Luton Town FC vs Swindon Town (12th Aug 2014)

Luton Town 1-2 Swindon Town

Rooney 53 (pen) M. Smith 76 (pen), 81

The Town bowed out of the Capital One Cup – in their first League Cup tie for five years – as Swindon came from a goal down to progress to round two.

The Hatters had led early in the second half following Luke Rooney’s penalty, but the Robins fought back through a penalty of their own through striker Michael Smith before the same player won it with a fine run and shot.

Rooney was sent-off against his former side in stoppage time at the end of the second half, but his dismissal aside, the midfielder was put in a man-of-the-match performance on his first start of the season.

The ex-Swindon man was one of two changes to the Town side that won at Carlisle, with Fraser Franks also in the starting XI as John Still experimented with a 3-5-2 formation, employing Franks, Steve McNulty and Luke Wilkinson as three centre-halves.

League 1 Swindon bossed the opening 45 minutes as they attacked the Town goal with pace and purpose but for all their possession Mark Tyler was only tested once – in the 20th minute when he kept out Ben Gladwin’s side-foot shot after Nathan Byrne’s square pass.

Rooney picked up the first of what would be two yellow cards in the 27th-minute as both sides picked up two bookings apiece in a stop-start seven-minute spell in the lead up to half-time.

The Hatters’ best chances of the opening half came from distance with Franks and Scott Griffiths both going close with shots from 25 yards, the former going closest with a well-hit daisycutter that flashed inches wide six minutes before the break.

But the Town did break the deadlock in the 53rd minute from the penalty spot. Mark Cullen forced visiting skipper Nathan Thompson into handling Paul Benson’s throughball and Rooney confidently dispatched the resultant penalty with real force. It was his first goal in Luton colours.

With their tails up Benson nodded straight at the keeper on 56 minutes but Swindon then began to turn to the screw in search of an equaliser.

Still introduced Luke Guttridge and Ross Lafayette as the final 15 minutes approached but the visitors continued to press without testing Tyler.

However, the Robins took their opportunity to level the score on 76 minutes when Andy Drury upended Byrne just inside the box and Smith placed his penalty perfectly into the bottom corner giving Tyler no chance.

That goal gave Swindon the confidence to hunt a winner, and with nine minutes left Smith grabbed his second goal, running through the heart of the Hatters defence to break into the penalty area and finish coolly past Tyler.

Tyler made a terrific stop to deny Andy Williams’ low shot from making it 3-1 two minutes later before Lafayette almost raced through for the Town with four minutes left on the clock.

The officials added a further six minutes on at the end of the 90 and Rooney thought he and the Town should have had a penalty in the second minute of added time when he went down under a challenge inside the box – only for the referee to adjudge the midfielder of diving. To his consternation he received a second yellow card and headed to the dressing room.

As time ticked down the Hatters huffed and puffed in search of a late, late equaliser to take the tie to extra-time but the Robins held on and the Town were out.

TOWN: Tyler; Connolly, Griffiths, McNulty, Wilkinson, Franks, Robinson (sub Ruddock Mpanzu 78), Drury, Rooney, Benson (sub Lafayette 72), Cullen (sub Guttridge 67).

Subs not used: Lacey, Wall, Howells, Justham.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRHXF2O6kuQ

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/swindon-gallery-120814-1823931.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1R4ymjO89Q

Rooney sent off as Hatters fall to Swindon defeat

Luton Town were knocked out of the Capital One Cup in controversial fashion with a 2-1 first round defeat against Swindon Town this evening.

Chasing an equaliser in the closing stages, Luke Rooney went down in the area claiming a penalty, but referee Paul Tierney deemed it a dive and brandished a yellow card, to send the winger off for his second booking.

The decision was met with howls of derision by the Hatters faithful as it looked to all and sundry like there was clearly contact, with Rooney about to pull the trigger, only for the official to rule otherwise.

Earlier, Rooney had give Luton the lead with his first goal from the penalty spot, before two late strikes from Michael Smith earned Swindon a just about deserved place in round two.

The hosts had made two changes for the tie, with former Swindon midfielder Rooney and Fraser Franks coming in for Alex Lacey and Jake Howells as Town boss John Still switched to a 3-5-2 formation.

It was the visitors who settled far quicker, stroking the ball around with real ease as Luton were reduced to chasing shadows early on.

Nathan Byrne’s teasing cross was inches wide and some more delightful interplay around the Hatters’ area saw a shooting chance for the highly-rated Massimo Luonge as he side-footed over.

Another ex-Robins forward Paul Benson had the ball in the net soon afterwards, but it was ruled out for offside as the opening exchanges had the distinct feeling of a friendly both on the pitch and in the terraces.

Winger Byrne was proving a real thorn in Town’s side on the right flank and another good cross saw Ben Gladwin shoot straight at Tyler from inside the box.

A raft of bookings saw Rooney, Nathan Thompson and Louis Thompson all see yellow, as did Benson.

Hatters efforts were coming from distance, with Scott Griffiths, Andy Drury and Franks all off target.

After the break, the deadlock was finally broken out of nothing on 53 minutes when Benson’s nod forward was adjudged to have been handled by Nathan Thompson.

The captain’s pleas went on deaf ears though as Rooney stepped up to drill low past Wes Foderingham.

Finally the tempo was lifted as Rooney looked full of confidence, while Swindon raised their potency levels as Luongo skimmed at Tyler.

Hatters rang the changes as the half wore on, with Luke Guttridge returning for his first competitive action since March, while Ross Lafayette made his Luton debut.

The Robins always looked a threat with the talented Michael Smith catching the eye, although it was Byrne who did the damage, enticing Drury into a trip to win a penalty.

Michael Smith’s low effort beat Tyler to level the scores and he was soon celebrating again on 82 minutes, dancing through the hosts’ defence to coolly slot into the net.

Tyler showed fine reactions to save from Williams shot destined for the bottom corner, while Luongo’s fizzer was wide of the mark too.

Hatters never seriously threatened a leveller, Lafayette’s burst clear their only real opportunity, but the danger was easily snuffed out.

Rooney was then dismissed in the closing stages, leaving the field shaking his head in bemusement, as Town will now get back to League Two action at home to AFC Wimbledon on Saturday.

Hatters: Mark Tyler, Fraser Franks, Steve McNulty, Luke Wilkinson, Paul Connolly, Matt Robinson (Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu 78), Andy Drury, Luke Rooney, Scott Griffiths, Paul Benson (Ross Lafayette 72), Mark Cullen (Luke Guttridge 66).

Subs not used: Alex Lacey, Alex Wall, Jake Howells, Elliot Justham.

Robins: Wes Foderingham, Nathan Thompson (C), Nathan Byrne, Massimo Luongo, Jordan Turnbull, Ben Gladwin (Andy Williams 54), Yaser Kasim, Michael Smith, Brad Smith (Jack Barthram 46), Louis Thompson (Lee Marshall 90), Raphael Rossi Branco.

Subs not used: Connor Waldon, George Barker, Tyrell Belford, Will Randall.

Referee: Paul Tierney. (Incorrect changed to Graham Scott)

Bookings: Rooney 27, Kasim 29, L Thompson 31, Benson 33, Franks 66, Connolly 90.

Sent off: Rooney 90.

Attendance: 4,410 (436 Swindon).

Hatters MOM: Luke Rooney. A real bundle of energy and didn’t deserve to be dismissed.

Capital One Cup: Luton Town 1 (0) Swindon Town 2 (0)

Hard-working Hatters ran out of steam as they crashed out of the Capital One Cup in controversial circumstances at Kenilworth Road this evening, writes Mark Wood.

After a tight first half Luton took the lead early in the second half when Luke Rooney netted a fortuitous penalty from the spot after a questionable handball in the box.

But League One Robins, who bossed possession throughout without creating too many chances, levelled from the spot themselves when Andy Drury tripped Nathan Byrne and Michael Smith stroked home.

Michael Smith was then slipped through to score the winner with nine minutes to go, although the game ended in controversial circumstances when Rooney appeared to be tripped in the box in added time, only to be booked for simulation and was duly dismissed for a second booking.

It was one of seven bookings on a niggly night where Swindon probably did just enough to edge to victory.

Town made two changes from the side that triumphed 1-0 at Carlisle at the weekend as Jake Howells and Alex Lacey dropped to the bench and in came Fraser Franks and Rooney to face his former side.

Luton lined up in an unfamiliar 3-5-2 formation on the night to counteract the threat posed by the Robins.

A tight first half ensued with nothing between the sides. Byrne's cross caused chaos on four minutes with Mark Tyler unable to gather with a man just unable to connect at the far post.

Massimo Luongo curled just over for the visitors, while the Hatters had a goal ruled out on nine minutes when Rooney's free-kick was put back across goal by Franks for Paul Benson to score, but the Robins' defence had pushed up at just the right moment as the goal was ruled out for offside.

Slack defending allowed Byrne to cut in from the right and fire wide, while on minutes Rooney battled on to Mark Cullen's flick Rooney and Benson's scuffed cross just couldn't reach Cullen.

There was nothing between the two sides as Ben Gladwin shot straight at Tyler following another Byrne burst on the right, before Swindon won a dangerous free-kick on the edge of the box when Steve McNulty tripped Brad Smith, but ex-Hatter Yaser Kasim curled wastefully over.

Some slight niggle crept into the game as Rooney and Kasim were booked for fouls, while Andy Drury dragged an effort wide from a half-cleared free-kick.

Louis Thompson was booked for dive and Benson harshly cautioned for a sliding challenge on Raphael Rossi Branco, while in between Griffiths went close for Town as his swerving effort from range flashed just over.

Town's back four were not unduly threatened in the first half and Franks superbly read a ball forward six minutes before the break as he intercepted and strode forward before firing just wide from 25 yards, before the hosts smuggled a dangerous free-kick behind just before the break as the first half finished goalless.

A much more eventful second half saw Town take the lead eight minutes in when Nathan Thompson was harshly adjudged to have have handled Paul Connolly's flick in the box with the linesman awarding the spot-kick.

Rooney then stepped up to fire powerfully into the bottom left-hand corner despite Wes Foderingham getting a hand to his effort.

Connolly saw his header from Griffiths' cross saved, while Luongo's low shot was easy for Tyler just past the hour.

Franks was booked for a foul as Michael Smith saw his low effort deflected just wide and sub Andy Williams loop over an effort.

Sub Jack Bartham's low shot was right at Tyler before Drury tripped Byrne on 76 minutes and Michael Smith found the corner to level.

And it was 2-1 five minutes later when Luongo's canny pass enabled Michael Smith to stride through and confidently net the winner to make it four goals in two games this season for the Swindon striker.

Town emptied the bench as they sought a way back into the game and, although the fit-again Luke Guttridge pick-pocketed his man in the Swindon half and released fellow sub Ross Lafayette, he was thwarted by the visiting defence.

Luongo flashed another effort wide before referee Paul Tierney enraged Kenilworth Road in the third minute of stoppage time when he adjudged Rooney to have purposefully taken a tumble as he skipped free in the box.

Rather than awarding what looked like a penalty he instead penalised the former Robin for diving and duly dismissed him for a second booking as Swindon won through to the second round.

Hatters now entertain AFC Wimbledon in their first home League Two game of the season at Kenilworth Road on Saturday.

Hatters (4-5-2): Mark Tyler, Fraser Franks, Steve McNulty (C), Andy Drury, Paul Benson (Ross Lafayette 72), Scott Griffiths, Mark Cullen (Luke Guttridge 66) Luke Rooney, Matt Robinson (Pelly Ruddock-Mpanzu 78), Paul Connolly, Luke Wilkinson. Substitutes not used: Alex Lacey, Alex Wall, Jake Howells, Elliot Justham.

Robins: Wes Foderingham, Nathan Thompson (C), Nathan Byrne, Massimo Luongo, Jordan Turnbull, Ben Gladwin (Andy Williams 54), Yaser Kasim, Michael Smith, Brad Smith (Jack Barthram 46), Louis Thompson (Lee Marshall 90+2), Raphael Rossi Branco. Substitutes not used: Connor Waldon, George Barker, Tyrell Belford, Will Randall.

Booked: Rooney 27; Kasim 29; Thompson 30; Benson 34; Franks 66; N Thompson 90+1; Rooney 90+3.

Sent Off: Rooney 90+3.

Referee: Paul Tierney (actually Graham Stock)

Assistant Referees: Anthony Coggins and Matt Foley.

Fourth Official: Mathew Bounassisi.

Attendance: 4,410 (436 Swindon).

Star Hatter: Luke Rooney. Pulled the strings against his former club and was so unlucky to be sent off for a questionable second yellow card after giving Town the lead from the spot