Luton Town FC vs Stoke City (25th Aug 2015)

PUBLISHED 22:22 25th August 2015 Brave Town bow out on penalties to Premier League Potters

LUTON TOWN 1-1 STOKE CITY (Lost 8-7 on penalties)

The Hatters took Premier League Stoke City all the way to penalties only to lose 8-7 in the shootout after a brave effort in a rousing Capital One Cup second round tie at Kenilworth Road.

Left-back Scott Griffiths was the unfortunate Town man to miss when his kick from 12 yards hit the top of the crossbar.

That handed the Potters the advantage and Geoff Cameron rifled home the deciding kick to send Stoke through to face Fulham in round three.

Despite the disappointment, the Hatters can take heart from an excellent display against a City side tipped to do well in the top flight this term.

The first half was shaded by the visitors with Elliot Justham saving well from Jonathan Walters in the pick of the Potters’ chances.

But Justham could do nothing about Walters’ effort mid-way through the second period when the City forward latched onto Stephen Ireland’s pass and dinked an accurate finish over the advancing Town keeper.

However the Town’s response was admirable and the introductions of Ryan Hall and Cameron McGeehan on the hour began to have the desired effect as the visitors were pushed back.

Both substitutes were thwarted in the final 10 minutes by veteran Stoke keeper Shay Given, but as time ticked away, it seemed that the Premier League side would hold out for victory.

McGeehan, though, had other ideas and the midfielder popped up in the first minute of injury time to tap home Griffiths’ low left-wing cross after good work from Hall to take the tie to extra-time.

The Hatters goalscorer then sent a decent chance into the side-netting in the first period of the additional half-hour but after a goalless 30 minutes it went to penalties.

The first 14 penalties were perfect with neither Justham or Given given much chance in preventing a host of powerful spot-kicks from finding the net.

Someone had to miss eventually, though, and that misfortune fell on Griffiths when his left-footed effort clipped the top of the crossbar – and that left Cameron to convert the winning penalty to send the Town out – but out with the heads held high.

Town: Justham; O’Donnell, Griffiths, Cuthbert, Wilkinson; O’Brien, Smith, Lee, Ruddock Mpanzu (sub Hall 60), Green (McGeehan 60), McQuoid (sub Benson 71). Subs not used: McNulty, Guttridge, Mackail-Smith, Tyler.

Stoke: Given, Bardsley, Pieters, Ireland, Arnautovic (sub Diouf 96), Wilson, Walters, Sidwell, Crouch (sub Joselu 87), Wollscheid, Bojan (sub Cameron 87). Subs not used: Haugaard, van Ginkel, Adam, , Meixeira.

Attendance: 6,099, including 823 from Stoke.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/luton-town-v-stoke-city-gallery-2647200.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVNAU6hfQpc

Luton Town bowed out of the Capital One Cup tonight in cruel fashion after a sudden death penalty shoot out defeat against Premier League Stoke City.

With Cameron McGeehan’s stoppage time strike sending the game to extra-time and then spot kicks, there were 14 successful attempts until defender Scott Griffiths fired his effort against the bar, and Geoff Cameron won it for the Potters.

Defeat was incredibly harsh on the Hatters who had doggedly held their own both in normal time and extra time against a side who finished ninth in the Premier League last term.

However, they can take huge credit for their display, with manager John Still desperately hoping his side can now repeat this kind of performance and atmosphere into their league campaign starting at home to Portsmouth this weekend.

The hosts made six changes with Olly Lee impressing on his Town debut, while Elliot Justham, Stephen O’Donnell, Mark O’Brien, Josh McQuoid and Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu started too.

Stoke themselves swapped nine players from their 1-1 draw at Norwich City, with the most eye-catching name on the teamsheet, former Barcelona attacker Bojan Krkic.

The visitors settled easily into their pleasing on the eye style in the opening exchanges, with Town reduced to chasing shadows, a task they stuck too manfully though with only Marko Arnautovic’s effort straight at Elliot Justham a cause for concern.

Veteran keeper Shay Given was called into action, touching Griffiths’ left footer over the top as despite all of the Potters’ dominance, they couldn’t create anything clear-cut until Justham had to turn away Walters’ low skimmer.

With Luton’s back four producing a rock solid display in the opening half, something that has been lack from them so far this term, they were at it again in the second period, although Crouch almost produced one of his trademark specials, skewing an acrobatic volley behind.

Town came close through Jonathan Smith’s stretched attempt, before Justham pulled off a top, top save, thrusting out a strong right hand to divert Crouch’s downward header behind.

Hatters rung the changes, with McGeehan and Ryan Hall replacing Ruddock Mpanzu and Green, with Stoke withdrawing Crouch for 5.75m summer signing Spanish striker Joselu from Hannover 96.

The visitors then finally showed their Premier League class in front of goal after 66 minutes when Ireland’s inventive flick over the defence was seized upon by Walters who calmly lifted his shot over the onrushing Justham.

However, after taking the lead, it was the Hatters if anyone who started to look the more like finding the net to force extra time.

First Hall’s snap shot whizzed across Given’s goal, before Lee’s flighted free kick was headed back by Luke Wilkinson for McGeehan to shoot low into the side-netting.

Hatters came even close with 10 minutes to go as McGeehan’s long raner was parried by Given, with the keeper swiftly to repel Hall’s fierce follow up too.

Luton, roared on by a rocking Kenilworth Road crowd, then did have that equaliser as Hall found Griffiths and his inch-perfect cross was converted the hugely impressive McGeehan to bring the house down.

City boss Mark Hughes signalled his intent, bringing on Mame Biram Diouf in the opening moments of extra time, although once more it was Luton who threatened, McGeehan firing into the side-netting once more

As time ticked away, both sides appeared to settle for penalties, as Luton’s defence, marshalled magnificently by captain for the night Scott Cuthbert, kept everything thrown at them.

In the final seconds, Diouf resorted to trying to punch the ball over the line, rightly seeing a yellow, although his side were to have the last laugh, earning a third round tie with Championship outfit Fulham.

Hatters: Elliot Justham, Stephen O’Donnell, Scott Griffiths, Scott Cuthbert (C), Luke Wilkinson, Jonathan Smith, Mark O’Brien, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu (Ryan Hall 60), Olly Lee, Danny Green (Cameron McGeehan 60) , Josh McQuoid (Paul Benson 70).

Subs not used: Mark Tyler, Steve McNulty, Luke Guttridge, Craig Mackail-Smith.

Potters: Shay Given, Phil Bardsley, Erik Pieters, Stephen Ireland, Marko Arnautovic (Mame Biram Diouf 96), Marc Wilson, Jonathan Walters, Stephen Sidwell (C), Peter Crouch (Joselu 63), Philipp Wollscheid, Bojan Krkic (Geoff Cameron 86).

Subs not used: Marco van Ginkel, Charlie Adam, Dionatan Teixeira, Jakob Haugaard.

Referee: Paul Tierney

Booked: O’Brien 7, Sidwell 45, Bardsley 51, Diouf 120.

Attendance: 6,099 (823 Stoke).

Hatters MOM: Scott Cuthbert, outstanding display all evening from Town’s new captain.

Luton Town 1 Stoke City 1 (aet – Stoke win 8-7 on penalties)

Scott Griffiths may have missed the crucial sudden death penalty but Luton exited the Capital One Cup with heads held high against Premier League Stoke City.

The lottery of spot-kicks remains the most heart-breaking way to lose a cup tie, but after Town were booed off at lowly Yeovil on Saturday, they were roared from the Kenilworth Road stands long after the Potters had booked a third round date with Fulham. From zeroes to heroes, every single one of them.

For once, the Hatters got a taste of last-gasp joy – after two late league capitulations – when Cameron McGeehan forced extra time to cancel out Jonathan Walters' 67th minute moment of top-flight class. For a team that boasted former Barcelona man Bojan Krkic, that was it as far as quality. Luton made the Potters look ordinary.

Most important of all, the Hatters may have just stumbled on a blueprint for their stuttering, winless League Two campaign.

It should be a plan that, for Saturday's visit of Portsmouth at least, does not feature club captain Steve McNulty – an unused substitute here – and ditches the three centre back system that has seen them lose two and draw two.

Given the armband Scott Cuthbert kept City's £10million man Peter Crouch virtually tucked in his back pocket. A gangly, acrobatic miscue and a back post header, which was clawed to safety by keeper Elliot Justham, were the former England striker's only contributions on an evening of slim pickings.

Luke Wilkinson joined him at the centre of a back four where right back Stephen O'Donnell offered width going forward and, despite the cruel twist of fate that saw him hit the bar with his spot-kick, Griffiths – so desperately out of sorts this season – redeemed himself, not only with a solid display but the crucial assist for McGeehan to force extra time.

The former Norwich man, a 60th minute introduction, expertly took on the cut and thrust role of Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, while solid foundations were laid by lung-buster Jonathan Smith and his calm and collected foil, Olly Lee. Handed his Hatters debut after signing a short term contract last week, the former Birmingham passer, looked instantly at home in the centre of midfield, offering an option other than a big hoof forward – that rather rarefied thing of the simple ball and an ability to retain possession.

It was a highly valuable talent as a touch of the ball was something the hosts were desperately short of in the first 25 minutes. The Potters passed rings around them but rarely threatened in the final third thanks to Cuthbert and co.

When Luton did find some penetration O'Donnell kicked the ball out for a goal-kick with his standing foot just as he was about to pull the trigger. But after diligently chasing shadows in the opening stages, that was the start of more positive things from the Hatters with Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu leading the charge and bursting forward.

In contrast, Stoke were largely wayward with shots from distance and even passes towards the end of the first half. Justham had only to push Jonathan Walters' low shot away before the break and then deny Crouch after the restart.

The keeper had little chance when the deadlock was broken in a solitary moment of Premier League quality as Stephen Ireland dinked a ball over the Luton defence to Walters, who sublimely lofted over the outrushing keeper.

Town tried to respond quickly and substitutes Ryan Hall and McGeehan both forced saves from Shay Given, including a quick-fire double stop.

Then, with one minute of added time played and the tie slipping undeservedly away from the hosts, Hall found Griffiths and the left back flashed a centre across the six-yard box for McGeehan to tap in at the back post. Cue pandemonium.

With another 30 minutes secured, Town manager John Still purposefully walked his side over to the raucous Hatters fans and conducted his team talk there, with Luke Wilkinson orchestrating more noise and the old 12th man effect to get them through extra time.

Justham was need to keep out long range efforts from Walters and Ireland, but he was odds on to do so, while at the other end McGeehan hit the side netting as both side slogged towards spot-kicks.

Given Luton's propensity to shoot themselves in the foot at the death, hearts were in mouths in the final minute when Luton's goalscorer conceded a stupid foul in the edge of the box but, after much jostling in the box, Steve Sidwell headed wide to ensure a spot-kick lottery.

And with that 13 perfect penalties put Griffiths under the spotlight in sudden death. He hit the bar, Geoff Cameron converted and Stoke breathed a sigh of relief.

But for the defender and indeed for Luton this performance could just be the much-needed breath of life for a thus far lacklustre season.

Luton: Justham, O'Donnell, Smith, Cuthbert, Green (McGeehan, 60), Griffiths, Ruddock Mpanzu (Hall, 60), Lee, McQuoid (Benson, 71), O'Brien, Wilkinson

Unused subs: Tyler, McNulty, Guttridge, Mackail-Smith,

Stoke: Given, Bardsley, Pieters, Ireland, Arnautovic (Biram Diouf, 96), Wilson, Walters, Sidwell, Crouch (Joselu, 63), Willschied, Krkic (Cameron, 86)

Unused subs: van Ginkel, Adam, Teixeira, Haugaard

Referee: Paul Tierney

Attendance: 6,099 (823)

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/fa-league-cups/luton-town-vs-stoke-city-match-report-stunned-potters-sneak-through-after-shootout-10471959.html

Stoke City may have a thing for signing former Champions League starlets but on Tuesday night they struggled to shrug off dogged Luton Town.

Stoke, featuring the fit-again Bojan Krkic on his comeback appearance, looked to have booked a place in the third round when Jonathan Walters lobbed them in front midway through the second half.

But a Luton side 22nd in League Two hit back with a 90th-minute equaliser by home substitute Cameron McGeehan, who turned in a cross from Scott Griffiths at the far post to take the tie into extra time and penalties.

Griffiths hit the bar with the 16th kick of the shoot-out to allow Stoke to go through.

The sight of former Luton and England striker Brian Stein stirred memories of the club beating Arsenal in the final of Littlewoods Cup in 1988.

There have been more downs than ups for Luton since – not least demotion to the Conference in 2009 and a five-year absence from the Football League.

Today they are a club looking upwards again, though those hoping for an upset from their 2015 vintage could have been forgiven for viewing the home team sheet with dismay given the presence on the bench of Craig Mackail-Smith, the Hatters’ big summer signing. Luton’s ambition this season is to climb out of League Two and manager John Still – who gave a debut to Olly Lee, son of former Newcastle midfielder Rob – was responding to their failure to win any of their opening four league fixtures.

Stoke went into the match winless this term but it is a measure of their progress as a club – and the Premier League’s economic power – that they could make nine changes and still field a team with over 300 international caps between them.

The most welcome sight Krkic making his first appearance since suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament against Rochdale in an FA Cup tie in January.

Bojan, playing behind Peter Crouch, dropped deep to pick up the ball and instigate Stoke’s attacks, tried the odd jinking run and also handled the rough and tumble such occasions provide, though he showed his frustration when squaring up to defender Luke Wilkinson after the pair tangled close to the byeline.

Walters, with a low shot pushed away by Elliot Justham, provided the only test of the home goalkeeper in the first half while Shay Given, on his Stoke debut, tipped over a fierce early strike by the Luton left-back, Scott Griffiths.

Walters provided the breakthrough after 67 minutes as Stephen Ireland delivered a cute chip over the home defence and the Republic of Ireland striker scored with a sweet lob.

Walters is entering the last year of his contract and has been linked with a move away from the Potteries, with Norwich having a bid rejected last week, so this was a timely message of what he can do.

He could have had a second too but for a fine sliding challenge by home captain Scott Cuthbert. At the other end, Given made a double save from McGeehan and Ryan Hall but McGeehan was in the right place to level late on.