Luton Town FC vs Shrewsbury Town (25th Aug 2018)

HATTERS 3 SHREWSBURY TOWN 2

Town come from behind twice to win a five-goal thriller at the Kenny

The Hatters moved up to tenth in the Sky Bet League One table by twice coming from behind to beat Shrewsbury Town in a five-goal thriller at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

Jorge Grant, with his first goal for the club, Jack Stacey and Elliot Lee were on target in a spirited second-half showing that made it two wins in as many home games this week for Nathan Jones’ side.

The Welshman had stuck with the same starting XI that beat Southend on Tuesday night, with James Shea on goal behind a back four of Stacey, Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley and Dan Potts.

Glen Rea captained the side from the engine room, where he was joined by Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Grant and Andrew Shinnie, with Danny Hylton and Lee up front.

The Hatters started brightly enough, Lee curling a free-kick narrowly over the bar after being fouled himself 20 yards from goal, before Rea tried his luck after a period of patient possession on 13 minutes, but the captain was always stretching and left-footed shot drifted wide of far post.

It was Shrewsbury who broke the deadlock midway through the half when Shaun Whalley was tripped in the box by Stacey, and the former Hatter picked himself up and sent Shea the wrong way from 12 yards.

Another ex-Town player, Lee Angol, was next to have a go in the 24th minute but Shea was equal to the Shrews’ lone striker’s 20-yard effort after Whalley teed him up with a driving run inside from the right flank.

The Hatters built up a head of steam on the half-hour mark, Shinnie firing into the side-netting after some neat interplay between Mpanzu and Grant, who then sent a 25-yarder skidding just wide, with the aid of a deflection.

Mpanzu was next to try his luck, after a short corner from Grant – and a one-two with referee Carl Boyeson, who got in the midfielder’s way – but his left-footed shot from just outside the area was always curling away from visiting keeper Joel Coleman’s outstretched left arm and behind.

Jones responded to a limp first half performance by taking off Hylton, suffering a niggle to his hamstring, and introducing former Shrewsbury striker James Collins. Within six minutes of the restart his side were level.

Lee looked to twist and turn his way into the Shrewsbury area, just left of centre, only to be fouled by Anthony Grant. The former Luton loanee’s namesake, our current loan star Jorge, stepped up and curled a beauty over the wall and into the top corner for his first Hatters goal.

The Hatters’ tails were up, Mpanzu flying down the right with a surging run that got the crowd going even more, before another flowing move down the right involving Lee and Stacey saw the former go close just before the hour, although his angled shot from 15 yards always on the rise.

Grant had the opportunity to double his tally on 63 minutes when Josh Laurent fouled Shinnie after great work by Mpanzu to win the ball back 30 yards from goal, but Grant couldn’t repeat the trick and this one flew high over the bar into the Kenny End.

Shrewsbury regained the lead in freak circumstances on 66 minutes when Shea put the ball down in his area, thinking referee Boyeson had blown for offside. As everyone paused and waited for the ball to be sent upfield, Angol took it and placed it into the empty net.

The goal stood, but the Hatters’ character would shine through with Shea getting down low to his left to turn a 70th-minute shot from Anthony Grant behind before, a couple of minutes later, Lee and Mpanzu combined brilliantly to set Stacey up for the equaliser, the right-back racing into the box to latch onto a fine throughball to beat Coleman inside his near post.

Mpanzu was running things in midfield, another surge through the middle enabling him to release Collins on the right, but the substitute’s inviting cross was just too far ahead of Lee sliding in at the far post.

The striker didn’t have to wait long, however, when another free-kick opportunity presented itself just outside the area in the 76th minute, and – with the aid of a deflection – his 20-yard shot made its way into the Kenny End net for 3-2.

It could have been four on 83 minutes when Lee worked tirelessly to win the ball on the right touchline before playing it inside for Mpanzu, yet another driving run taking him to the byline where he was tripped by Luke Waterfall.

Collins, who’d had an impressive second half, took the ball but unfortunately couldn’t register against the club with whom he won two promotions, Coleman diving to his right to beat his penalty away.

There was still time for Shrewsbury to threaten, Shea making a superb reaction save to get down low at his near post to keep out substitute Fejiri Okenabirhie with three minutes left, and the Hatters saw the game out with relative comfort after that.

TOWN: Shea, Stacey, Pearson, Bradley, Potts, Rea (c), Mpanzu, Grant (Justin 78), Shinnie, Hylton (Collins 46), Lee. Subs: Cornick, Jervis, Gambin, Jones, Stech.

Goals: Grant 51, Stacey 72, Lee 76

Yellows: Rea

SHREWSBURY: Coleman, Haynes, Sadler (c), Whalley, Docherty, Angol, Bolton, Gilliead (Norburn 78), Waterfall, Laurent, Grant (Okenabirhie 78). Subs: Beckles, John-Lewis, Arnold (GK), Loft, Barnett.

Goals: Whalley 23 pen, Angol 67

Yellows: Angol

Referee: Carl Boyeson

Att: 8,518 (379 away)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fCYwREgEoc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDq_L9QJa1s

NATHAN JONES ON THE 3-2 VICTORY OVER SHREWSBURY TOWN

Hatters boss Nathan Jones was pleased overall with his side’s performance in their 3-2 win over Shrewsbury Town, coming from behind on two occasions to take all three points.

Shrewsbury took the lead with just over 30 minutes gone when Shaun Whalley scored from the penalty spot, after he was tripped by Jack Stacey. The Hatters equalised just after the restart as Jorge Grant bent in a wonderful free-kick from the edge of the box, but the Shrews regained their advantage with a mistake from James Shea allowing Lee Angol to slot in.

Stacey made amends for his earlier error as he fired past Joel Coleman to once again bring it level and Elliot Lee put the hosts in front for the first time on the afternoon with a deflected free-kick with the 80-minute mark approaching.

Consecutive victories has helped fire Town out of the relegation zone and up to tenth in Sky Bet League One.

Jones said: “I am really pleased with the result and the second half performance. We had to come from behind twice because of poor decision making really. I thought we were by far the better side.

“They came to frustrate and get something out of the game which they were very good at last year, so we knew we would have to be patient to break the down, but when you give them a goal from poor defending and a real lack of energy, then that’s what happens.

“We showed a lot more character and the second half was a lot more like us, we had a real tempo and I thought some of our second half play was brilliant. We showed a real attacking thrust about us and it should have been more at the end.”

Danny Hylton was taken off at half-time with former Shrews striker James Collins taking his place, with Jones revealing it was due to a potential injury, rather than a tactical change.

“Danny was feeling his hamstring, so it was a precaution,” Jones explained.

“The first half performance was a bit lacklustre, but you saw that with Man City and Wolves. Wolves played the exact same system as Shrewsbury and Man City had to be patient and break them down and we had to try and do that.

“The pitch was quite sticky because it was quite a hot day and we rectified that at half-time. But it contributed to a real lacklustre first half, we weren’t quite at it in terms of our play. We came out in the second half and we had to come from behind again, but we seem to be decent at that at the moment.”

Hatters hit back twice to defeat Shrewsbury

League One: Luton Town 3 Shrewsbury Town 2

Luton produced a display with bags of character to come from behind twice and pinch all three points against Shrewsbury Town this afternoon.

Trailing 1-0 and then 2-1 with 17 minutes to go, after a bizarre second goal for ex-Hatter Lee Angol, the hosts had looked like they would fail to capitalise on the momentum gained from Tuesday night's win over Southend.

However, Jack Stacey and Elliot Lee struck in the space of four minutes, while Town could even afford to miss a late penalty with James Collins' denied by Joel Coleman from the spot.

Boss Nathan Jones kept the same team who had beaten the Shrimpers, while the visitors' side contained four ex-Luton players, Alex Gilliead, Shaun Whalley, Angol and Anthony Grant all starting.

For whatever reason, the hosts just couldn't get going in the early exchanges, Lee sending a free kick over, while Glen Rea's wayward left footer from range about the best they could manage.

Despite offering little, Shrews were ahead on 23 minutes when Whalley exchanged passes with Angol and drove into the box, brought down by the outstretched leg of Stacey for a penalty.

The winger got up to make no mistake, comfortably sending James Shea the wrong way, the keeper then having to gather a low effort from Angol.

Still Town could muster nothing of significance, Joel Grant's low shot from range deflecting behind, while a clever corner routine saw Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu flash off target.

Jones made one change at half time, bringing on James Collins, against his former club, for the out of sorts Hylton.

The Hatters were back on level terms just six minutes in when Lee was brought down on the edge of the box, Grant stepping up to curl home a wonderful free kick into the top corner.

Buoyed by the leveller, Lee sliced over the bar from inside the box after Stacey's cross rebounded invitingly into his path.

Town won another free kick when Andrew Shinnie was tripped just 20 yards out of from goal on the hour, but with the expectation bar now raised, this time he got underneath it.

The visitors went ahead in controversial and downright weird circumstances on 66 minutes, as a cross was claimed by Shea ahead of an offside-looking Angol.

Although there was no flag from the linesman or whistle by referee Carl Boyeston, Shea, clearly thinking a free kick had been signalled, put the ball down and could only stand and stare in disbelief as the ex-Luton man gratefully tapped into the empty net.

Grant tested Shea who turned behind, but Luton had a second equaliser with 17 minutes to go, an incisive passing move seeing Mpanzu pick out Stacey who rifled inside Coleman's near post.

Not settling for a point, the hosts then had the lead for the first time on 77 minutes from yet another set-piece, Lee's 22-yarder hitting the back of Josh Laurent to beat the wrong-footed Coleman and send Kenilworth Road into raptures.

Luton should have wrapped up the points with six to go, Mpanzu charged through and was felled by the sliding Luke Waterfall.

Collins took the ball from Lee but against his former club, saw his low effort well saved by Coleman.

It almost proved doubly costly, as Ryan Haynes got to the byline and crossed for Angol, with Shea redeeming himself, making an excellent low stop as Hatters held on.

Hatters: James Shea, Jack Stacey, Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley, Dan Potts, Glen Rea (C), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Jorge Grant (James Justin 78), Andrew Shinnie, Elliot Lee, Danny Hylton (James Collins 46).

Subs not used: Marek Stech, Jake Jervis, Lloyd Jones, Luke Gambin, Harry Cornick.

Shrimpers: Joel Coleman, Ryan Hayes, Mat Sadler (C), Shaun Whalley, Greg Docherty, Lee Angol, James Bolton, Alex Gilliead (Fejiri Okenabirhie 78), Luke Waterfall, Josh Laurent, Anthony Grant.

Subs not used: Omar Beckles,, Lenell John-Lewis, Steve Arnold, Doug Loft, Ryan Barnett.

Booked: Angol 36, Rea 87.

Referee: Carl Boyeson.

Attendance: 8,518 (379 Shrewsbury).

Jones demands** 'naive' Shea learns from error**

Hatters boss Nathan Jones has demanded that goalkeeper James Shea learned from his 'naive' error against Shrewsbury this afternoon.

With just over an hour gone and the scores level at 1-1, Shea opted to throw the ball down inside his area for a free kick believing that Lee Angol had been flagged offside.

However, with neither referee Carl Boyeson, or the assistant flagging, Angol just simply rounded the baffled stopper and tapped home to make it 2-1.

Speaking afterwards, Jones said: "The referee didn’t blow the whistle, no flag went up, keep the ball in your hand, end of.

“Don’t put it down and allow Lee Angol five seconds, because at the end of the day it was all confusion.

“Even then he should have booted the ball out and then think whatever happens, I’ll kick the ball away.

"But he didn’t and that shows naivety and an element that has been part and parcel of our defending this season so far.

“That’s the thing we have to eradicate as we can’t be scoring three to win a game at home.

"If we hadn’t done that, I think we would have gone on and won it comfortably, as they would have had to come out as we saw when they did come out, we had opportunities again.”

When asked afterwards if Shea would be buying his team-mates a drink after goals from Jack Stacey and Elliot Lee ensured Town made it back to back home wins, Jones said: "Never mind the lads, I’m the one who has the sleepless nights.

"Me and my staff put the work in week in week out and we don’t fathom for our goalkeeper dropping the ball in the six yard box and saying to Lee Angol, 'go and get your first goal.'

"So never mind beers for the lads, if he wants to buy any beers, he can come into our office."

Shea did redeem himself with an excellent late save from Angol to deny the former Hatter giving Shrews a point, but Jones added: "He did his job, so for one point in the game he didn’t do his job and apart from that he was excellent, he was absolutely excellent.

"But what we don't want to do is say, 'oh he was excellent,' give him a pat on the back and we’ve just lost 2-1 to Shrewsbury in a game we should never have lost.

"So those are the things we need to eradicate.

"When he hears the whistle, if he has any confusion then keep it in your hands and he won't make that mistake again, I promise you.

"But we're having a stiff learning curve and we're having to do that. So as long as we keep learning and we don't make the same mistakes again then that will be good.”