.

“I still think we could have been more clinical,” said Jones. “Without being disrespectful to anyone, the amount of opportunities we got in behind them, and in their box, testing the keeper, who pulled off a wonderful save from young Cornick.

“But with the amount of opportunities we actually got in, it was wonderful. It was scintillating football at times without using the wrong adjective or an over-exaggeration. I thought at times our play was first, first class. I’m pleased with that.

“Then second half, we came out and wanted to get the first goal. We didn’t manage that, so we had to see the game out, but again, in the second half we had a number of opportunities.

“Just before they scored we had a great little counter-attack that only required a little bit of cleverness and we would have won more comfortably.

“I’m happy with the performance, I’m happy with the win and I’m happy to finish the month in good fashion.”

The Town remain fifth with every other team above them winning, apart from top-of-the-table Notts County, whose lead over the Hatters has been cut to four points. Accrington, who host Jones’ side next Saturday, are two points above the Town in third.

“They say leagues take shape after 15 games so we know where we are, but a lot of people are in good form and a lot of people are winning games, so we’ve just got to make sure that we keep doing that,” added Jones. “All we can do is worry about ourselves and keep winning the games that we have.

“We were slightly disappointed not to win the game against Morecambe in midweek, but we can’t win everything and if someone had said five games ago that we’d have won four out of five, then I’d have bitten their hand off, so I’m delighted.”

Hylton at the double as Town beat Exiles again

League Two: Luton Town 3 Newport County 1

Hatters striker Danny Hylton gave further evidence he is well and truly back to his best now with a starring role in Luton's victory over Newport County this afternoon.

Not only did the Luton forward notch twice, once from the penalty spot, it was his all-round display that caught the eye, playing some outrageous reverse passes at time, and linking up impressively with both James Collins and Harry Cornick.

It wasn't just Hylton either, Cornick once again produced another high octane performance as part of a front three, with finishing the only slight smudge on his copybook, as he blasted a number of efforts wide of the target when a cooler head would have surely led to his first goal.

The hosts named an unchanged side from the 0-0 draw at Morecambe on Tuesday night, although Johnny Mullins and Elliot Lee were fit enough to return to the bench, with Newport arriving in Bedfordshire having never won at Kenilworth Road in their 30 previous visits, spanning over 100 years.

Town looked to make the same kind of high tempo start they had managed against Morecambe in midweek, Hylton heading over the bar, while his teasing cross was punched away by Joe Day.

It paid off this time too, as on 12 minutes, a free kick was awarded a good 40 yards out, Alan Sheehan sending the ball into the danger area and it appeared to miss everyone before nestling in the bottom corner for the Irishman's first goal of the season.

Town looked for a second to really put the pressure on an in-form Newport side, Olly Lee finding Cornick in the box, who turned his man before shooting low, denied by the fingertips of Day.

However, the keeper could do nothing on 22 minutes when Luton extended their advantage as Scott Cuthbert's ball forward was well taken by Collins, the forward reaching the byline and cutting back for Hylton to finish impudently.

There was no chance of Luton attempting to declare there either, with Collins, Hylton and Cornick causing havoc to the visitors defence, the trio virtually unplayable at times.

Although Cornick and Luke Gambin blazed well over, Town were then awarded a spotkick on 35 minutes when Glen Rea was adjudged to have been hauled back by Ben Tozer in the area.

Hylton grabbed the ball and despite missing at Wycombe recently, held his nerve admirably this time to wait for Day to commit himself and then nervelessly dink the ball down the centre.

The striker should have been lining up another effort from 12 yards moments later, after being clipped by the already booked Ben White, but there was nothing doing this time.

Jack Stacey almost made it even better by the break, his low shot hitting the base of the post, cannoning off Day and going behind.

Now with his confidence brimming, Hylton tried to complete his hat-trick in audacious fashion, his 30 yard chip not quite coming down in time, but Town left the field to a marvellous reception from the home fans who had been well and truly entertained by the wonderful 45 minutes they had witnessed.

After the break, Town began well again, Cornick finding space but firing wide, while Collins saw yellow for what official Mark Heywood deemed as diving in the area.

Out of nothing, Newport had one back on 56 minutes when for once, Town just couldn't clear their lines and despite Lee appearing to be pushed in the build-up, play was waved on, allowing Joss Labadie to tuck his shot through the legs of Marek Stech.

Somehow Town went from a position of dominance to clinging on to their lead at times, as Mickey Demetriou was a whisker away from setting off the alarm bells, his shot scraping the post.

Town had an opportunity to add a fourth, Cornick breaking with pace and finding Gambin, who cut inside David Pipe, only to see his effort blocked.

Newport were now demonstrating just why Crawley chief Harry Kewell had labelled them a direct side after his team's 2-1 defeat recently, hammering ball after ball into the area with little thought, sending a whole host of long throws Luton's way too.

However, Hatters led superbly by captain Scott Cuthbert yet again, repelled everything that came their way, with Stech mopping up whenever possible too, as Luton's back-line held firm, ensuring clear-cut chances were at a minimum.

Cornick should really have added some breathing space, thundering over the top when well placed, but he continued to be Luton's go to man on the break once more, displaying boundless energy to get his team up the pitch.

You got the sense that County's race was run, as having weathered the storm, Luton set about trying to make the margin of victory even more comfortable in the final 15 minutes.

They almost managed it as well, Hylton firing into the side-netting, Lee hammering over, before James Justin had his first league minutes of the campaign, replacing Cornick, who rightly received a standing ovation.

That switch saw Stacey pushed forward and he almost added a late gloss, picked out brilliantly by Hylton's dink, but Day was out quickly.

Late on Sheehan's free kick was easy enough for the County stopper, as Town picked up yet another victory over their Welsh opponents on home soil.

Hatters: Marek Stech, Jack Stacey, Dan Potts, Scott Cuthbert, Alan Sheehan, Glen Rea, Olly Lee, Luke Gambin (Jordan Cook 71), Harry Cornick (James Justin 85), Danny Hylton, James Collins.

Subs not used: James Shea, Akin Famewo, Aaron Jarvis, Johnny Mullins, Elliot Lee.

Exiles: Joe Day, David Pipe, Joss Labadie (C Shawn McCoulsky 78), Ben White, Robbie Willmott (Lamar Reynolds 71), Padraig Amond (Joe Quigley 76), Frank Nouble, Ben Tozer, Mark O'Brien, Sean Rigg, Mickey Demetriou.

Subs not used: Dan Butler, Matty Dolan, Scot Bennett, James Bittner.

Booked: White 42, Collins 49, Potts 65, O'Brien 68,

Referee: Mark Heywood.

Attendance: 7,681 (296 County).

Hatters MOM: Danny Hylton. Easily back to his best once more.

Jones hails Town's first half display as 'absolutely outstanding'

Hatters boss Nathan Jones was almost lost for superlatives when describing his side's first half display against Newport County this afternoon.

The Luton chief saw Town romp into a 3-0 lead by the break, courtesy of Danny Hylton's double, plus a free kick from Alan Sheehan that appeared to fly straight in from 40 yards, as the hosts produced an exceptional opening 45 minutes.

Jones said: "First half we were outstanding, absolutely outstanding, we really were.

“The level of play, the level of movement, how we shifted the ball, especially in the final third, we got in behind their back four.

“Their back four was at full stretch and I don't want to be disrespectful to anyone, I really don't, I'm talking about my team here, that’s all and I thought we were outstanding.

“I was disappointed we went in 3-0 and that's not being arrogant in any way, because 3-0's not a tricky lead, it's a great lead to have, but I felt we should have been more ahead."

Jones also felt that despite Hylton should have had two attempts at converting from 12 yards, as although referee Mark Heywood spotted a clear foul on Glen Rea for his first spot kick, another clear infringement on the striker himself by Ben White wasn't given.

He continued: "It was a clear-cut penalty that we should have had, but we didn’t. A nailed on penalty, which also would have been the lad’s second yellow, and reduced them to 10 men, which you think then would be game over.

"But I can’t take to it too much as I thought first half we were scintillating, and to say that they were far better second half, I’m not sure.

"As they had a spell where they put us under a lot of pressure, kept putting the ball into the box, long throws, which you get at this level, but we saw that out reasonably well and then still looked a real threat on the counter.

"Collo’s (James CoIlins) put a ball over, if he just slides Danny in, he’s clean in. Hylts has put Jack Stacey clean in one on one with the keeper, so we're still creating chances."

The Town boss did accept Newport had their own dangerous spell midway through the second period, but felt Hatters stood up to their aerial bombardment admirably.

He added: "That’s what it was, a 20 minute period where it was nervy, very nervy.

"We started well and should have scored, but apart from that I thought there were nervy moments and you get that at this level.

"Because everyone's got a long throw, everyone puts the ball in your box, when there's a free kick on the edge of the half way line, very few get it down and play quick, they put it in your box.

"They were a big, big side, so you have to weather that and I thought we did that and back four were very good for most of the game.

“Flynny’s (Mike Flynn) has done a brilliant job, they came here and it was a different game when we played them slightly earlier last year and won 2-1 thanks to two penalties.

"It was a feisty game, so we know there was going to be an element of physicality in the game. We stood up to that, we moved the ball wonderfully well and they're a good side, a difficult side to play against.

"They've only lost one in the last five like us, they're record's very similar to us, so it was a real big game for us and a difficult game, but I thought first half we were wonderful."