Luton Town FC vs Rochdale (2nd Mar 2019)

LUTON TOWN 2 ROCHDALE 0

Hylton and Collins net as the Hatters beat Rochdale at the Kenny

Danny Hylton was back on the scoresheet for the first time in four months to net the first just before the hour, then James Collins netted his 20th of the campaign to seal the three points in injury-time.

The win maintained the five-point advantage over second-placed Barnsley, who had won at Southend in the day's early kick-off, and seven ahead of third-placed Sunderland, who beat Plymouth at home.

Harford made one change to his starting line-up, with Elliot Lee returned to start a game for the first time since the FA Cup third round replay with Sheffield Wednesday in mind-January, with George Moncur dropping to the bench.

That meant James Shea would make his 50th appearance for the club in goal, behind a back four of Jack Stacey, Matty Pearson, captain Sonny Bradley and James Justin.

Alan McCormack anchored the midfield with Andrew Shinnie, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and Lee behind a front two of Hylton and top scorer Collins.

The Hatters started on the front foot, and Rochdale picked up their first yellow card after just 31 seconds when midfielder Ethan Hamilton went into referee Lee Swabey’s notepad for a foul on Lee.

Collins, with Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy in the directors’ box watching him, came close to opening the scoring in the fifth minute when Hylton, Mpanzu and Lee combined to set him up for a shot from the edge of the box, but a deflection took it just wide of Andy Lonergan’s left post.

Soon after surviving a scare at the other end when Matt Done looked to go round the onrushing Shea at the end of an incisive Rochdale move, only to lose his footing, the Hatters launched their most fluent move of the opening quarter-of-an-hour.

Justin played the ball into Collins’ feet, and the striker fed Mpanzu on the overlap down the left. The midfielder whipped a low cross perfectly into Hylton’s stride, but the Hatters’ forward was just off target with his first-time effort on the stretch.

Some determined play from Hylton, chasing a lost cause into the corner, earned a free-kick wide on the left that Justin delivered in the direction of Bradley’s head in the 27th minute. Rochdale managed to clear, but only as far as McCormack, whose volley from the edge of the box flew just over the bar.

Shea made a good save just after the half-hour, smothering at Ian Henderson’s feet as Rochdale looked to make inroads to the Hatters’ defence.

But the Town were soon on the attack again, Hylton latching onto a ball over the top and the ricochet off Jim McNulty falling back to the feet of Collins, whose right-footed shot veered wide of the far post.

Collins was next to have a go, too, as the Hatters really upped the tempo in the 39th minute, Justin playing the top scorer into the left-side of the area, but Lonergan was equal to his left-footed piledriver and Lee couldn’t dig the ball out of his feet to get a rebound shot off.

Lonergan was off his line again quickly in the 43rd minute as Mpanzu’s directness in the area took him into the six-yard box, and Shinnie raced in ahead of his midfield partner to force the ball goalwards, only for the goalkeeper to smother.

Longergan was soon picking up a yellow card for a subtleless piece of time-wasting, as referee Swabey grew tired of the visitors' delaying tactics when taking free-kicks.

And as the half flew to a close, Lee fired the Hatters' final opportunity over the bar as Collins laid the ball off beautifully into his pat 25 yards out.

We had a yellow card 31 seconds into the first half, and by the same point of the second Mpanzu had been presented with the best chance to open the scoring, when Shinnie slipped him into the Rochdale area. Lonergan, once again, was quickly out to spread himself and save well, however.

The next best chance arrived quickly, Hylton laying the ball off for Shinnie to play a fantastic through ball for Stacey to race onto from inside his own half. The right-back was clean through, but just delayed his shot long enough as he reached the penalty area for Joe Bunney to slide in and deflect wide for a corner.

The breakthrough finally came just before the hour, and it ended Hylton's goal drought that dated back to his hat-trick against Accrington at the end of October.

Stacey did wonderfully well to burst between two players on the right and get to the byline, Hylton diverting his cut-back towards goal only for Lonergan to save well again. The rebound flew to Lee, whose header came back down off the crossbar for Hylton to prod over the line ahead of Mpanzu.

In the 64th minute Hylton raced onto a McCormack ball into the corner then arced in a fantastic cross for Collins to head at goal, Lonergan saving low by his post.

Lee was keen to get in on the act, bending a right-footed 25-yarder over the bar as Collins lay prone in the penalty area, following an off-the-ball clash with Rochdale sub Jordan Williams.

Harford introduced Dan Potts for Mpanzu in the 75th minute, making the last 15 the first league minutes the midfielder has missed this season, and within two minutes the Town had fashioned another chance for Collins to add to his 19 goals, but the striker dragged his left-footed shot across the face of goal.

Henderson gave Shea something to do at the other end in the 78th minute with a tame 25 yarder that the keeper was right behind, but Lee was soon leading the charge again for the Hatters, Lonergan diving to his right to tip the ex-Barnsley man's low shot wide.

Lee was having an excellent game, but his number was up after 81 impressive minutes on his return, with Kazenga LuaLua on in his place.

Rochdale were reduced to ten men with five minutes of normal time remaining when Hamilton was shown a second yellow for a foul on Shinnie, and in injury-time Collins put the seal on the win.

LuaLua did brilliantly to keep the ball in the corner and drew a couple of defenders in, skipped past them along the byline and cut the ball back for Collins to sweep it into the top corner, left-footed, from ten yards out and equal his tally of last season - only this year is better, in his eyes, as he has all 20 in the league.

TOWN: Shea, Stacey, Pearson, Bradley (c), Justin, McCormack, Shinnie, Mpanzu (Potts 75), Lee (LuaLua 81), Hylton (Berry 89), Collins. Subs: Moncur, Cummings, Sheehan, Isted

Yellows: Mpanzu, Shinnie

Goals: Hylton 59, Collins 90+1

ROCHDALE: Lonergan, McNulty, Delaney, Dooley, MJ Williams, Camps, Done (Andrew 63), Inman, Hamilton, Bunney (J Williams 63), Henderson (Clough 71). Subs: Holden, Adshead, Wade (GK), Matheson

Yellows: Hamilton, Lonergan, MJ Williams

Red: Hamilton

REFEREE: Lee Swabey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grMmwgmN178

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtiNrSkV1S8

MICK HARFORD THRILLED WITH VICTORY OVER ROCHDALE

Town manager Mick Harford was thrilled as his side made it 22 Sky Bet League One games unbeaten, with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Rochdale.

Danny Hylton grabbed his first goal since October as he headed in from close range just before the hour mark, before James Collins fired in his 20th of the campaign after some brilliant work from Kazenga LuaLua in the first minute of second half added time.

The result means the Hatters maintain their spot at the top of the league – five points clear of second placed Barnsley and seven ahead of Sunderland in third spot, who have a game in hand.

Harford said: "It was very, very tough in all fairness. We knew what they were all about, the manager can be different and he played a different shape and he made it difficult for us to have a go.

"They pressed us really, really high, put us under pressure. They played quite a high line and in the first half, maybe if we had a bit more quality we could have got in behind and allowed more spaces behind, but the space was so condensed today that it was difficult to get any fluency in our game. But, overall, we are absolutely thrilled with the performance and the result.

"Barnsley would have still been behind us in the table whatever their result earlier, so that gives you a bit of security. I keep saying it, but we have to look after ourselves. We have to look after our game and I thought we did that excellently today. We can't affect what other teams are doing, we will just keep trying to churn out results and win every game. We approach every game with a winning mentality and hopefully we can carry that on."

Hylton on target again as Luton defeat Dale

League One: Luton Town 2 Rochdale 0

Striker Danny Hylton scored his first goal since October as the Hatters picked up another crucial three points in their quest for promotion against a dogged Rochdale side at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

After going over four months and 16 appearances without scoring, it was Hylton who broke the deadlock on 59 minutes, with James Collins' 20th of the season in stoppage time, under the watchful eye of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy, clinching the victory.

Home boss Mick Harford had made one change to face struggling Dale, who had lost eight out of 10 leading into the game, Elliot Lee in for his first start since mid-January, replacing George Moncur, who dropped to the bench, with Luke Berry among the substitutes, George Thorne missing out.

Town went into the game in the knowledge that second placed Barnsley had won 3-0 at Southend United during the early kick-off, despite playing the entire second half with 10 men, meaning their lead at the top had been cut to two points.

Collins almost gave McCarthy an example of his clinical finishing when Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu's backheel to Elliot Lee fell into his path on five minutes, his effort deflected inches wide.

Dale, who had only drawn two blanks on their travels this season, served notice of their intentions when Matt Done was slipped through the middle of a gaping hole in Town's defence, but couldn't keep his footing when rounding James Shea, on his 50th appearance, and the chance went begging.

Hylton then spurned a great opportunity on 16 minutes, as doing well to get on the end of Mpanzu's first time cross from the left, leaning back, he fired over.

Luton started to pick up the tempo, Hylton winning a free kick from chasing a lost cause on the left, and when it was headed out, Alan McCormack's volley whistled just wide of the upright.

Visiting keeper Andy Lonergan was forced into his first save on 40 minutes, as Town worked a free kick from deep quickly and Collins' drive was parried by the on-loan Middlesbrough stopper, Lee unable to turn the rebound home.

Shinnie then found the run of Mpanzu who broke into the area, only for the Scottish midfielder to take charge, Lonergan repelling with his legs.

After the break, Town should have been ahead with their first attack, Shinnie cleverly playing in Mpanzu who beat the offside trap, but not the outstretched arm of the Lonergan.

Ethan Hamilton's tame effort was easy for Shea, with Town then having the chance of the game on 50 minutes, Stacey racing clear from half way, released by Shinnie's wonderful pass.

Bearing down on Loneran however, he delayed his shot just enough for Joe Bunney to get back and make a superb sliding challenge to prevent what looked a certain goal.

Dale always carried a threat, top scorer Henderson's lob going all wrong when looking to beat the out of position Shea.

Luton finally had the goal that the near enough 10,000 Hatters fans in attendance craved on 59 minutes, when Hylton broke his long goalscoring drought at a vital time.

Stacey was the architect, beating two men on the right flank, with Hylton's deflection drawing a superb reaction save from Longergan.

Lee's follow up header hit the bar, the ball dropping for Hylton to head home and score for the first time since October 23, to the genuine delight of the striker and his team-mates too.

Hatters almost had an immediate second as Hylton dug out a searching cross from the left and Collins' downward header was clawed behind by the increasingly overworked Lonergan.

Mpanzu was replaced by Dan Potts with a quarter of an hour to go, ending his ever-present run in the league for Town, while Collins dragged wide with a pass to Lee the better option.

Sub Zach Clough had an effort straight at Shea from 20 yards, but Luton still hunted for a clinching second, Lee setting off and seeing his 25 yarder flick off a defender, turned behind by the stretching Lonergan.

Shinnie released Stacey once more with superb pass and the defender set off on an even better run, his low delivery picking out substitute Kazenga LuaLua, who was crowded out.

Dale's task became even harder with five minutes to go, reduced to 10 men, on-loan Manchester United midfielder Ethan, who had been cautioned just 31 seconds into the game, receiving his yellow for a late challenge on Shinnie.

With time running out, Luton did give themselves some breathing space as after LuaLua won a number of free kicks deep in Dale territory, he then wriggled away on the byline and teed up Collins who fairly slammed home on his left foot.

Victories for Sunderland and Portsmouth made the triumph even more important, with the top of League Two staying exactly as it was, Luton now stretching their record breaking unbeaten run to 22 games, with just 11 fixtures remaining.

Hatters: James Shea, Jack Stacey, James Justin, Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley (C), Alan McCormack, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (Dan Potts 74), Andrew Shinnie, Elliot Lee (Kazenga LuaLua 80), James Collins, Kazenga, Danny Hylton (Luke Berry 89).

Subs not used: Harry Isted, Jason Cummings, Alan Sheehan, George Moncur.

Dale: Andy Lonergan, Jim McNulty, Ryan Delaney, Stephen Dooley, MJ Williams, Callum Camps, Matt Done (Calvin Andrew 63), Bradden Inman, Ethan Hamilton, Joe Bunney (Jordan Williams 63), Ian Henderson (C, Zach Clough 71).

Subs not used: Rory Holden, Daniel Adshead, Brad Wade, Luke Matheson.

Booked: Hamilton 1, Mpanzu 24, Lonergan 45, Shinnie 65, MJ Williams 70.

Sent off: Hamilton 85.

Referee: Lee Swabey.

Attendance: 9,905 (199 Dale).

Harford** happy to overcome a tough Rochdale test**

Luton boss Mick Harford was pleased that his side finally overcame a stubborn Rochdale at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

After missing some glorious chances to take the lead, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu's effort saved and Jack Stacey denied by a fine challenge after initially racing clear, Town finally made the breakthrough from Danny Hylton's first goal since October.

James Collins then doubled the lead in stoppage time, as Harford said: "It was a very tough game, a real sticky game, they came with a different shape, played five at the back, made it very hard for us.

“They came and had a go in all fairness, played two strikers and they pressed us really high up the pitch, condensed the space when the ball went forward and looked dangerous.

“There was a couple of occasion in the first half where in transition they nearly got in when we were left two v two and a couple of times one v one, so it was a difficult afternoon in terms of dealing with them.

“But I think overall when the game settled down, we knew we would create chances.

“They played a very high line, there was space in behind them, we looked a threat, so I think overall, it was a real, real professional performance.”