Luton Town FC vs Stevenage (11th Mar 2017)

PUBLISHED 18:06 11th March 2017 Old boy returns in a Boro shirt to help sink Town

LUTON TOWN 0

STEVENAGE 2 (Wilkinson 2, Kennedy 85)

Att: 9,045

The Hatters slipped to a disappointing home defeat to promotion rivals Stevenage this afternoon as an old face returned to Kenilworth Road to deliver a crucial blow.

Stevenage moved above the Town in the play-off positions with a 2-0 victory that looked on from the second minute when Luke Wilkinson, who left to join Boro just over a year ago, powered in a header from the Hertfordshire side’s first corner.

Despite creating several opportunities that were saved by the visitors’ evergreen goalkeeper Chris Day, and seeing efforts from Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and top scorer Danny Hylton – twice – cleared off the line, Nathan Jones’ men couldn’t find an equaliser.

Then, with five minutes to go, Boro forward Ben Kennedy settled the game with a stunning strike into the top corner to leave the Hatters in sixth position on 57 points, a point behind fourth-placed Stevenage – who have now won eight of their last nine unbeaten matches – and five points off Portsmouth in third.

Jones made one change from the side that won 4-0 at Yeovil last week with left-back Dan Potts, who made his return from injury as a second-half substitute at Huish Park, coming into the starting line-up for the first time since New Year’s Eve, with Jake Gray dropping to the bench.

The visitors made a dream start, however, when – from their first attack – Wilkinson climbed highest to meet Steven Schumacher’s left-wing corner and headed powerfully into the Town net.

Town attempted to make an immediate response, Isaac Vassell nodding Mpanzu’s cross down into the six-yard box, but Stevenage cleared the danger and were soon posing a threat again with Alan Sheehan blocking Jobi McAnuff’s shot from just inside the box.

The Town’s first clear opening came on ten minutes and it came from a deep Stephen O’Donnell cross, as Mpanzu headed back across goal and Jack King managed to clear from under his own crossbar.

Then, from the resulting corner, Rea retrieved possession by the right touchline and O’Donnell whopped in another great cross that just eluded the Town forwards.

Danny Hylton was next to have a go, O’Donnell and Mpanzu again linking well to tee the top scorer up, but his curling effort from the left angle of the penalty area was too high and wide.

It was an open game, and Boro left-back Connor Ogilvie flashed a left-foot volley just over in the 15th minute, shortly before the Town threw men forward once more, although ultimately Glen Rea’s volley from outside the box was dragged off target.

On 19 minutes Kennedy cut in from the visitors’ right and cracked a left-footer that was always rising, then – four minutes later – the Boro forward latched onto a miskicked clearance from Matt Macey and attempted to chip the on-loan Arsenal keeper, but again, his effort was too high.

Just before the half-hour the Town started to enjoy a good spell of possession and O’Donnell and Cook combined to set Rea up for another 20-yard shot, this time Wilkinson blocking well.

Then, after breaking from halfway Vassell found himself in the clear, but veteran Boro goalkeeper Day had read the danger and raced off his line to slide tackle to Town striker, his defenders getting back to complete the job as Cook looked to chip the stranded stopper.

Day had to be at his acrobatic best once more as Potts’ deflected 39th-minute shot had him back-pedalling to tip over, before Boro launched a lightning quick counter-attack that ended with Charlie Lee firing well wide after Rea had done brilliantly to track back and break up the initial move.

The game was getting more intriguing by the minute and the Hatters were presented with another chance as King tripped Hylton right on the right edge of the box – bang in Sheehan territory. Unfortunately for the Irishman, his trademark curling effort was inches wide of the near post on this occasion.

With three minutes of added time announced at the end of the first half, Macey had to get down low to his right to turn away a volley from McAnuff – and soon after the interval the big keeper was down sharply again to keep out another shot from Kennedy.

Jones had taken Potts off at half-time, bringing on Luke Gambin in midfield. Sheehan moved to left-back with Rea dropping into the heart of defence and Mpanzu into the holding role.

It took until the 57th minute for the Town to click into an attacking force again and it was from two set pieces that Hylton went close; first, a twice dummied free-kick along the ground from Cook found the striker, but Lee deflected his shot wide for a corner, which Hylton met with a firm header, only for Schumacher to head off the line.

In the 59th-minute it was déjà vu, only from the left-wing this time as Sheehan’s corner found the ex-Oxford man, whose header was going in until Schumacher stepped off the post to clear again.

Gambin was next to have a crack with the hour-mark passed, but was off target, then Vassell took a long ball forward on his chest and turned to run at the Boro defence, firing an angled drive that whistled narrowly past the far post.

Soon after Stevenage lost their captain, and former Hatters skipper, Ronnie Henry to injury, the same fate befell current Town leader Cuthbert, with James Justin brought on to replace Scot in the 70th minute.

Sheehan moved back to centre-half with the 19-year-old at left-back, and it was the teenager who was at the heart of the Town’s next opportunity, playing Hylton into the left-byline but the visiting defence managed to smuggle his low cross clear.

It was down the left that the next opportunity presented itself, with Smith and Justin combining well to give Vassell possession in a good area, but Schumacher once again proved a thorn in the Hatters’ side, taking the sting out of the Cornishman’s shot to allow Day to collect comfortably.

Soon after, on 78 minutes, Vassell dug out a great cross from by the left corner flag to pick out Ollie Palmer – who had come on for Cook – but Day made a terrific save to push the on-loan Leyton Orient man’s close range header away.

Vassell was causing mayhem, but Boro’s defence stood firm and when Justin miscontrolled a pass back to him on the halfway line by Smith, Godden was in the clear.

Credit to the substitute’s fellow full-back O’Donnell, however, who got back to halt the ex-Ebbsfleet striker’s run and the Scottish defender was effective at the other end of the pitch again moments later when his cross from the right found Hylton, whose volley flew just past the post.

Then, in the 85th minute, Stevenage struck the killer blow when the impressive Kennedy picked the ball up 25 yards from goal and cracked a terrific shot into the top corner past a flying Macey.

Town tried to respond when Gambin fired a low cross-shot that flew past Day, then in the first of five added minutes, Day made another great save to push Vassell’s header away before a double save denied Gambin and the ex-Truro striker again and, finally, Palmer as the clock ticked down.

Now it’s on to Carlisle on Tuesday night with another massive game against the side one place and one point above the Town in the table.

TOWN: Macey, O’Donnell, Cuthbert © (Justin 70), Sheehan, Potts (Gambin 46), Rea, Smith, Mpanzu, Cook (Palmer 75), Hylton, Vassell. Subs: Gray, Marriott, D’Ath, Moore (GK)

BORO: Day, King, Wilkinson, McAnuff (Cowans 90+3), Schumacher (Tonge 87), Pett, Kennedy, Ogilvie, Lee, Godden, Henry (c) (Gorman 65). Subs: Preston, Hinds, Ntlhe, Loft

Yellows: Pett, King, Kennedy, McAnuff

REFEREE: Brendan Malone

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/luton-town-football-league-two-stevenage-3618475.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2qHnFSkjOs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuA8JZeFu_k

PUBLISHED 17:41 11th March 2017 The** result saw the Hatters slip to sixth**

Town boss Nathan Jones was left disappointed as his side fell to a 2-0 home defeat to Stevenage.

Former Hatter Luke Wilkinson headed in after two minutes to give the visitors the lead, before Ben Kennedy struck late on to double their advantage and secure the three points for Darren Sarll’s side.

Jones’ team slipped down to sixth in Sky Bet League Two, with the gaffer left unhappy with his side’s performance.

He said: “I am just disappointed. Look, fair play to them. They came with a game plan and scored early, so we gave ourselves an uphill battle – stuff we have shown them a million times.

“Wilkinson is a threat, he would have extra motivation here. So we have got our best, most aggressive header on it and he lost it in the first minute.

“So you have got a mountain to climb. An absolute mountain to climb.

“We were nowhere near our best throughout the game and yet we have had two or three cleared off the line, we have missed chances, there keeper has saved four. We have hit the post.

“So we still probably could have got something out of the game. But look, we didn’t. Then we allowed them to dictate the game second half and slow the game down.

“Fair play to them, they came with a game plan and got it spot on.”

League Two: Luton Town 0 Stevenage 2

Luton Town’s future is once again out of their own hands with a thoroughly disappointing defeat to local rivals Stevenage at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

After battling hard in recent weeks to be the masters of their own destiny, once former Hatter Luke Wilkinson had powered the visitors ahead after just two minutes, it never really looked like Hatters were able to muster a meaningful response.

Ben Kennedy’s late stunner put a gloss on what was an excellent display from the visitors, who made it eight wins in nine games, to leapfrog their hosts, with Luton falling five points behind third placed Portsmouth, 4-0 winners at Colchester, albeit with a game in hand.

Boss Nathan Jones made one change from the 4-0 win at Yeovil last week, with Dan Potts in for his first start since New Year’s Eve, replacing Jake Gray, as Glen Rea moved up to the holding midfield role and Alan Sheehan going to centre half.

However, after dominating a poor Glovers side last week from start to finish, Town’s midfield found the Boro quartet a much tougher nut to crack, as the likes Steven Schumacher, Charlie Lee and Jobi McAnuff had far too much experience and nous for the hosts all afternoon.

Boro had the lead on just two minutes when Wilkinson, who made a name of scoring at the Oak Road end from corners during his time with Luton, did just that. The visitors’ swung in a decent delivery and with Town stopper Matt Macey unable to get through a crowd of players, he was left helpless as the centre half, whom Jones had released soon after taking over at the club last year, powered his header into the net.

Stevenage continued to look dangerous, Jobi McAnuff seeing his shot charged down by Sheehan, however, on 10 minutes, Hatters almost levelled, when Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu headed O’Donnell’s cross past Chris Day, but not Jack King, who was stationed on the line.

Macey then had a let-off, as he sent a free kick straight to the feet of Kennedy whose chipped reply from 30 yards out didn’t miss the target by much.

Wilkinson was involved at his own end, deflecting Rea’s thunderous drive behind and then Boro were indebted to a fine stop from 41-year-old Day, who somehow beat the clean through Vassell in a race to make a crucial sliding intervention and deny Town’s speedster a certain goal.

With Boro looking the more accomplished side the first period, Luton’s efforts were mainly from range, Potts’ effort taking a deflection and tipped over by the back-pedalling Day.

Hatters were almost given a taste of their own medicine, as Stevenage broke with real pace only to mess up a three versus two chance, Rea just getting back in time, Lee firing the loose ball over.

Sheehan wasn’t too far away with another free kick from 20 yards, while Luton had a great chance on the stroke of half time, Vassell bursting away and crossing for Hylton, who teed up Jonathan Smith to drag disappointingly wide.

Macey shovelled McAnuff’s dipping volley behind, but sensing his side needed a more attacking threat in the second period, Jones brought on Luke Gambin for Potts, with Sheehan going to left back and Rea dropping into partner Cuthbert.

Town produced an excellent free kick routine with Cook’s low delivery dummied by Vassell but not Hylton, Lee throwing his body on the line, not for the first time, to deflect behind for a corner.

Unusually, set-pieces were looking Hatters’ most likely route back into the game, Hylton climbing well to direct a header that was nestling inside the far post, but for Schumacher, as King had done, headed off the line.

Vassell then had a rare chance to utilise his pace, sprinting on the outside of Ogilvie as his cross shot only narrowly missed the lurking Hylton along with the far post too.

Town were then dealt a blow on 70 minutes as Cuthbert limped off with what looked like a hamstring pull and was replaced by Justin, with the corner headed marginally wide by the excellent Wilkinson.

Ollie Palmer was thrown on for the final 15 minutes and almost netted with his first touch, meeting Vassell’s wonderful cross from the left as he looked for all intents to have scored, only to see Day stick out a left paw.

The Stevenage keeper was flying across his goal once with six to go, but this time Hylton’s volley didn’t require repelling.

Boro then put the result beyond any doubt when Kennedy took aim from 20 yards to blast past Day, before sprinting the length of the field to celebrate, some recovery from an attacker who had gone down twice just moments beforehand asking for treatment.

Hatters tried for a late consolation, as Vassell’s header turned aside by Day, with the keeper proving unbeatable, denying Palmer and Hylton as the ball just wouldn’t go in for the now dejected hosts.

However, Luton now need to regroup and regroup quickly, for what is another hugely vital game at faltering Carlisle United on Tuesday night.

Hatters: Matt Macey, Stephen O’Donnell, Dan Potts (Luke Gambin 46), Alan Sheehan, Scott Cuthbert (C James Justin 70), Glen Rea, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Jonathan Smith, Jordan Cook (Ollie Palmer 75), Isaac Vassell, Danny Hylton.

Subs not used: Stuart Moore, Jake Gray, Jack Marriott, Lawson D’Ath.

Boro: Chris Day, Jack King, Luke Wilkinson, Jobi McAnuff (Henry Cowans 90), Steven Schumacher (Michael Tonge 89), Tom Pett, Ben Kennedy, Connor Ogilvie, Charlie Lee, Matt Godden, Ronnie Henry (C Dale Gorman 65).

Subs not used: Callum Preston, Kaylen Hinds, Kgosi Ntlhe, Ryan Loft.

Booked: Pett 8, King 41, Kennedy 86, McAnuff 90.

Attendance: 9,045 (699 from Stevenage).

Referee: Brendan Malone.

Jones questions Town's desire to go up after Boro defeat

Luton boss Nathan Jones questioned his players desire to achieve promotion from League Two this season after they were beaten 2-0 at home by Stevenage yesterday.

The Hatters wasted a great chance to cement their credentials as serious top three candidates this season at Kenilworth Road as they produced a desperately disappointing display against their near neighbours.

When asked about his side failing to once again take their opportunity when it arose, Jones said: “That’s exactly what I’ve said to the players. Maybe it’s a mental thing, do they want it enough? I don’t know. Do they freeze? Are they scared? I don’t know.

“Because at times we look scintillating and and when we really have an opportunity, look, they're not a bad side, they're in real, real good form, credit to them, but we didn't give ourselves a chance.

“We've conceded from a mediocre corner. It was such a ridiculous goal for us to concede, so early in the game to give ourselves an uphill battle.

“But we never won the first ball, we never won the second ball, we had no energy about us in anything we did and that’s the disappointing thing, we were off it today, really, really off it.

“We were nowhere near our levels, so you can either get down or credit Stevenage for their performance. As they showed what a good side they are and showed why they’re on the run they are and they seem like they wanted it a little bit more than us today.”

Although Luton weren’t ever at their best, they still created opportunities to draw level, with Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and Danny Hylton having headers cleared off the line, while Boro keeper Chris Day made a string of fine saves in the second period, particularly from Ollie Palmer's close range effort, as Jones added: “The disappointing thing was we still could have got something out of the game and if we had, we would have dusted ourselves down and thought, 'okay we haven’t played well today but we’ve got a result.

"I don't know the chance count but I'm sure we far outweigh them in the chance count. Their keeper's had a great afternoon which he's employed to do, we’ve had more set plays and we’ve had more headers on goals, but they've scored from it and that's the only statistic that’s valid.

"We've had two kicked off the line, hit the post, and that's with us being absolutely nowhere near where we need to be.

"So a very, very frustrating afternoon for us, but credit to Stevenage, they came with a gameplan and got a great victory.”

Hatters** boss admits set-pieces are becoming a 'bane' for Luton**

Hatters chief Nathan Jones lamented his side’s inability to defend set-pieces yet again during their 2-0 defeat against Stevenage yesterday.

Luton fell behind inside the opening three minutes when former Town centre half Luke Wilkinson, whom Jones had let go soon after arriving at Kenilworth Road in January 2016, rose highest to head home from a corner.

It was the defender’s fourth goal in his last 13 games, but the ease at which he beat the hosts' back-line left Jones fuming.

He said: “We didn’t need any reminding, we even said what area he scores from, we pinned it down yesterday and showed them on the video.

“So I don’t think we can do anymore realistically, then you’ve just got to go out and mark him.

“We didn’t, we conceded so early, and it’s literally just from a ball in. It’s not from anything massively clever, or movement, as he’s moved four yards and just had a free header.

“That’s not good enough. It’s poor marking but that’s been a bit of a bane for us at times.

“A set play the other day done us against Oxford and then Mansfield here, the first set play they had after not touching the ball for eight minutes, and then Cheltenham, two or three minutes in.

“It’s been a bane for us. We work hard on set plays, we’ve just got to work harder.”

Stevenage’s second came late on as Ben Kennedy who had been on the floor signalling for treatment moments earlier, netted a screamer from 20 yards, before making a miraculous recovery to sprint the full length of the field and celebrate with the visiting fans.

On Kennedy’s antics, Jones said: “Well that’s not his fault, that’s the referee's.

“We told them at half time as we heard what they said in the changing rooms, we knew they were going to kill the game at every opportunity and they were allowed to do that.

“Fair play to him (Kennedy), it was clever, he slowed it, we couldn’t get any momentum. If we had got momentum then the crowd goes up, but they played that fantastically well, credit to them.

"They've come here and done very well, it was a great away performance, they played at their tempo, slowed the game down, and it killed the game.

“The referee should have handled that better, but that’s the way it goes.

“We conceded from a counter attack, which is a ridiculous thing for us to concede from the first ball and it was game over then.”

Former Hatter Luke Wilkinson came back to haunt Luton Town with an early opener as Stevenage won at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

Wilkinson's second minute strike, plus a late belter from Ben Kennedy, were enough for Boro to do the derby double over their out of sorts hosts.

It took just a couple of minutes for the visitors to make the breakthrough, a corner from the left finding Wilkinson, whose towering far post header earned Stevenage the lead and Wilkinson some treatment for a cut head.

Jobi McAnuff then had two shots in quick succession blocked for Boro, but Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu came close to a leveller with Luton's first real sight of goal, his far post header after being found unmarked cleared off the line by Jack King.

An audacious 50-yard chip from Kennedy following Matt Macey's poor goal kick drifted over, while Macey's opposite number, Chris Day, had to be quick off his line to block after Isaac Vassell broke clean through with no defenders in sight.

Day showed great athleticism once more to brilliantly tip over a shot from Dan Potts which took a wicked deflection, while Macey got down well to keep out a dipping volley from McAnuff at the other end as the first half drew to a close.

The hosts started to pile the pressure on after the break, with Hylton having two efforts from corners cleared off the line in as many minutes, Steven Schumacher and then Kennedy denying the Town striker.

Vassell's exhilarating run and shot across goal from the edge of the area drifted just wide of the far post, while Wilkinson went close with another header from a corner, and Steven Schumacher threw himself in front a a Mpanzu shot to block.

An equaliser looked certain when, with 12 minutes remaining, Vassell got to the byline and put in a lovely cross which sub Ollie Palmer met with his head at the far post, but Day defied his 41 years of age with a flying save to keep it out.

As the clock ticked down, Hylton was just wide a half volley, but Kennedy sealed it with five minutes remaining by smashing a beauty into the top corner before running the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the visiting fans.

Day made a couple of fine stops in injury time as Luton threw everything forward, while at the other end, Matt Godden twisted and turned before firing wide, but Stevenage held on for the points.

This afternoon's defeat to Stevenage threw up more questions than it answered for perplexed Luton Town boss Nathan Jones.

Goals from Luke Wilkinson and Ben Kennedy inflicted a first league defeat since January on Jones' side and threw a real spanner in their automatic promotion hopes.

But the Hatters chief was at a loss to explain why his side weren't at the races just seven days after such a clinical win at Yeovil.

He said: "Is it a mental thing? Do they want it enough? Do they freeze? Are they scared? I don't know, because at times we look scintillating. But there wasn't any energy about us in anything we did today, and that's the disappointing thing.

"I'm disappointed with the performance. If we had taken some of our chances I would have said okay, we were great last week, not so good this week. But we weren't at it today, nowhere near our usual levels.

"It was a very, very frustrating afternoon for us, but credit to Stevenage – they came with a game plan and executed it. It was a great away performance – they pressed hard and slowed the game down, killed it so we couldn't get any tempo. We still had enough chances to get something out of the game, but their keeper's had a great afternoon, and all credit to him,

"I keep saying we haven't had that run yet, but we have to find that run – we're not just going to get a god-given run, and we've no god-given right to go on a run."

Nathan Jones bemoans Luton Town's Achilles' heel after Luke Wilkinson's early opener for Stevenage

Frustrated Nathan Jones believes poor marking has become Luton Town's Achilles' heel following yesterday's defeat to Stevenage.

Former Hatter Luke Wilkinson was allowed to steal in unmarked at the back post to open the scoring from a corner just three minutes in at Kenilworth Road.

It's not for the lack of practicing defending at set pieces, according to the Luton boss, but is something which needs to be sorted – and soon.

Jones said: "We didn't need reminding of Luke's threat, we know what area he attacks. We pinned it down, we watched the videos and I didn't think we had to do any more.

"The ball came in, and it wasn't like it was a massively clever movement. He moved about four yards and had a free header, which is not good enough.

"It's poor marking, but that's been a bit of a bane for us. We've conceded from set plays against Oxford, Mansfield and Cheltenham, but we do work hard on them.

"They're (Stevenage) a good side on a good run of form, but we didn't give ourselves a chance by conceding so early in the game. We created opportunities but we were off it today, really off it.

"We still could have dusted ourselves down and got something out of the game if we'd taken one of those chances, but we then conceded on the counter attack."