Luton Town FC vs Plymouth Argyle (17th Nov 2018)

HATTERS 5 PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 1

Kenilworth Road was rocking once more this afternoon after an outstanding team performance meant Plymouth Argyle fell victim to the Hatters’ ruthless home form.

James Collins was on hand to score his second hat-trick for the club, with James Justin and Elliot Lee getting on the scoresheet in a match where any man in a Luton shirt could have won man of the match.

The Hatters had no mercy for the Pilgrims, who were 3-0 down after half-an-hour. Memories of last season’s wonder wins over Yeovil, Stevenage and Cambridge came flooding back as the Town played some super football that more than entertained the sell-out crowd, a year to the day since that latter 7-0 victory, when the Town were also 4-0 up at the break.

Manager Nathan Jones named an unchanged starting XI from the side who beat Wycombe Wanderers at Kenilworth Road last weekend, although Dan Potts was back from injury and replaced Lloyd Jones on the bench.

Plymouth announced one change in the side from last Saturday’s narrow victory over Stevenage, with Ashley Smith-Brown taking the spot of Conor Grant, who missed out through injury.

It took the Hatters just four minutes to find an opening in the Plymouth defence when Glen Rea found Lee on the edge of the box, who hit it firmly, but too high on this occasion.

Only two minutes later the Town had two corners in quick succession, with Matty Pearson rising highest to send a thumping header just wide of the far post.

It was a sign of what was to come as the Hatters asserted their dominance over a side who are at the opposite end of the League One table, in 22nd place, but who had won three of their last four matches, including last week’s FA Cup victory.

It was in the 12th minute that Collins set the tone of the half and opened the floodgates. Justin and Lee combined nicely down the wing with a neat one-two around the static Argyle defence, and the latter’s pass into the area was met nicely by Collins, who managed to flick it past former Hatters loanee Matt Macey into the far bottom corner.

Rea picked out some lovely passes in the air from the middle of the park, the engine that powered the Hatters in the heart of the side who played some outstanding stuff.

Harry Cornick, also on fire, strolled around the green and white shirts until he was eventually stopped just in front of goal in the 18th minute.

Goal number two arrived not long after when a brilliant Stacey pass released Cornick, who put his effort across Macey, who parried into the path of Lee. The number 10 tapped it home comfortably, even though Macey got a hand to it on the goal-line.

More was to follow in the form of an onslaught from the team in orange, who made it three in the 29th minute. A fine Andrew Shinnie pass released Cornick, who took it – rapid as ever – to the byline, cleverly cutting back to Justin who was waiting. His first touch just about took it away from the defender, giving himself enough time to find the bottom corner.

Lee also had time to dance his way through the Plymouth defence on multiple occasions, dominating the area in front of the Plymouth box. The ex-Barnsley man won a corner in the process, resulting in another missed chance when the ball came to him on the edge of the area, but he placed his effort wide of the post.

It was four on the stroke of half time when Justin was tripped after the ball left his feet. The advantage was played until the ball reached Macey’s gloves. Although the Pilgrims protested, Collins was on hand to punish them, calmly putting it into the top right corner to claim his second of the match.

The second half began slowly as Plymouth tried to come to terms with what had happened in the first 45. Argyle may have played some better football but the Hatters controlled proceedings from start to finish.

The first real chance of the half came in the 58th minute when Bradley rose highest, latching onto JJ’s corner, only to have his effort tipped over the bar.

Shea was called into action for the first time in the 62nd minute when Smith-Brown found Taylor in acres of space, but his effort was palmed away by the ex-Wimbledon man as Plymouth still struggled to show the attacking prowess of last season.

Jones’ side were magnificent again throughout the second period, spurning numerous chances as the Pilgrims dug deep to only allow one more effort in their net.

Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Lee and Justin combined for Lee to produce an exquisite pass to release Collins, who timed his run perfectly. The striker took his time and blasted it past Macey to put the game further out of reach.

The introduction of Kazenga LuaLua and Jorge Grant proved to be influential too, Grant threading Collins through once more, who cleverly pulled it back for Mpanzu, but his effort was thrashed towards the Kenilworth Road end, that may well have broken the net if Macey wasn’t alert to tip it over the bar.

The traveling Plymouth fans did have something to cheer about however, as Joel Grant converted an impressive effort from outside the box that left Shea rooted to the spot, nestling nicely in the top right corner with a minute of normal time remaining.

But nothing was to spoil the party atmosphere at Kenilworth Road, with the Hatters recording a hugely deserved sixth win in their last eight league games to cement fifth place and give themselves a four-point buffer over the play-off chasing clubs.

Substitute Aaron Jarvis even headed just wide in stoppage time, although it didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. A mix of fine football and another win at home, extending the unbeaten run at the Kenny to 16 matches, ensured that the Hatters will go into next week’s match away at struggling Gillingham full of confidence.

Town: Shea, Stacey, Pearson, Bradley, Justin, Rea (c), Mpanzu, Shinnie (Grant 80), Lee, Cornick (LuaLua 80), Collins (Jarvis 84). Subs: Stech, Potts, McCormack, Sheehan.

Goals: Collins 12, (pen) 45+1, 77, Lee 23, Justin 29

Argyle: Macey, Moore, Songo’o, Canavan, C Grant, Ness (Taylor 35), Fox (c), Sarcevic, Carey (Lameiras 78), J Grant, Ladapo (O’Keefe 46). Subs: Letheren, Wylde, P Grant, Law.

Yellows: Stuart O’Keefe, Graham Carey

Goals: Joel Grant

REFEREE: Darren England

ATT: 10,004 (871 away)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMBP8otSH6E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HMMBEWdg1M

NATHAN JONES ON THE 5-1 WIN OVER PLYMOUTH ARGYLE

Town boss Nathan Jones was ecstatic with his team's performance in their 5-1 win against Plymouth Argyle this afternoon at Kenilworth Road.

The Hatters were 4-0 up by half-time, with James Collins netting twice, whilst Elliot Lee and James Justin also got on the score-sheet.

Collins completed his hat-trick in the second half before Joel Grant grabbed a late consolation for the visitors.

The result maintains the Town's spot in fifth in Sky Bet League One, moving four points clear of seventh placed Blackpool and to within four points of second placed Sunderland.

Jones said: "I have got to be honest with you, the first half display is as good as I have seen. I could wax lyrical about it – the football we played was something to be really proud of.

"Me and my staff work long hours to achieve something like that. I am not getting carried away, I am not over eulogising in any kind of way, but I thought we were wonderful, we were absolutely scintillating. The passing, the movement.

"Plymouth are in a false position. Anybody might have expected league position wise [for the result to end the way it did], they might think 'that might have happened', but they're in a false position. The front four they have got are very, very good for this level.

"I thought our performance was superb, first half I thought we were absolutely wonderful and the pleasing thing is we kept that up second half as well. It's easy to take your foot off the gas, they've changed to a 4-5-1 and sat in which I think was tactically right without being disrespectful to anyone from Derek Adams' side.

"Second half we should have scored two or three more which would have made it even more scintillating, but if someone had offered me this result at the start of the day, I would have been delighted."

Collins bags a hat-trick as five star Luton destroy Plymouth

League One: Luton Town 5 Plymouth Argyle 1

Striker James Collins scored a hat-trick as Luton simply blew Plymouth away with a truly wonderful performance at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

The first 45 minutes was just simply breathtaking to watch for the majority of the 10,000 inside the ground as Luton just dominated their shell-shocked opponents, almost toying with them at times, leading 4-0 at the interval.

It could easily have been much more such was the manner in which the Hatters sliced through the Pilgrims' back-line, playing with a confidence and swagger that left home supporters positively drooling at the football on display.

Keeping an unchanged side from the team who beat Wycombe in the FA Cup last weekend, the Hatters tore into the Pilgrims from the word go, Elliot Lee firing over the bar from 20 yards.

Ex-Hatters loanee Matt Macey made a superb close range save from Harry Cornick to prevent Luton moving in front, sticking out a long leg to deflect his close range strike wide.

From the resulting corner, Matty Pearson should have given Luton the lead, his header skewing wide, with Collins also curling off target.

Town did get the just rewards on 12 minutes with a glorious team move, Lee picking the ball up and powering forward, James Justin creating the overlap on the left.

Lee timed his ball wide to perfection, as Justin didn't break stride, picking out Collins who had peeled away from his markers, slotting into the bottom corner with his left foot.

Against a team who have proved obdurate opponents in recent times, Luton not winning in the league since 2003, Town made sure they asserted their dominance on 22 minutes, winning the ball on half way.

Jack Stacey sped away, finding Cornick to his right inside the area, his effort across Macey only parried, with Lee there to sidefoot the rebound, just, over the line from a few yards.

Luton were in dreamland seven minutes later as an excellent spell of possession saw Shinnie find Cornick popping up on the left this time.

With the visitors completely stopping for an offside flag that never came, he crossed for Justin to toepoke home for a third goal inside half an hour.

Cornick almost had a fourth, unable to lob Macey , while another breathtaking passing move involving Lee, who had the ball on a string at times, saw Justin through, Macey coming to the rescue this time.

Lee then went on his own after 40 minutes, beating Macey but just missing the bottom corner.

However, Town did have a fourth moments, Justin charging down a clearance in the area and setting up Collins whose attempt was charged down.

However, eagle-eyed referee Darren England spotted Justin had been taken out after the ball had gone, awarding Town a spot kick that Collins thumped home.

After the break, Collins thought he had another penalty after going to ground under a challenge from Yann Songo'o, but nothing was doing this time.

Argyle then mounted what could be described as their first real semblance of slight pressure, Graham Carey shooting over when well placed.

Luton were soon back on the front foot, Sonny Bradley close to a goal against his former side, seeing a header flipped over by Macey.

However, they understandably couldn't quite repeat the heights of that first half, as Argyle almost pulled one back, sub Ryan Taylor seemingly destined to score at the far post, until James Shea intervened to parry behind.

With 13 minutes to go, Collins did have that treble, picked out by a superb Lee dink over the top, with the flag staying down for once, he took a touch, steadied himself, finishing emphatically with the outside of his right foot.

Luton hunted for a sixth, Rea's long ranger saved, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu whizzing wide and then forcing Macey to tip over, as he also ungainly scrambled Lee's low shot behind.

Argyle gave the the travelling fans who had stayed behind something to shout out with a minute to go, Joel Grant blasting home from outside the box, but the cheers emanating from the Oak Road End were definitely in the ironic category.

Luton almost finished with a first league goal for sub Aaron Jarvis, leaping well to direct his header inches wide, but few who were there, will forget the wonderful afternoon they spent inside Kenilworth Road.

Hatters: James Shea, Jack Stacey, James Justin, Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley, Glen Rea (C), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Andrew Shinnie (Jorge Grant 80), Elliot Lee , James Collins (Aaron Jarvis 84), Harry Cornick (Kazenga LuaLua 80).

Subs not used: Marek Stech, Alan McCormack, Dan Potts, Alan Sheehan.

Argyle: Matt Macey, Yann Songo'o, Jamie Ness (Ryan Taylor 36), Antoni Sarcevic, David Fox (C), Graham Carey (Ruben Lameira 78), Niall Canavan, Joel Grant, Freddie Ladapo (Stuart O'Keefe 46), Tafari Moore, Ashley Smith-Brown.

Subs not used: Gregg Wylde, Kyle Letheren, Peter Grant, Ryan Law.

Booked: O'Keefe 50, Carey 74.

Referee: Darren England.

Attendance: 10,004 (871 Argyle)

Proud Jones is happy to 'wax lyrical' over Town's stunning display

Luton boss Nathan Jones made no excuses for waxing lyrical about his side's performance as they thumped Plymouth Argyle 5-1 at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

James Collins starred with a hat-trick for the hosts, while Elliot Lee and James Justin were also on target as the Hatters led 4-0 at half time in what was an outstanding display of passing football and clinical finishing.

Speaking afterwards, Jones said: “We work religiously on it, the movement, the passing, so I'm proud and I’m going to wax lyrical about it because that’s my life work.

“That was our team out there that we work so hard on and when it comes together like that, it's fantastic and it's great to watch.

“I’m very, very proud of them because they work hard every day, this is not a high end, expensive load of prima donna’s put together, these are proper hard working pros that want to do well, that are hungry.

“We've got a blend of youth and experience and they go and they're brave, they want to get on the ball no matter what position of the pitch they’re in.

“It’s just wonderful and they keep doing that, we have threatened to do that to a few teams, we've won by twos or three, but we’ve missed chances to score four, five, six.

“I’m not being arrogant or big headed in anyway, but today it just came together and I’m very proud of that.”

When discussing Luton’s first half showing, he added: “I'm proud of it from start to finish, but that first half performance I don't think you'll see many better at whatever level you actually go to.

“The movement, the cutting edge we had, the bravery to play and these are in a false position, so I don't want to be too disrespectful in any way, but these are not a side where they are.

“So to do that to them, I'm just, very, very proud, as I thought we were outstanding from start to finish.

“It wasn't just the way we passed the ball and moved it, but the way we pressed and worked hard.

“We won every header, second ball, we based that win on a good foundation and they just showed what a wonderful footballing team they are.”

Although they only managed one more after the break, Collins completing his treble, Jones was still just as happy, adding: “We had chances, we had even more chances to extend it, but to win like that, in that manner, I'm very, very proud.

“I’m also proud of the second half because they really sat in, and I thought we showed a real element of control to have kept and moved the ball, but then when it was on to penetrate, we did.

“We probably created exactly the same amount of chances second half as we did first half, it's just first half it was that little bit of scintillating football.

"We probably didn't have as much of that second half, but I still think we had the same amount of cutting edge.”