Luton Town FC vs Northampton Town (12th Dec 2015)

PUBLISHED 17:30 12th December 2015 by Ross Lawson Hatters defeated by table-topping Cobblers

LUTON TOWN 3-4 NORTHAMPTON

The Hatters were consigned to a second consecutive 4-3 defeat at Kenilworth Road as a frantic first half proved the difference for Northampton in Bedfordshire.

Paul Benson had opened the scoring with an excellent overhead kick, but goals from John-Joe O’Toole, Lawson D’Ath and Marc Richards had the visitors 3-1 ahead by the interval.

Benson fired in his second, and Danny Green’s penalty levelled the encounter to set up a frantic finish.

But substitute Danny Holmes unleashed an excellent drive to win the game, condemning the Town to a fourth successive defeat in all competitions.

John Still elected to start Benson after his three-game suspension, joining Scott Griffiths and Green for recalls as the Hatters opted for a 4-4-2 formation. Youth team captain Frankie Musonda, celebrating his 18th birthday, was given a place on the bench.

The setup worked wonderfully early on as Green and Benson exchanged well in the opening stages, alongside Craig Mackail-Smith to give the Hatters the best of the early proceedings.

It was from that combination where the Town took the lead. Benson’s neat hold up play saw the striker win a free-kick on the right hand side which Green whipped in. The initial ball was dealt with by Zander Diamond, but only as far as Luke Wilkinson, who in turn nodded back into the danger zone for Benson to unleash his acrobatics and put the hosts in the lead.

The Hatters looked confident in the advantage, continuing to link up well down the flanks, but some excellence from Northampton levelled the game. Nicky Adams instigated the training-ground move from a central position, setting the ball off to the edge of the area before O’Toole was slipped in to slot past Mark Tyler.

Despite the setback, the Town still posed a threat on the break when stand-in skipper Jonathan Smith released Mackail-Smith down the right, but his ball in was deflected out with Benson lurking potently close to the penalty spot.

But the Cobblers were ahead on the half-hour mark. A long ball over the top was chested down by Alfie Potter, and while the Hatters defence were seeking an offside flag, D’Ath struck home from a tight angle on the left.

It was almost 3-1 just moments later when Ryan Cresswell’s agility in the penalty area set up Potter just yards from goal after a spot of head-tennis, but the striker lashed over with just Tyler to beat much to the relief of the fans in the Kenilworth Road end.

Potter made no mistake in the closing stages of the first half, however, bagging his third assist of a frantic first period. Another scramble in the penalty area saw Green head in the wrong direction, before Potter found Cobblers top-scorer Marc Richards to knock in his 12th goal of the season, completing a frenetic turnaround to the disappointment of most in Kenilworth Road.

The second half started in much the same manner, with Sean Long inadvertently turning the ball over his own crossbar with a visiting striker lurking in an otherwise vacant penalty area after Magnus Okuonghae had initially left the whipped in ball.

The Hatters were back in the game just seven minutes into the second half though when Benson netted his second from an almost unmissable position. Okuonghae started the attack, excellently sidestepping a striker to deliciously find Lawless on the left flank. He in turn jinked his way through two defenders to pick out Benson, via a ricochet, in the area to side foot home.

The goal rejuvenated the home faithful, and there was almost an immediate equaliser when Olly Lee took aim from range, only for Adam Smith to deal with easily in the visitors’ goal.

It was all the Hatters from there on, and they deservedly got the leveller with still 25 minutes remaining. Lawless’ through ball saw Mackail-Smith haring through on goal, and it looked as though the chance had gone when he was forced away from goal, but a trip gave the Town a chance from 12 yards, which Green struck home with aplomb.

The equaliser gave the Cobblers a new lease of life, with O’Toole and D’Ath both testing Tyler to no avail, but they were ahead once again shortly after. Holmes, who had been on the pitch for around 90 seconds, was allowed a free reign through the midfield before unleashing a wonderful strike from range to leave Tyler beaten, sending the 1000 visiting fans into delirium.

The seventh goal of the match prompted a change from John Still, throwing on Jack Marriott for Lawless, but it didn’t stop D’Ath almost netting a Benson-esque overhead kick as the game crept into the final 15 minutes.

Still the Town pushed, with Green the latest to try from distance on two occasions, although neither were able to trouble ‘keeper Smith.

And despite the Town chasing an equaliser for the second time in the match, chances proved few and far between as the Cobblers secured a victory which took them to the top of the League Two table, while the Hatters were left to rue another defeat at home, conceding 13 goals in the last four games in the process.

Attendance: 8,792, with 1,032 backing Northampton.

Town: Tyler; Long (sub Hall 88) Griffiths, Wilkinson, Okuonghae; Smith, Lee, Lawless (sub Marriott 75), Green; Mackail-Smith, Benson.

Unused subs: Justham, O’Donnell, McGeehan, McQuoid, Musonda

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-luton-town-3-4-northampton-town-2848475.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T-r3LEPhFg

League Two: Luton Town 3 Northampton Town 4

Under-fire Luton manager John Still is under increasing pressure after Hatters suffered their second consecutive 4-3 defeat at Kenilworth Road against an impressive Northampton Town this afternoon.

Still endured a barrage of boos at the interval with his side trailing 3-1 after what can only be described as an inept defensive performance in the opening 45 minutes.

The jeers had subsided a little at full time, with Luton shown plenty of fight to battle back to 3-3, but again, their inability to see a game out, saw Cobblers sub Ricky Holmes score with virtually his first touch on 69 minutes.

After the game, Hatters’ board held a very public meeting in the directors box, with chief executive Gary Sweet, vice chairman David Wilkinson and vice president Rob Stringer, three of those involved.

Speaking before the game, Still, who sent out first team coach Hakan Hayrettin to talk to the media afterwards, insisted he wasn’t feeling under any pressure, but that will surely change now, with Luton’s board facing a decision over the weekend about the future of the manager after yet another demoralising home defeat.

The most frustrating thing, apart from the recurring nightmares at the back, was once Holmes put Northampton back in front once more, the hosts showed absolutely no gumption to mount another fight back, with the visitors easing to the top of the table.

Earlier, Hatters made three changes, with Paul Benson back in after his suspension, with Danny Green and Scott Griffiths returning too as Nathan Doyle and Paddy McCourt were injured, while Josh McQuoid dropped to the bench.

It was Benson who broke the deadlock on just 10 minutes too as Green swung a free kick over, with Cobblers defender Zander Diamond bizarrely opting to head it back into the danger area.

Luke Wilkinson jumped highest to nod goalwards and Benson was there to produce an acrobatic overhead volley for his third of the season.

However, Northampton were level on 18 minutes with a truly wonderful free kick routine that was clearly straight from the training field.

Rather than go for goal, 25 yards out, the Cobblers went short, passing their way through Luton’s defence with two touches for John-Joe O’Toole slotting first time beyond Mark Tyler.

From there, the Cobblers looked the better side as Griffiths had to scoop a dangerous cross away from the line.

The visitors had the second goal they had been threatening on 30 minutes too as Marc Richards’ strong pass was wonderfully cushioned off the chest of Alfie Potter for Lawson D’Ath.

With Magnus Okuonghae not putting in any kind of challenge, the striker had all the time in the world to pick his spot past Tyler.

Luton then should have been 3-1 down as Ryan Cresswell’s overhead ran across the hosts’ penalty area and with absolutely no-one picking up Potter, he whacked it into the stands from a matter of yards.

However, if Hatters’ back-line was ponderous for the second goal, it was some truly shambolic on 42 minutes as a corner was never cleared despite a number of opportunities, with Richards tapping in from close range.

Boos rang out from the home stands as Town’s beleaguered players trooped back to the centre circle, while there were further howls of derision as Still walked down the tunnel, with some supporters chanting ‘we are embarrassing.’

The PA announcer cried for Luton’s fans to get behind their side at the start of the second period, but it was almost 4-1 when Okuonghae bafflingly left a cross meaning Long had to chest marginally over his own bar.

The home faithful were back on side again on 52 minutes though when Okuonghae’s magnificent raking crossfield pass was superbly taken in his stride by Lawless whose deflected cross shot was perfect for Benson to make it 3-2.

The saying goals change games was never more apparent as Luton fans started to believe, Lee fizzing one at Smith from distance.

Hatters were back on terms though after 66 minutes when Lawless displayed fine vision to send Mackail-Smith clean through and also he looked to have wasted the chance, was clipped by Cresswell for a penalty.

Green took the ball and made no mistake from the spot, confidently sending Smith the wrong way.

However, any thoughts of a rousing final 25 minutes swiftly subsided as the Cobblers just upped tools once more and went to work.

Luton had warning, O’Toole shooting into the side-netting, while Tyler made a stunning save from D’Ath, palming away his curler.

The pressure proved too great though as Cobblers won it as Holmes came on and with virtually his first touch, found the top corner from 25 yards.

From that point on, despite having three strikers on, with Jack Marriott off the bench, Hatters never seriously looked like equalising once more, as their heads immediately dropped.

D’Ath then tried his own overhead kick on 76 minutes, which Tyler held on to, as Luton looked for an equaliser, as bar the odd pot shot from Green, Town were a beaten side.

With the hosts dropping to 17th in the table, seven points away from the play-offs, the question now is, will Still be in charge the next time Luton take to the field at Exeter on Saturday?

Hatters: Mark Tyler, Sean Long (Ryan Hall 88), Scott Griffiths, Magnus Okuonghae, Luke Wilkinson, Danny Green, Jonathan Smith (C), Olly Lee, Alex Lawless (Jack Marriott 75), Craig Mackail-Smith.

Subs not used: Stephen O’Donnell, Cameron McGeehan, Elliot Justham, Josh McQuoid, Frankie Musonda.

Cobblers: Adam Smith, Brendan Moloney, Zander Diamond, Ryan Cresswell, Lawson D’Ath, Joel Byrom, Marc Richards (C), Nicky Adams (Ricky Holmes 69), Alfie Potter (Jason Taylor 87), David Buchanan, John-Joe O’Toole (Dominc Calvert-Lewis 90).

Subs not used: Josh Lelan, Sam Hoskins, Rod McDonald, Ryan Clarke.

Booked: Magnus Okuonghae.

Attendance: 8,792 (1,032 Cobblers).

Referee: Mike Jones.

Hayrettin blasts Town’s ‘fundamental’ defensive errors

Hatters first team coach Hakan Hayrettin blasted his side’s fundamental errors made defensively after the 4-3 defeat against Northampton Town yesterday.

Luton were cut to ribbons at the back by an impressive Cobblers side, particularly in the first half, as they conceded three times to trail 3-1 by the break.

Although Hatters improved slightly in the second period, drawing level at 3-3, sub Ricky Holmes then ran unchallenged from the halfway line before shooting past Mark Tyler to win it for Northampton.

Hayrettin said: “When you go 1-0 up at home you expect to win, when you score three goals at home you expect to win.

“I think our second half performance was decent, but we can’t concede the goals we conceded the way we have been and expect to get back in the game.

“Our defending wasn’t good enough, the gaffer knows that, we’ve got to get back to work and try and rectify that.

“But the goals we’re conceding are so sloppy and unlike a John Still team that I know, or any team really. You cannot defend like that and expect to go and win the game.

“We’ve given it a go second half but it just wasn’t to be. The players don’t want to go out and make fundamental mistakes.

“As a player or as a group of players, we know that we need to do better at certain areas, especially the back.

“It’s not good enough, the defender’s need to work hard, the people in front of them need to work harder, we need to be a bit tighter.

“We need to go back to when we played Barnet here, they didn’t get a shot on the goal. And then for whatever reason it’s gone on to the little run that we’ve got where we cannot just keep a clean sheet.

“We need to go back to that, we need to work hard. Sometimes when you’re in a street fight, you need to swing hard until you come out the other end.”

Town were booed off at half time by the home fans with manager John Still in particular coming in for severe criticism, but Hayrettin revealed the coaching staff hadn’t gone ballistic at the players during the interval.

He continued: “It was very placid, very calm. There’s not a lot to say, because if you don’t know what you need to do, in a situation like that, what can you do?

“You can’t go in there screaming and shouting. The manager told them in the right way, they understood it in the right way, I think they showed a response in the right way, but they go and get a goal like that at the death to kill us.”

On Holmes’ winner too, Hayrettin believes the players should also accept some of the criticism too, adding: “We should have done a lot better, he slipped off one, he’s turned, he’s run at us, he’s come far, he’s had a shot, I don’t know if (Mark) Tyler could have got it.

“We thought it got a deflection, it didn’t get a deflection. Sometimes you’re in the lap of the gods and look up and say ‘what’s going on here?’

“We have to defend better for sure, 100 per cent we have to defend better, but it’s very bizarre when we look at things like this. As we work so hard and so tirelessly to make sure they understand and do the right thing, but although it’s good play for them, we expect to do better than that.

“It’s just really, really sloppy and when he (Still) came here our biggest strength was working from the back and working forward.

“For whatever this reason it hasn’t really clicked into place. The amount of effort and time we spend on the training ground with the players to do the right thing, they need to take a bit of responsibility for that in my opinion.”

Hayrettin unsure whether board will call time on Still’s reign

Hatters first team coach Hakan Hayrettin admitted he wasn’t sure whether manager John Still would remain in charge of the club after this afternoon’s 4-3 defeat to Northampton Town.

In the aftermath of Town’s loss, their fourth in all competition and second successive 4-3 reverse at home, members of the board, including chief executive Gary Sweet and vice chairman David Wilkinson, had a very public meeting in the directors box.

When asked if he expected Still to continue, Hayrettin said: “I don’t know, I don’t really know what they’re going to do.

“We’re not in control of what they’re going to do with the manager, but all we can do is support the manager and back the manager 100 per cent, like we have done and go again.”

Hayrettin was sent up to speak to the press in Still’s absence and on why that was the case, he continued: “The manager’s got some people in there he’s talking to, so it’s not an issue, it’s just go and do it which is fine by me.

“I can assure you now that there’s no hidden agenda, he just wanted me to come out and do it.

“Win or lose, I’ll be here if I’m selected to do it. It’s not an issue, we’ll continue to work hard, do the right things and off we go again next week.”

Luton were booed off at half time trailing 3-1, with the manager taking most of the criticism, while despite an improved second half, Ricky Holmes’ 69th minute winner saw further jeers for Still at the final whistle.

On whether the manager was affected by such personal abuse, Hayrettin said: “That you’ll have to ask him, I don’t think it stays him. He’s been in the game for 38 years, I don’t think that’s an issue for John.”

Hayrettin didn’t have any issue with the fans either as he said: “I can understand their frustration, I can also understand that they’re seeing their team and thinking ‘we shouldn’t be losing the way we’re losing.’

“I totally understand that. Yes, we should be doing better. Yes, we should be with the group of players we’ve got, in a higher position.

“We’re not for whatever reason and that’s their way of venting their frustrations out, but that’s normal in any football club.

“So we’ll just have to work very, very hard again and keep working hard as that’s all you can do to turn things around.

“Is he the kind of character John Still that’s going to say no I’m not? He’s not. From my experience he’s a stand up guy who’s going to work very very hard to put things right.

“I’ve known him for a long time, it is what it is, the crowd are 100 per cent right to vent their anger, we’ve got to try and deflect that away from the players.

“We’ve got to try and turn that negative into a positive, and by doing that we’ve got to win football matches, it’s as simple as that, but this proud football club has got a lot to play for.”

Striker Paul Benson also felt the fans had every right to make their feelings known, adding: “I haven’t got a problem with that, not at all, we were poor, if a fan has paid twenty five quid and can’t shout their dissatisfaction at half time, then when can they shout it?

“From a players point of view, that doesn’t hinder my performance, I think it bucked a few people, as a few people heard it and thought, ‘that’s not good enough.’

“It helped us by voicing their displeasure, I can’t speak for the gaffer, but for the players, it didn’t hinder my performance and gave a few players a reminder they need to start doing their job better.”

Luton Town 3 Northampton Town 4

Eat, sleep, lose, repeat. Like a broken record, Luton are stuck, spinning round and around.

This reverse against free-scoring Northampton was a frantic, swaying concerto of hope, despair and revival before that same familiar feeling of loss as a Ricky Holmes stunner proved top of the pops.

This third league defeat on the spin saw the Hatters throw away a 12-year record, which had seen the Cobblers consistently leave Kenilworth Road pointless – goalless in the previous two trips. But clean sheets, for the most part this term, are a collector's item. It is proving devastating to those promotion plans as they slipped down the division to 17th place, nine points from the play-offs.

But first, hope. Paul Benson notched to put the Hatters ahead, ending 223 minutes without a goal.

Then, just as they had against Carlisle and Newport, they crumbled, conceding three goals within in 25 minutes – that was before the break. While the Northampton equaliser was sublime, the second two were defensive horror shows. Despair. Deep, deep despair.

Vice chairman David Wilkinson wrote in his programme notes, 'It hurts us just as much as you to see our team underperforming' and the pain must now be unbearable. At half time, the home faithful let rip with boos and chants of "we are embarrassing" as their team trudged towards the tunnel, shell-shocked and 3-1 down.

Then came the revival as Benson bagged another before Danny Green levelled from the spot in the 66th minute. But Luton don't do momentum and when substitute Holmes silenced the old stadium, seconds after being introduced, they couldn't find a response of any kind. Rhythm was replaced with the same tired ballad of loss and regret.

With every bum note, the boss' currency with the crowd – who adored him for ending their Conference nightmare – grows thin. First team coach Hakan Hayrettin took Still's place for the post-match wash-up, while chief executive Gary Sweet led prolonged discussions in the directors' box.

Indeed, their colleague, Wilson, had perhaps tellingly foretold: 'We are not the kind of owners and management who sit in their ivory towers pontificating. We, like you, are fans who want progress and success off and on the field.'

It looked on the cards when Benson put the Hatters head in the tenth minute with an overhead kick from close range after Zander Diamond's woeful clearance header was nodded back into the mixer by Luke Wilkinson.

But the visitors made up for it in exquisite fashion seven minutes later with a three-pass free-kick routine that saw Nicky Adams and Alfie Potter cut Luton to shreds and John-Joe O'Toole supply the simple finish.

As they have done so often this term, Luton retreated into their shells and inevitably fell behind on the half hour when Magnus Okuonghae, on an inauspicious first league start for the club, gave Lawson D'Ath enough time in the box to slam into the roof of the net.

Northampton should have increased their lead when Ryan Cresswell flicked to Potter who, criminally unmarked at the back post, somehow blasted over the bar from close range.

But the Hatters refused to learn their lessons and Cobblers' top scorer Marc Richards smuggled the ball in at the back stick without the slightest hint of an intervention from an orange shirt.

"You're getting sacked in the morning" was the chant aimed at Luton boss Still from the travelling Cobblers.

When all looked bleak, an Alex Lawless cross squirmed across the face of goal to where Benson was waiting ready to pounce for his second of the afternoon.

Craig Mackail-Smith won a penalty and Green converted and suddenly a great escape was on. Mark Tyler kept it that way, one-handedly denying D'Ath – but it was fleeting relief.

Holmes struck to leave Luton singing the blues. Repeat ad naseum.

Luton: Tyler, Smith, Lawless (Marriott, 76), Benson, Green, Griffiths, Okuonghae, Lee, Long (Hall, 88), Mackail-Smith, Wilkinson

Unused subs: O'Donnell, McGeehan, Justham, McQuoid, Musonda

Northampton: Smith, Moloney, Diamond, Cresswell, D'Ath, Byrom, Richards, Adams (Holmes, 69), Potter (Taylor, 87), Buchanan, O'Toole (Calvert-Lewin, 90)

Unused subs: Lelan, Hoskins, McDonald, Clarke

Referee: Michael Jones

Attendance: 8,792 (1,032)

First team coach Hakan Hayrettin admitted he had no clue about Luton manager John Still's future after 4-3 home defeat to League Two leaders Northampton.

The Hatters have now lost three league games on the spin, conceding 11 goals in the process as they slipped to 17th in the division, nine points adrift of the play-offs.

Pressure has been mounting on Still and the 65-year-old sent the coach out to take questions from the media, while chief executive Gary Sweet led conversations in the directors' box, long after the defeat.

Asked what that could mean for the boss who led Luton out of the Conference, Hayrettin said: "I don't really know what they're [the board] going to do.

"We're not in control of what they're going to do with the manager. All we can do is support the manager, back the manager 100 per cent, like we have done, and go again."

At half time, the Hatters were down 3-1, having scored first, and sections of the home supporters sang "we are embarrassing" at the players and manager as they made a beeline for the changing rooms.

"I don't think it sways him one bit," Hayrettin said of Still, adding: "He's been in the game 38 years, so I don't think that's an issue for John."

And asked why he'd taken his boss' place for the post-match interview, the coach said Still was talking to people in his office but added: "I can assure you now, there's no hidden agenda there. He just wanted me to come out and do it, which is fine by me."

Boos and jeers reverberated around Kenilworth Road at the final whistle after fans had seen Paul Benson and Danny Green score to draw Luton level, only for Ricky Holmes to crack a stunning winner.

Hayrettin said: "I can understand their frustration. I can also understand that they're seeing their team and thinking 'we shouldn't be losing the way we're losing. I totally understand that.

"Yes we should be doing better. Yes, we should be – with the group of players we've got – in a higher position. We're not, for whatever reason, and that's their way of venting their frustration, but that's normal at any football club.

"We'll just have to work very, very hard again and just keep working hard, because that's all you can do to turn things around."