Luton Town FC vs Stevenage (2nd May 2015)

Report: Luton Town 2-0 Stevenage

There was to be no last-day drama at Kenilworth Road as despite a 2-0 win over Stevenage the Town had to settle for an eighth place finish in their first season back in the Football League.

Needing to win and win well and hope Plymouth lost comprehensively at Shrewsbury, the Hatters eased to victory against a much-changed Stevenage side, but Argyle’s win by the same scoreline in Shropshire meant there will be no Play-Off excitement for the Town this year.

The Town started well – the trouble was so did Plymouth, taking a third-minute lead at Shrewsbury. But two minutes after that strike the Hatters were ahead themselves. Elliot Lee’s low shot was parried by Boro goalkeeper Chris Day into the path of Mark Cullen and the Town’s leading scorer gleefully pounced to tuck home his 14th goal of the season.

“8-0, we’re gonna win 8-0” reverberated around Kenilworth Road with the Town faithful in full voice – but probably unaware of Plymouth’s early opener.

The Town continued to pour forward in search of the necessary goals with Stevenage, eight changes and all, unable to threaten Elliot Justham’s goal. Skipper Stephen McNulty whacked a volley over the crossbar on 11 minutes before the Town forced corner after corner.

Cullen and Lee almost combined to good effect on 18 minutes and Luke Wilkinson saw a shot deflected behind two minutes later as the Hatters continued to boss proceedings.

The atmosphere inside Kenilworth Road had gone flat in knowledge of Plymouth’s advantage and word (or Tweet) soon arrived that Argyle had doubled their lead shortly before the half-time.

But no sooner had the Devon side scored their second, so did the Town – and in spectacular fashion. Cameron McGeehan showed desire to charge through a number of challenges on the edge of the box to guide the ball into Michael Harriman’s direction, and the on-loan QPR right-back swept in a first-time volley from the edge of the box high in the top corner past Day. “The best goal of my career!” said the defender post-match.

Ahead at the break the Town knew they were keeping their end of the bargain, and in the second half as Plymouth’s grip on victory at Shrewsbury became more apparent, the Hatters upped the ante in search of more goals to end the season with a flourish.

A flood of chances fell their way, too, with Day’s goal living a charmed life in the second period. Cullen flicked a shot wide after good approach play from Lee five minutes after the restart before McGeehan was then crowded having been found by a superb left-wing cross from Jake Howells.

Cullen forced Day into a save on 65 minutes and then dragged a shot wide on his left foot a minute later. Two minutes further forward, as the opportunities came unabated, Luke Wilkinson’s towering goal-bound header was cleared off the line.

Harriman, sensing a rare double, swept a fierce drive wide of the target before Lee found the gloves of Day when well-placed as the Town’s shots-on-goal tally continued to rise.

In comparison Justham was a virtual spectator at the other end of the field, although the stopper twice kept out ambitious efforts from Boro’s Jack Jebb as the final 10 minutes approached.

With the hope of a miraculous Shrewsbury turnaround well and truly forgotten, the final chance of the Town’s season came with a minute left on the clock when Lee went for goal again, only this time his effort wide of the mark.

Justham and Harriman combined to deny Boro at late consolation following Calvin Zola’s lob but the last word of the Hatters’ season came from captain McNulty when he coolly chested back the ball to his goalkeeper under pressure – and that was.

Hard to believe where the time as gone. It only seems five minutes since the 1-0 win at Carlisle. The Town are back in the Football League and gave it a right good go. The players are back in training in two months’ time. League football will return once more to Kenilworth Road in August. See you then – have a great summer #COYH

Town: Justham, Harriman, Griffiths (sub Kinsella 78), McNulty, Wilkinson, Smith, Doyle (sub Hall 73), Howells (sub Guttridge 75), McGeehan, Cullen, Lee. Subs not used: Lacey, Wall, Oduwa, Kinsella, King.

Attendance: 10,054, including 1,032.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-town-v-stevenage-2436769.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxwJVgIkgV4

League Two: Luton Town 2 Stevenage 0

Luton Town’s unlikely efforts to reach the League Two play-offs ultimately came to an end despite a 2-0 win over Stevenage this afternoon.

Hatters had gone into the game, needing a highly improbable eight goal swing over Plymouth to reach the top seven, but in the end proceedings at Kenilworth Road were rendered meaningless as Argyle won 2-0 at title chasing Shrewsbury.

The visitors made a hefty eight changes to their side with the play-offs already secure, naming former Town skipper Ronnie Henry, plus ex-Hatter David Martin and one time loanee Harry Worley in their starting line-up.

Town were unchanged and gave their hopes an instant boost inside five minutes as Jonathan Smith found Elliot Lee, his shot was saved low down by Chris Day, allowing Mark Cullen to sweep the rebound into an empty net.

Hatters’ intentions in the opening moments were never in doubt as Steve McNulty tried his luck from 30 yards, sending a rising drive from distance narrowly over.

The hosts were close to a second on 18 minutes too as Smith’s deep cross saw Jake Howells stretch every sinew to meet it at the back post, only to find Henry in the way.

Knowing Luton needed goals and plenty of them, the visitors used all the tricks at their disposal to keep them at arms length for the majority of the opening though, in a display synonymous from a side managed by Graham Westley.

It took until 40 minutes for another opening to be created with Smith’s low drive easy for Day, although had he got his head up, the midfielder might have noticed a better option, the completely unmarked Howells screaming for the ball.

However, just as news filtered through that Plymouth were moving 2-0 up at Shrewsbury, Luton got their second in injury time, with a wonder strike from Michael Harriman, who advancing in the box somehow hooked a volley into the top corner with his weaker left foot.

Knowing their chances were slim at best in the second half, Town still gave it a go in the early stages as Lee danced around his man on the byline and crossed but Cullen got his feet in a tangle to volley wide.

McGeehan then wasted a superb opportunity when picked out by Howells’ cross, rather than volley it first time, he opted to bring it down, allowing the defence to get back and block.

Howells and Lee sent efforts off target as Luton kept up their attacking intent, while Cullen beat the offside trap to race away as Day’s legs blocked his low drive.

The forward then shanked another angled drive disappointingly side as Stevenage’s patched up defence was there for the taking, Luke Wilkinson’s towering header cleared off the line by Roarie Deacon and Smith’s follow up into the stands.

A wonderful move from back to front produced another opening, McNulty, Howells and Cullen all involved, teeing up Harriman’s rasping drive that flew wide.

Lee should have opened his account, tamely shooting at Day after being set up by Cullen, but with Argyle showing no signs of letting their advantage slip, Hatters began to drop their intensity.

In fact, it was the visitors who finally began to threaten in the latter stages, with a low shot by Jack Jebb, calling Elliot Justham into his first meaningful work.

The keeper then blocked from sub Calvin Zola as Bruno Andrade beat Lewis Kinsella with ease, as Lee continued to hunt a farewell goal, only to fire into the side netting.

Stevenage came mightily close to a consolation in the closing stages as Zola pounced on Wilkinson’s poor back header, but the striker’s chip was slowed down by Justham’s fingertips as Harriman completed the clearance.

After the final whistle, the majority of Hatters’ supporters stayed behind to show their appreciation for the Luton players and management staff on their lap of acknowledgement, hoping next season, they are cheering a play-off place at the very least.

Hatters: Elliot Justham, Michael Harriman, Scott Griffiths (Lewis Kinsella 78), Steve McNulty (C), Luke Wilkinson, Nathan Doyle (Ryan Hall 72), Jonathan Smith, Cameron McGeehan, Jake Howells (Luke Guttridge 75), Mark Cullen, Elliot Lee.

Subs not used: Alex Lacey, Lewis King, Alex Wall, Nathan Oduwa.

Boro: Chris Day, Harry Worley (David McAllister 56), Jon Ashton, Simon Walton, Charlie Lee, Ronnie Henry (C, Ben Kennedy 57), Tom Conlon, Roarie Deacon (Calvin Zola 76), Bruno Andrade, Jack Jebb, David Martin.

Subs not used: Michael Richens, Calvin Zola, Ryan Johnson, Fejiri Okenbirhie, Dave Beasant.

Referee: Nigel Miller.

Booked: Worley 5, Doyle 20.

Attendance: 10,054 (1,032 Stevenage).

Hatters MOM: Michael Harriman. Scored a cracking strike and hopefully it’s not his last game in a Luton shirt.

Still praises his side’s approach against Boro

Hatters boss John Still was delighted with his side’s approach during their final League Two clash of the season against Stevenage yesterday.

Town had gone into the game needing a victory plus a highly unlikely eight goal swing in their favour to leapfrog Plymouth.

However, with Argyle soon ahead at Shrewsbury and leading 2-0 by half time, Luton’s slim chances quickly evaporated.

Speaking afterwards, Still said: “I was really pleased, I thought we approached the game in the right way.

“It was a funny game, before the game, you say to yourself, ‘if we do, if they don’t’, and we just said, all we can do is go and play the game and how it will be is how it will be.

“If we need to change and try and do something we can do it, but we started on fire and throughout the game we just had the ascendancy.

“We knew the result from the other game, knew how that was going, so we just played the game and I was delighted with the response.

“We played well, our energy was very high, we won the ball back early lots of times, and it was a pleasing way to end a season that was going to end in disappointment in the right manner.”

Town looked refreshingly positive throughout the contest from the moment Mark Cullen put them ahead in the opening five minutes.

When asked if he was disappointed such a performance hadn’t been on display recently, Still continued: “It’s really weird, I thought we played better against Burton, and lost, that’s my honest opinion.

“I don’t think we deserved to lose last weekend at Southend too, I don’t. So our performance, we had that really poor patch, but gradually we got our back four back in together, managed to get some games into (Nathan) Doyle and (Jonathan) Smith and since then I think we’ve played well, I’m sure not everyone will think the same, but I do.”

With their play-off berth assured, Stevenage boss Graham Westley made a hefty eight changes to their side, as Still added: “I wasn’t surprised, but when you talk about changes, I can point at not having a fit Luke Guttridge, an Alex Lawless, Pelly Ruddock and Paul Benson and that’s just how it is.

“Graham decided he would change some, but he’s brought in (Harry) Worley and (Jon) Ashton that are experienced players.

“Of course their team has changed, that’s their responsibility, I can’t comment on that, we just set about the task in front of us and whatever was in front of us.

“We worked hard, played some good football, scored goals, we’ve threatened and it was a good way to end the season.”