Luton Town FC vs Solihull Moors (3rd Dec 2016)

PUBLISHED 18:05 3rd December 2016 Hatters hit six of the second-half best to sink Solihull

LUTON TOWN 6 (Hylton 51, Mullins 54, O’Donnell 60, 90, Marriott 63, 90+2)

SOLIHULL MOORS 2 (Osborne 5, 35)

Att: 3,512 (635)

The Hatters survived an FA Cup scare this afternoon to book their place in Monday’s third round draw, coming from two goals down to sink Solihull Moors with six of their second-half best!

The part-time National League visitors led 2-0 at half-time and one of the major upsets of this year’s competitions looked on the cards, as Jamey Osborne netted both goals to punish a disjointed Town side.

But Nathan Jones’ men came out after the break a completely different team, and within nine minutes of the restart they were level with strikes from Danny Hylton and Johnny Mullins, before substitute Stephen O’Donnell marked his 50th appearance for the club with a double and Jack Marriott followed suit.

Jones made two changes to his starting line-up for this afternoon's Emirates FA Cup second round tie with Solihull Moors.

Returning to the team after three games on the bench was striker Marriott, replacing Isaac Vassell up front alongside Hylton, while Alex Gilliead came back into midfield in place of Olly Lee.

The Hatters started brightly, with Cameron McGeehan almost getting on the end of a flick by Hylton in the second minute, but it was the visitors who broke the deadlock in the fifth when Osborne curled into the top corner from 15 yards out, with Christian Walton rooted to the spot.

A great chance to equalise came the Town’s way in the 14th minute when Hylton drove down the right, into the box and cut the ball back, but Marriott’s effort was blocked by a Moors defender in the six-yard box after referee Chris Sarginson had waved away appeals for a penalty for a trip on McGeehan.

Solihull had another go from distance in the 19th minute when Omari Sterling robbed James Justin in the Hatters’ right-back position, but shot straight at Walton from 20 yards.

Hylton had the ball in the back of the Moors’ net on 23 minutes, but the referee’s assistant had his flag raised for offside as the top scorer raced onto Glen Rea’s chip over the visitors’ back four.

The visitors had a good chance to increase their lead when Jordan Gough rose to meet a far post cross, but could only direct his header straight at Walton.

It wasn’t long before they had doubled the advantage as Osborne again found himself in oceans of space, this time on the edge of the Hatters’ penalty area, and he fired low into the bottom corner.

Akwasi Asante then went close with a near-post diving header, before captain Liam Daly’s header had to be hacked clear by McGeehan.

From the resulting corner, Asante had another glorious opening but skewed his shot wide, just before the Hatters broke and McGeehan burst onto a loose ball in the box, but couldn’t keep his volley down and the visitors took a deserved 2-0 lead into the half-time interval.

Jones made one substitution at the break, with O’Donnell coming on in place of Justin at right-back, and within two minutes a chance came via a Solihull hand.

Ref Sarginson awarded a free-kick 20 yards from goal, but Alan Sheehan’s shot was pushed away by Danny Lewis and the Moors goalkeeper’s defenders cleared the danger, but you sensed a sea change was taking place.

By the 51st minute, Hylton had dragged the Hatters back into it, latching onto Marriott’s beautifully clipped ball over the top and slipping it past Lewis into the bottom corner.

Within three minutes, the Town were level and it was Mullins who netted a superb first for the club, firing home from the edge of the penalty area as Solihull struggled to get out of their own box.

The Hatters were now knocking the ball around with confidence that was completely absent in the first half, and McGeehan teed up Cook for shot that Lewis parried, but grabbed at the second attempt.

By the hour mark, the turnaround was complete and it was O’Donnell who had his second goal of the season to his name, put through on the right by Marriott and keeping his composure to fire low across Lewis for 3-2.

Three minutes later and it was four, Marriott scoring his first goal since mid-September after strike partner Hylton set him free to run at goal from 35 yards out, and he slipped it unerringly past Lewis as he made his way into the area.

The visitors reminded the Hatters they could still pose a threat with Sterling calling Walton into action, but Hylton and Marriott were also sniffing another goal, the former dragging one shot wide before Lewis was equal to Marriott’s quickfire efforts in the 78th and 79th minutes.

Cuthbert had a header cleared off the line on 81 minutes, but ref Sarginson ruled the Town captain had climbed illegally to meet Sheehan’s corner, so it wouldn’t have counted.

Vassell, on for Hylton in the 82nd minute, had a great chance to make it five when he raced onto Rea’s hook over the top, but his attempted shot was blocked and Moors defender Jordan Fagbola got back to divert Marriott’s follow-up volley behind.

The increase in scoreline did come, however, in the 90th minute when O’Donnell grabbed his second of the game – indeed the half – when he smashed a left-footed shot low inside the near post.

Then Marriott did likewise, drifting in from the right and firing home a left-footer from the edge of the area to make it six two minutes into time added on, and book the Hatters’ place in the third round hat.

*The draw takes place on Monday night, live on BBC2 and BT Sport 1 from 7pm. The Hatters ball are ball number 58.

TOWN: Walton, Justin (O’Donnell 46), Cuthbert, Mullins, Sheehan, Rea, Cook, McGeehan, Gilliead (Potts 76), Hylton (Vassell 82), Marriott. Subs: Smith, Mpanzu, Lee, King (GK)

Yellows: McGeehan, Cuthbert, Cook

SOLIHULL: Lewis, Murombedzi, Franklin (Morris 72), Daly, Gough, Asante, Byrne, Jones (Knights 83), Fagbola, Osborne, Sterling (White 82). Subs: Koue, Dielna, Acton (GK)

Yellows: Franklin, Murombedzi, Osborne

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/luton-town-football-fa-cup-solihull-moors-3447387.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiSd5vMusjQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0v9onXlnYg

PUBLISHED 18:01 3rd December 2016** **"First half poor, second scintillating" says the boss

Town boss Nathan Jones said he was pleased with the way his side responded after they went 2-0 down against Solihull Moors in the Emirates FA Cup second round.

A brace from Jamey Osborne in the first half gave the National League visitors a two goal lead over the hosts going in at the break, but a six goal swing in Town’s favour saw them progress to the next round of the competition.

Speaking after the match, Jones wasn’t impressed with his team’s first half performance, but was overjoyed with their second 45-minute showing.

He said: “I don’t want to use heavy words, but the first half was not a team I want to be associated with or the performance I want to be associated with more like.

“To be fair, Solihull changed and we couldn’t handle it. I felt we were poor. Our intensity, the way we pressed, our man for man dominance was so, so poor. It was probably as bad a performance as we have had.

“Second half we were absolutely scintillating. It was a wonderful performance second half. It was a performance we could be proud of.

“Normally I quite like going mental now and again, but I didn’t have to at half-time. It was more a case of here we are, if we want to do it we have got to get the first goal and get it quickly and however long it takes us to get the second, then we will try and go on and win the game.

“I have been on the other end of stuff, when you’re the underdog and you take the lead and you think ‘can we hold onto this?’ And then when they get a goal back your belief goes a little bit and then when they get a second your belief goes totally.

“Then we went three, four, five and then six. I don’t think that flattered us if I am honest, we were just clinical.”

FA Cup, second round: Luton Town 6 Solihull Moors 2

Luton Town were given an almighty scare against National League side Solihull Moors before gorging themselves on goals in the second half to eventually coast through and reach the FA Cup third round this afternoon.

A truly hideous performance from the Hatters in the opening 45 minutes, coupled with an excellent display by their opponents saw Nathan Jones' side quite rightly booed off at the break,

It looked for all the world like they were in serious trouble of having the ignominy of being screened first on the various highlights programmes this evening for all to see, as one of shock exits of the round, against a team 16th in the division below.

However, once Danny Hylton pulled one back six minutes into the second period, Town ran riot, counter-attacking with devastating efficiency to find the net a further five times and complete a victory that had looked simply miles away during the interval.

Jones maintained his pre-match promise to play a strong side, with just two changes from the 0-0 draw at Exeter, Alex Gilliead and Jack Marriott in, Isaac Vassell and Olly Lee dropping to the bench.

Luton began badly though, as Moors went in front in wonderful fashion, Jamey Osborne left all alone in the area to untangle his feet and produce a wonderful curling effort into the top corner.

With a number of feisty challenges in the opening 20 minutes, it was no surprise to see Hatters leading the card count, while some sloppy play saw James Justin dispossessed, Omari Sterling shooting straight at Walton from range.

Luton just couldn't shake themselves from their slumber, as Moors keeper Danny Lewis wasn't significantly tested, with the visitors always looking the more likely, Liam Daly's header grabbed by Christian Walton.

The game was becoming a real bad tempered affair, Jordan Cook booked for a scything challenge, while Sterling was guilty of shocking play-acting in his attempts to get Alan Sheehan cautioned.

Things went from bad to worse for Luton on 35 minutes, as they showed they clearly hadn't learned their lesson. Akwasi Asante picked up a cross to once again find Osbourne, left in splendid isolation for the second time.

With his sights set after the earlier effort, he once again hit the target, drilling past Walton to double Solihull's advantage.

If anything, it was Moors who pressed for a third, as an incisive burst down the right saw Asante's diving header drift over the bar.

The frustration from Hatters' supporters was clearly audible when Asante should have put his side out of sight, slicing off target from close in.

With one minute to the break, Hatters finally threatened a goal of sorts, Cook's deflected cross palmed out by Lewis and Cameron McGeehan turning the the loose ball over.

Jeered off at the break, Jones could have made a whole host of changes, but opted for just the one, Stephen O'Donnell on for Justin, who had struggled in the opening period.

Luton won an early free kick just outside the box as Sheehan once again got his effort on target, Lewis beating it away.

You got the feeling Town needed to strike early to have any chance of a fight back and they did just that, as Marriott played a splendid left-footed ball over the top from deep.

Leading scorer Danny Hylton took it in his stride wonderfully and raced through to slide under Lewis for his 13th of the season.

The hosts then turned the tie around in the blink of an eye, with a wonderful finish of their own, Johnny Mullins curling a beautiful effort past Lewis for his first goal for the club, not the sort of effort you'd expect from a centre half with over 500 appearances under his belt.

Confidence restored and the self-belief starting to flow, Cook's effort was easy for Lewis, before Luton were in front with their third goal in eight minutes, with Marriott once more the architect.

His pace left Solihull's players for dead and the striker picked the perfect moment to send in the overlapping O'Donnell who blasted into the bottom corner to mark his 50th game for the club in style.

Luton then had breathing space, as with 63 gone, Marriott was put clear and finally ended his long goal drought stretching back to September 24 with a composed strike into the bottom corner.

Hatters stepped back off the accelerator slightly, when there were clearly plenty more goals to be had should they want them, Sterling seeing his shot comfortably gathered by Walton.

Gilliead had to go off after turning his ankle, Dan Potts on for a rare appearances, as Marriott came close to a fifth on two occasions, both time denied by Lewis.

It was 5-2 with a minute to go, O'Donnell once again netting, this time with his left foot, before Marriott put a gloss on the scoreline that hadn't seemed likely at the interval, swivelling in the box to bag his fifth of the campaign, as Luton scored six in the second half for the first time since the 7-0 win over Hereford in February 2014.

Hatters: Christian Walton, James Justin (Stephen O'Donnell 46), Alan Sheehan, Johnny Mullins, Scott Cuthbert, Glen Rea, Jordan Cook, Alex Gilliead (Dan Potts 75), Cameron McGeehan, Danny Hylton (Isaac Vassell 81), Jack Marriott.

Subs not used: Craig King, Jonathan Smith, Olly Lee, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu.

Moors: Danny Lewis, Shepherd Murombedzi, Connor Franklin (Charlie Morris 72), Liam Daly (C), Jordan Gough, Akwasi Asante, Jack Byrne, Eddie Jones (Darryl Knights 82), Jordan Fagbola, Jamey Osbourne, Omari Sterling (Harry White 82).

Subs not used: Darren Acton, Jeane Koue, Joel Dielna.

Attendance: 3,512 (635 Solihull).

Booked: McGeehan 8, Franklin 17, Cuthbert 20, Cook 30.

Referee: Christopher Sarginson.

Star man: Stephen O'Donnell - game-changing display from the half time sub.

Hatters boss Nathan Jones branded his players as ‘imposters’ in the first half of their 6-2 thumping win over Solihull Moors in the FA Cup yesterday afternoon.

Luton looked like they were on their way out of the competition, with their opponents from the National League 2-0 ahead at the interval and every bit deserving of their lead.

Although Town eventually hit back with six goals in the second 45 minutes, Jack Marriott and half time sub Stephen O’Donnell both netting doubles, speaking about their display in the opening period, Jones said: “I didn’t see the first half coming if I’m honest.

“We spoke all week about complacency, about starting well and about imposing ourselves on this team because I felt if we did that we’d win the game.

“Having watched them, I know what threats they’ve got. I felt we had too much, but the first half was baffling really.

“The way we played, way we went about our work, with no intensity, things we did, they seemed like they were imposters.

“Then second half we came out and we were scintillating, that was Luton Town second half, and we were absolutely outstanding.

“The way we moved the ball, had a clinical edge to us, the cutting edge on the counter attack was what we work on, what we are.

“It was a game of two halves, but I’m delighted to be in the hat.”

On what he said to his players at the break, Jones, who made just one substitution, bringing on O’Donnell for James Justin, he continued: “I’ve got no problem going mental with players, I didn’t have to do that.

“It was just a case of thinking, right okay. We had a long meeting, myself and staff and thought about how can we be calculated to get back into the game.

“We tweaked the shape slightly, we asked them to do certain things, in terms of where was the space, lets find it, lets create.

“We knew that our full backs would be the spare ones, so we made a change with Stephen as we know he’s very good going forward and it worked.

“Second half we played with more intensity, our centre halves started winning the ball to get us on the front foot, we started picking up seconds and then we started breaking and showed a real desire to go and get a goal.

“We did, then we got one straight away and then one pretty much straight away and the belief then drained from them and we went on.

“Six didn’t flatter us. It’s a little bit harsh on them after the first half performance they put in and the bravery they came here with, but I don’t think it flattered us.”

Changing ends with a two-goal deficit, Jones was well aware the importance of the next strike, with Luton getting it through top scorer Danny Hylton after just six minutes.

Johnny Mullins swiftly made it 2-2, before O’Donnell (59) and Marriott (63) put the hosts in front, with the pair adding late goals to complete the rout.

Jones said: “It was so important to halve the deficit really quickly, because what that does is give you an opportunity to get something from the tie.

“Now I always believe we can win the tie, if we get the first early. Then we said, get the second by 80 and then you can have a right go in the last 10.

“As it was, we got four in the first 12, so it kind of nullified that and we were excellent second half.”

Hatters Luton chief Nathan Jones has warned his players he won’t accept the kind of display that almost saw his side knocked out of the FA Cup against Solihull Moors yesterday.

A shocking first half performance meant the Hatters trailed their National League opponents 2-0 at the break, as Jones admitted afterwards, he had been tempted to make wholesale changes during half time.

However, a moment of clarity saw the Town boss opt to bring on Stephen O’Donnell for James Justin, as the defender bagged two in a second half revival that saw his side hammer six to reach Monday night’s potentially lucrative third round draw.

Jones said: “I don’t want to take anything away from them (Solihull), but for us they’re bad (the goals), as the naievety in letting someone drift into your box and not picking them up and then being able to pass and turn and bend one.

“We don’t get that space. Sides don’t allow us that space, we have to earn everything, and we gave them that.

“It was just the general lacklustre performance that I don’t want to be associated with as I’m not going to have that.

“I want centre halves who are dominant, who go and win stuff and put you on the front foot.

“Then I want midfielders who are going to press and work hard and that should be started off by our front two and our front two were so poor first half, that I could have made two changes.

“And we were going to, but I had to control myself and not make three subs, because who knows what could have happened?

“So we thought structurally how can we do and second half they were what I know and we were on the front foot.

“We won our headers, we worked it so well into wide areas, we created and then on the counter attack we are devastating anyway.

“I know that and today we showed that, so I was very, very pleased with the second half, that we were in the hat for the third round and that’s the main thing.”

Once Luton had reduced the deficit through Danny Hylton, they were in rampant mode with O’Donnell (2), Jack Marriott (2) and Johnny Mullins on target, as the host broke with devastating speed and accuracy time and time again.

Jones continued: “We are a good counter-attacking side, we work on it, but we have showed that we can really affect a team counter-attacking wise.

“We’ve shown that in games we’ve played, (Aston) Villa here, Plymouth away, that we can be devastating when we want to be.

“That’s the pleasing aspect of it and after the disappointing first half, that was very, very pleasing.

“I don’t think six flattered us in any way, it’s harsh on them because for 45 minutes they would have been in cloud cuckoo land.

“But second half we came out and it could have been more. The disappointing thing for me is if we had started like that, right from the off, then it would have been an even more comfortable scoreline.

“Because I believe that if we are at it, it would take a good side to beat us.”

Luton Town 6 Solihull Moors 2

There's a theory that an infinite number of monkeys sitting at an infinite number of typewriters would eventually reproduce the works of Shakespeare by chance.

But, as a first draft, they might just happen upon a script every bit as bananas as Luton's stonking FA Cup second round win over Solihull Moors.

Drama? Even the Bard would have been impressed because, for 50 minutes, the Hatters were down and out, having done their woeful worst to proverbially slip on the skin of the bendy yellow fruit.

A Jamey Osborne brace put the non-league side in place to be the this stage's giant-killers, deservedly so too as Town finished the first half two goals down and with faces as red as a baboon's backside.

But then six second half strikes, kicked off by four goals in 12 electrifying minutes, meant that out of desperate circumstances they were suddenly king of the swingers.

Beating their chests with the rescue act came Danny Hylton, Johnny Mullins, Stephen O'Donnell (twice) and Jack Marriott (twice).

And, as shocking as they were in the opening period, they were spellbinding after the break. That's the magic of the cup for you.

"Imposters" was how boss Nathan Jones described his team's opening salvo after Solihull took a shock lead in the fifth minute.

"I didn't see the first half coming if I'm honest," the manager said, adding: "Because we spoke all week about complacency, about starting well and about imposing ourselves on this team because I felt if we did that we'd win the game.

"Having watched them, I know what threats they've got, but the first half was baffling really. The way we played, way we went about our work, with no intensity, things we did, they seemed like they were imposters.

"Then second half we came out and we were scintillating, that was Luton Town second half, I thought we were absolutely outstanding.

"The way we moved the ball, had a clinical edge to us, the cutting edge on the counter was what we work on, what we are.

"It was a game of two halves, but I'm delighted to be in the hat."

Just as well because the boos began early for his side and ramped up once Osborne was allowed to size up a thunderbolt second.

The 2-0 scoreline prompted delirium in the Solihull end, as fans took to adapting Northern Ireland's Will Grigg chant from Euro 2016 for Akashi Asante.

True to the lyrics, Town's defence did look terrified. Without a shot on target or even a corner to their name in the first 45 minutes, the whole team looked shell-shocked, heading for a ignominious entry in the history book of great FA Cup shocks. Solihull had made monkeys of them and Luton were lucky the Moors didn't inflict any more damage.

But, as Jones mentioned, never has the king of football cliches ever been more apt. Out for the second half came the real Hatters and within six minutes the fightback was on.

Hylton effortlessly took Marriott's stunning cross-field pass into his stride a slid it low beyond the goalie, for the top scorer's 13th of an increasingly stellar season.

The gloom lifted three minutes later when Mullins stroked home a leveller and his first ever Hatters goal, with all the calm and composure of Town's ace marksman.

The turnaround was complete a mere nine minutes later when Marriott burst from inside his own half and laid off to O'Donnell – a half time substitute for a struggling James Justin – who took one touch to steady himself before burying below Danny Lewis.

But the Hatters owed their fans more after the tragedy of the first act and Marriott supplied it. Hylton returned the favour with an assist and the young striker, without a goal since September 24, beat the offside trap and raced through, slamming home. It was Marriott of old.

The forward could have doubled his tally but was twice denied by Lewis. It would eventually come but not before O'Donnell claimed his own cup brace, almost scuffing into the corner in the final minute.

And with five minutes of time added on Marriott matched his defensive pal's return, drilling low to ensure Luton's place in the hat for when the FA Cup really gets interesting.

They'll do well to ape the thrills and spills of this one, though.

Luton Town: Walton, Mullins, Cuthbert, McGeehan, Hylton (Vassell, 82), Cook, Marriott, Gilliead (Potts, 76), Rea, Justin (O'Donnell, 45), Sheehan Unused subs: Smith, Mpanzu, Lee, King

Solihull Moors: Lewis, Murombedzi, Franklin (Morris, 72), Daly, Gough, Asante, Byrne, Jones (Knights, 83), Fagbola, Osborne, Sterling (White, 82) Unused subs: Acton, Koue, Dielna

Referee: Christopher Sarginson

Attendance: 3,512 (635)

Jack Marriott was relieved to end a two-month goal drought with a brace as Luton scored six second half goals to avoid an FA Cup second round shock against Solihull Moors.

The non-league side took a deserved 2-0 half time lead thanks to a Jamey Osborne double but the Hatters forward also got assists for two of Town's replies as they scored four in 12 minutes to turn the tie around.

Marriott hit Luton's fourth and sixth to end his wait for a goal, the last of which came on September 24.

He said: "That's the longest I've ever been through and I'm still 22 so I'm still relatively young. It was difficult but I'm out the other end now, I've proved that I can score goals and hopefully that can continue."

Marriott had also been dropped for the last three league games but returned for the visit of Solihull and he admitted: "It has been difficult, but I've continued to do the right things, I've just not had the luck of the draw with getting the goals that I think I should be, but today was a big relief."

The striker could also take comfort in his side's stunning response to a dire start.

"That's the worst first half of football that we've ever played under the gaffer," Marriott said, adding: "It was poor, we all knew that and that's why we came out in the second half so determined to turn it around and emphatically win the game, which we did.

"I think we were absolutely superb in the second half. We move the ball quickly, we had a cutting edge and we put people clean in. It was a joy to play in the second half, but it was just so far from the first half. We needed that, we really did need that."

Danny Hylton and Johnny Mullins drew Luton level but right back Stephen O'Donnell was instrumental in helping the Hatters turn the tide, scoring twice after coming on at half time for James Justin.

"He was superb when he came on," said Marriott, adding: "To get two goals was very impressive from right back. I don't think I've ever seen him [Johan] Cruyff in the box before and then put it in the bottom corner. Fair play to him, he was really good today."

Town will now await with anticipation Monday evening's third round draw where there's potential to be drawn against a Premier League giant, who now enter the competition.

Marriott said: "Any of the big teams away would be incredible but, also, we'd like a game that we can win and progress further.

"I'm happy, I'm just looking forward to seeing the draw and seeing who we get and hopefully we can win the next round game as well."

Asked if he'd like to face former side Ipswich, he added: "That would be nice to go back there and play there."