Luton Town FC vs Wycombe Wanderers (26th Dec 2015)

PUBLISHED 17:23 26th December 2015 Town slip up at home once more

**LUTON TOWN 0 - 2 WYCOMBE WANDERERS **

The Hatters slipped to a third straight home defeat as two second half goals were enough to give Wycombe all three points on Boxing Day.

After a goalless first half it took the visiting Chairboys just six minutes after the restart to take the lead when Garry Thompson tapped home from close range.

And the Town’s misery was complete on 66 minutes when Paul Hayes headed home to give Wycombe a third successive victory at Kenilworth Road.

The Hatters began unchanged following last week’s 3-2 win at Exeter, shooting towards the Kenilworth Road end. Shortly after the opening exchanges, Danny Green picked up a ball on the left flank and threaded a neat ball through to Paul Benson. He then passed the ball on to Cameron McGeehan whose shot from outside the box went harmlessly over the bar.

On 10 minutes, Craig Mackail-Smith was fouled over on the right, 10 yards into the Wycombe half. Green stepped up to take the free-kick, crossing the ball deep into the Wycombe penalty box. The ball dropped to Paul Benson, who took a knock with the ball going out. The resulting corner taken by Green claimed by the Wanderers keeper.

On 24 minutes, Mark Tyler’s slightly mis-kicked clearance found its way along the deck to the waiting Olly Lee. Picking up the ball, and making his way into the Wycombe area, Lee placed a ball nicely through to Mackail-Smith, who put a neat cross over the Benson on the far post – only for the resulting header to go just wide of Ingram’s goal into the Kenilworth Road spectators.

A few minutes later, on 29 minutes, former Hatter Michael Harriman made a surging run forward, setting up Hayes for a shot on target, but Tyler gathered neatly at the near post.

The next 10 minutes passed with very little in the way of incident – with neither team seemingly able to put together much in the way of flowing football.

On 42 minutes Mackail-Smith put a decent looking cross into the box from the right hand side, but the ball was gathered by the diving Ingram.

Then, two minutes later, just in front of the Luton keeper, Sean Long made a well-timed clearance from Hayes, who had picked up on a ball into the box from McCarthy after some good work down the right.

Moments later, Magnus Okuonghae made another valuable clearance, this time with his head, while under pressure from Pierre.

And so the first half ended goalless, and without much in the way of Boxing Day action.

With no changes for the Town at the start of the second half, play kicked off once more.

Early possession for the visitors almost causes Tyler a problem on 48 minutes as Thompson’s shot was well blocked by Jake Howells, sending the ball spinning out for a corner.

A minute later, Lee, struggling to get through a mêlée of Wycombe defenders goes on a run into the box, but is challenged sending him to the ground – but no foul.

Moments later – it was bad news for the Town as Wycombe took the lead. Harriman went on a jaunty run down the right hand side playing the ball to Thompson. Captain Scott Cuthbert was unable to cut the ball out, and with Tyler already diving to his left Thompson placed the ball in the back of the Luton net.

With a great deal more in the way of action in the second half, the atmosphere inside Kenilworth Road went up a notch. The Luton players responded, with a lovely passing move down the left. Howells played in Mackail Smith who went on a searching run into the Wycombe box, but eventually the move came to nothing.

A short break in play followed as the linesman on the far side took a tumble and received treatment from the Luton Physio. Unfortunately he was unable to continue, so the fourth official took his place on the line.

The break doesn’t help the Hatters, however, as a shout for a foul on Cameron McGeehan falls on deaf ears, and the ball runs free to Thompson with only Okuonghae to beat he puts a cross in for the waiting Hayes who gives the visitors a two-goal advantage.

Moments later, Mackail-Smith took a speculative shot from outside the Wycombe area, which sailed narrowly over the Wycombe bar once more.

With a two-goal deficit to overturn, and 20 minutes left, Andy Awford decided to throw caution to the wind, bringing on three attack minded players in the shape of Josh McQuoid for Alex Lawless, Jack Marriott for Paul Benson and Luke Guttridge replacing Danny Green.

The changes bring about a definite change in tempo, and a slick passing move between Howells and Mackail-Smith down the left, almost presents a chance for the Town, but once more it’s cut out by the Wycombe defence.

On 72 minutes Wycombe sensed a third goal, looking to put the game to bed, Thompson raced through but Cuthbert did well to get back and clear the danger. As the clock ticks down, once more Wycombe threaten a third, as Thompson lets fly with a rasper from the edge of the box but his effort flies over.

Then an opportunity for the Town to pull one back, with Guttridge putting a ball into the box, which finds McQuoid unmarked but he can't direct a header goalwards.

With the Town still two goals down, the fourth official raised the digital board, showing eight minutes of added time.

Late corner for the Town and Jake Howells takes – looping a left footed cross into the box – but once more the Wycombe defence hold firm.

In the dying seconds of the match a foul on Jack Marriot eight yards outside the area resulted in a free-kick. McGeehan stepped up to take it, but the ball was sent well wide of the target – and that was that on a disappointing idea.

Luton: Tyler, Cuthbert, Okuonghae, Long, Howells, Lawless (sub McQuoid), McGeehan, Green (sub Guttridge), Lee, Benson (sub Marriott), Mackail-Smith.

Subs not used: Smith, Griffiths, Justham, Musonda.

Attendance: 9,676 Away: 829

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-luton-town-0-2-wycombe-wanderers-2868933.aspx

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

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

Woeful Hatters slump to yet another home defeat

League Two: Luton Town 0 Wycombe Wanderers 2

There was precious little, if any, festive cheer at Kenilworth Road this afternoon as Luton Town produced a truly insipid display, comfortably and deservedly beaten by Wycombe Wanderers.

For the second game in succession on home soil, the Hatters players found themselves booed off by majority of the 9,676 supporters who had witnessed a third successive loss after what was a thoroughly dispiriting performance from pretty much the first whistle.

Bar claiming one deep cross, visiting keeper Matt Ingram had precisely nothing to do all afternoon, as if home fans were expecting a Christmas cracker, they were left sorely disappointed.

Hatters caretaker boss Andy Awford selected an unchanged side from 3-2 victory against Exeter City, although his chances of getting the job on a full-time basis are surely slim to none after the 90 minutes.

In front of bookies favourite David James, who was watching from the confines of the directors box, Luton had a decent chance early on as Cameron McGeehan lofted over.

However, Wycombe went close as Magnus Okuonghae failed to deal with a ball over top and ex-Hatter Michael Harriman, who impressed all afternoon in a far more attacking role than he had at Town, shot off target.

The hosts’ defensive frailtiies then returned as they never once looked confident at the back, with Okuonghae in particularly a bag of nerves at times, and that uncertainty spread to his team-mates.

Luton struggled to get any real passing moves of note, Paul Benson failing to extend himself to turn in Craig Mackail-Smith’s cross shot.

Hatters did fashion one good opportunity when Olly Lee burst forward from midfield and produced a lovely reverse pass for Mackail-Smith whose dink was headed wide by Benson.

A sprint from Harriman ended with a clever ball to Paul Hayes who was denied smartly by Mark Tyler at the near post, while Sean Long made a superb block to stop Hayes opening the scoring from close range after Jason McCarthy’s low delivery.

The resultant corner reached Anthony Stewart at the far post but his aim was off, volleying into the hoardings.

After the break, Wycombe again looked more dangerous from the start, with Garry Thompson’s attempt forcing Jake Howells into a fine sliding intervention.

The Chairboys were then rewarded on 51 minutes as Harriman sent over a cross and Cuthbert got in a muddle trying to clear, Thompson nipping in to round Tyler and tap into the empty net.

The most frustrating aspect was that Luton had just looked to be just gathering a head of steam, as Lee tried to mount a response, his half volley always rising over the top.

For the second successive week, the linesman went down injured and after a five minute stoppage in which he was replaced, Luton were then caught cold as play resumed.

There was a hint of controversy in the build-up as McGeehan looked to have been clearly pushed while going for a header allowing Wycombe to break away.

However, there no was no excuse for what followed as Thompson strolled away unchallenged on the right flank, and picked out the completely unmarked Hayes, who sent a downward header beyond Tyler.

Mackail-Smith was inches away from an absolutely stunning way back for Town, volleying on the turn from 25 yards out, beating Ingram all ends up, only to see his attempt fly inches wide.

Awford rung the changes on 70 minutes, bringing on Jack Marriott, Josh McQuoid and Luke Guttridge, but still little improved.

McQuoid came closest at the back post, not getting enough purchase on Guttridge’s hanging cross, while two off target attempts from McGeehan and Howells summed up Luton’s completely inept offering.

Hatters: Mark Tyler, Sean Long, Jake Howells, Magnus Okuonghae, Scott Cuthbert (C), Alex Lawless (Josh McQuoid 70), Olly Lee, Danny Green (Luke Guttridge 70), Cameron McGeehan, Craig Mackail-Smith, Paul Benson (Jack Marriott 70).

Subs not used: Elliot Justham, Jonathan Smith, Frankie Musonda.

Chairboys: Matt Ingram, Joe Jacobson, Anthony Stewart, Aaron Pierre, Garry Thompson, Paul Hayes (C Max Kretzschmar), Matt Bloomfield (Stephen McGinn 90), Sam Wood, Michael Harriman, Luke O’Nien, Jason McCarthy.

Subs not used: Sido Jombati, Aaron Amadi-Holloway, Danny Rowe, Alex Lynch, Jermaine Udumaga.

Booked: Lee 78.

Attendance: 9,676 (829 Wycombe)

Referee: Dean Whitestone.

Luton Town: Hatters fall to dismal home defeat against Wycombe Wanderers

Luton Town 0 Wycombe Wanderers 2

If David James is to be the next Luton Town manager he will have seen what a huge job he has on his hands as the Hatters returned to losing ways against Wycombe without notching a single effort on target.

After some bookmakers stopped the betting on the 45-year-old – with him marked as the 6/4 frontrunner to take the hotseat – the former England goalkeeper was in the Kenilworth Road stands to witness a hopeless Boxing Day display in which yet another defensive cock-up cost the Hatters.

Presumably, as James spent so much time behind the Three Lions' last decent defence, he'll know a thing or two about setting up a backline. But, despite a stint in the Town backroom – effectively on work experience to help towards his UEFA A-Licence – he has no English managerial experience, so it will still be seen as a risky gamble, when clearly the chips are down, down, down.

Caretaker boss Andy Awford revealed he hasn't applied for the job, but if the Hatters roll the dice on a more experienced head, it will still be some task to turn around this team.

They are certainly aren't playing like the kind of League One-quality players that chief executive Gar Sweet claimed the new manager will inherit, as he unveiled Power Court as the club's preferred site for a new 17,500 stadium set for 2020.

Against Wanderers, the class of 2015 were – as they have been for large swathes of this season – comprehensively second best. They were quite rightly booed off at the end which, if this had been a boxing match, would have been waved off as a non-contest in the 51st minute. That was when Scott Cuthbert messed up a clearance, allowing Garry Thompson to steal in, round goalkeeper Mark Tyler and slide into an empty net.

It had become plainly obvious that there would be only one winner from there. That was the simple conclusion after Wycombe had spent the majority of the first half in Luton's territory. It was also the consequence of the Chairboys turning up quicker, stronger and hungrier than the Hatters.

The hosts' only saving grace was that they weren't truly tested before the half time interval but that, like last weekend's dramatic 100th minute winner, only masked the problems.

At least at Exeter they'd scored two goals against the run of play before snatching it at the death; here they didn't even force Wanderers keeper Matt Ingram into a single save. That wasn't their only worry, as they could barely even pass to each other.

For all Wycombe's dominance before the break, a Paul Hayes stinger was the only thing to test keeper Mark Tyler, while Sean Long stretched to a last-ditch block from the striker after Jason McCarthy had cut back from the dead-ball line.

Six minutes into the second half and Town's luck ran out when Thompson greedily accepted Cuthbert's gift. It seemed, for a short period, to enliven Luton but a rising Olly Lee volley was all they had to show for it before they conceded again.

Goalscorer Thompson turned provider and he seemed to have an eternity to pick out Hayes with a cross that the hitman headed in off the turf.

An injury to the linesman for the second week running only served to extend the Hatters' agony by eight extra minutes. There was never any hope of a fightback. A triple substitution – with the introduction of Jack Marriott, Luke Guttridge and Josh McQuoid – offered nothing new, while a Craig Mackail-Smith dipping volley didn't descend enough. It, like Luton, was way off the mark.

The hope will be that there's a manager out there who can fix it but, for now, the official line is that Luton are still interviewing candidates. Whether the winner in that race turns out to be James or another contender, one thing is for certain – a new appointment can't come soon enough.

Luton Town: Tyler, Cuthbert, Lawless (McQuoid,, 71), McGeehan, Benson (Marriott, 71), Green (Guttridge, 71), Okuonghae, Lee, Long, Mackail-Smith, Howells

Unused subs: Smith, Griffiths, Justham, Musonda

Wycombe Wanderers: Ingram, Jacobson, Stewart, Pierre, Thompson, Hayes (Kretzschmar, 83), Bloomfield, Wood, Harriman, O'Nien, McCarthy

Unused subs: Jombati, McGinn, Amadi-Holloway, Rowe, Lynch, Udumaga

Referee: Dean Whitestone

Attendance: 9,676 (829)