Morecambe vs Luton Town FC (19th Nov 2016)

PUBLISHED 18:22 19th November 2016 Hatters make it nine unbeaten with "complete performance"

MORECAMBE 0

LUTON TOWN 2 (Hylton 26, Vassell 60)

Att: 1,507 (520 Hatters)

The Hatters turned in “the complete performance”, according to manager Nathan Jones, to beat Morecambe 2-0 and move back up to fourth in the Sky Bet League Two table this afternoon.

On a filthy day by the Lancashire coast, Danny Hylton hit his 11th goal of the season and Isaac Vassell his first – and his debut goal in professional football – to extend the Town’s unbeaten run in the league to nine matches.

Roared on by 520 travelling fans, many who didn’t make it to the Globe Arena until well after kick-off following traffic problems on the M6, the Hatters dominated their hosts to leapfrog Tuesday night’s opponents Portsmouth, who could only draw with Cheltenham, and record a third successive clean sheet in the league.

Jones made three changes to his starting line-up, with Johnny Mullins in at centre-half for skipper Scott Cuthbert, who was ill, while Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu returned to midfield after serving a one-match ban in place of Jordan Cook, who was suspended following his dismissal against Accrington last week.

Up front, Vassell came in for only his second league start for the Hatters in place of Jack Marriott, who dropped to the bench.

The Hatters made a blistering start, dominating possession and making several penetrative runs into the Morecambe box, with Vassell especially a threat.

It was his strike partner Hylton, however, who was first to register a shot on target, which home keeper Barry Roche blocked in unorthodox fashion with his legs.

Alex Gilliead was pressing high too, and after robbing left-back James Jennings of possession, the Newcastle loanee drove to the byline, only for his cross to be turned around.

Jennings proved a threat at the other end after good work from Cole Stockton on 19 minutes, but Glen Rea – continuing at centre-half, this time alongside Mullins – got a flicked header clear and Christian Walton confidently gathered the resulting corner.

Gilliead was gliding through the Globe Arena mud, and he and Hylton combined to set Cameron McGeehan up on the edge of the box, but the midfielder couldn’t get his shot away.

Seconds later, however, Hylton had broken the deadlock – and how! The top scorer collected the ball 25 yards out and shuffled sideways with it before bending an exquisite right-footed shot around Roche and into the hosts’ net.

Just before the half-hour the ex-Oxford striker almost produced a carbon copy, holding onto the ball after a run into the box was blocked and coming back outside to curl another one towards the bottom corner, only this time Roche kept it out with a strong left arm.

Morecambe fired a couple of warning shots as the first half progressed, centre-half Ryan Edwards dispossessing Hylton and driving one over the bar from 30 yards, before Stockton called Walton into action for his first real save and then blasted one high and handsome from inside the box.

It was turning into the Danny Hylton show at the other end and after more good work on the right by Gilliead, the leading scorer forced another good save from Roche with an angled shot.

Veteran striker Kevin Ellison glanced a header just wide of Walton’s right-hand stanchion on 42 minutes as Morecambe came more and more into the game, then referee Ben Toner waved away Shrimps appeals for a penalty as Sheehan challenged Aaron McGowan for a far post cross.

But overall, the Hatters were good for their half-time lead – and it should really have been more for their early domination and sharp passing through midfield on a difficult surface.

Vassell, like Gilliead, Mpanzu and McGeehan, was gliding through the Lancashire mud and another storming burst down the left almost produced a second, but no-one could get the faintest of touches needed on his low cross.

Then, on 51 minutes, Olly Lee ran onto a loose ball and unleashed a rocket of a shot that seemed destined for the back of the net until a home defender diverted it wide for a corner, which was delivered by Sheehan and headed onto the roof of the net by McGeehan.

Stockton reminded the Town back four of the threat he posed, coming close to his own 11th goal of the season just before the hour, but his shot from just inside the area after a smart turn was always rising.

The Hatters doubled the lead on the hour when James Justin was left in oceans of space to the right of the Morecambe penalty area, and he needed no second invitation to shoot.

Roche did well to block the right-back’s effort, but the power was such that the home keeper could only push it up onto the crossbar and Vassell was waiting to pounce for his first goal in a Luton shirt, nodding it in from virtually on the goalline.

Mpanzu was the next to go close, playing a delightful one-two with Hylton and striding around Roche, but he could only find the side-netting from a tight angle.

The Hatters – and Hylton and Mpanzu in particular – were rampant. After latching onto another ball that put him clear, the latter backheeled for the former to try to pick his spot, but home centre-half Dean Winnard cleared off the line with Roche beaten again.

On 69 minutes, Gilliead and Hylton combined on the right to great effect, but Vassell couldn’t quite get on the end of his partner’s low cross as it fizzed across the six-yard box.

Then, on the other side of the penalty box, Hylton waltzed to the byline again but his cut-back went begging as the Hatters looked more and more likely to add to their lead.

Jones introduced Marriott for Vassell, who left the pitch to a standing ovation from the 520 travelling Hatters who made up more than a third of the crowd, and Jonathan Smith for Mpanzu as the game neared its conclusion.

As the away fans in the Bay Radio Stand gave oles to the Town’s possession and sang in great voice, the hosts were reduced to ten men with five minutes left when Alex Whitmore was shown a straight red card for jumping into a challenge on Lee just inside the Town half.

Smith soon picked up a yellow, then he delivered a peach of a cross in injury-time that fellow sub Marriott met with a firm header. It went just wide and the striker was penalised for a push, seconds before Hylton picked up another yellow for a foul on Jennings as the clock ticked down.

It slightly marred a brilliant afternoon for the striker, but he had done as much as anyone to ensure a second successive league win and keep the Town hanging firmly on the coattails of the automatic promotion spots.

Town: Walton, Justin, Mullins, Rea, Sheehan, Lee, McGeehan, Mpanzu (Smith 83), Gilliead (Gray 86), Vassell (Marriott 80), Hylton. Subs: O’Donnell, Mackail-Smith, McQuoid, King (GK)

Yellow: Smith, Hylton

Morecambe: Roche, McGowan, Edwards, Winnard, Murphy (Turner 71), Molyneux, Ellison (Mullin 71), Whitmore, Jennings, Stockton (Massanka 82), Rose. Subs: Nizic, Wakefield, Conlan, Dunn.

Yellow: Rose

Red: Whitmore

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/luton-town-morecambe-league-two-3425036.aspx

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/luton-town-nathan-jones-morecambe-3424863.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SX8SwEdpkE

League Two: Morecambe 0 Luton Town 2

Striker Isaac Vassell netted his first goal for Luton and first in professional football in a seriously classy 2-0 win for the Hatters at Morecambe this afternoon.

A first half goal from Danny Hylton had put the visitors ahead, before Vassell bagged his opening goal in Luton colors after his move from Truro City in the summer from a yard out midway through the second period, nodding home once James Justin's shot had been parried on to the bar by keeper Barry Roche.

Once Town had the two-goal buffer, there was no way even the most ardent Shrimps fan could see the hosts ending their four game losing run at the Globe Arena, such was the ease Hatters maneuvered their opponents around the pitch, coming close to adding a third and fourth on more than one occasion.

Morecambe's frustration boiled over late on, when Alex Whitmore saw red for a poor challenge on Olly Lee, as Tuesday night's visitors to Kenilworth Road Portsmouth's 1-1 draw with Cheltenham saw the Hatters up a place to fourth in the table.

The visitors made three changes to their team who beat Accrington 1-0 last weekend, with Vassell in for his first league start since the 2-0 defeat at Crawley on September 17, with Johnny Mullins in for the ill Scott Cuthbert, with Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu replacing the suspended.

What happened in the first half hour remains something of a mystery to this journalist and a good number of visiting fans, stuck in gridlock for over two hours on the M6 due to a diesel spillage.

Even though he couldn't remember much about it when speaking to the press afterwards, leading scorer Hylton netted his 11th of the campaign in that time with what I'm reliably told was a curling effort from outside the box.

On arrival, Luton keeper Christian Walton made a good low stop, while Hylton had another effort, repelled by Roche in the closing stages of the half.

Morecambe threatened a leveller too, Cole Stockton firing one over the bar, with Kevin Ellison nodding wide.

The hosts had a penalty shout in the closing seconds, when Alan Sheehan looking to have pushed Aaron McGowan in the back from Michael Rose's cross, but official Ben Toner remained unmoved, earning the official a word from home boss Jim Bentley as he went down the tunnel for the break.

In the second period, with Town's away terrace bolstered to a magnificent 520 by their latecomers, making up a third of the 1,507 in attendance, they saw Whitmore loop a header over the bar for Morecambe.

However, Luton, determined to add to their tally, set about doing so, as a superb burst from Vassell on the left saw the striker send a cracking ball across the face of goal, but this time Hylton hadn't gambled.

Olly Lee thundered an effort which was deflected wide, as McGeehan got up well up to loop his header over, but although Hatters were dominant, not getting a crucial second meant Morecambe were always in the fixture, Ellison providing a reminder of that very fact, spooning a presentable opportunity over from 15 yards.

Stockton had a sighter, firing waywardly into the stands as Luton had the added security of a second with an hour gone, Mpanzu's wonderful vision spotted Justin over-lapping on the right.

The young defender's fierce was parried weakly up into the air by Roche and after hitting the crossbar, dropped perfectly for Vassell to nod home.

From that point on it was all Luton, Mpanzu close to a third, cleverly exchanging passes with Hylton and on taking his backheel, rounded the advancing Roche, but stretching, could only find the side-netting.

Vassell almost had a second too, narrowly off target from Hylton's lovely cross as Luton defied the bog-like surface and sheeting rain to produce some truly excellent football.

Hylton looked for his second, seeing a drive fumbled away by Roche as all Morecambe's attempted replies came from range, Lee Molyneux and Paul Mullin and Molyenux wide of the mark.

The Shrimps had to finish the game with 10 men too, Whitmore diving in against Lee and seeing red.

In fact the only sour point of the afternoon came in stoppage time, when Hylton was booked for the most needless challenge on the byline, to receive his eighth yellow of the campaign, bringing his two game ban ever closer.

Late goals for both Carlisle and Exeter meant the Hatters remain three points behind third place, although they did pull back ground on leaders Plymouth Argyle, humbled 3-0 at home by Grimsby Town.

Shrimps: Barry Roche, Aaron McGowan, Ryan Edwards, Dean Winnard, Peter Murphy (Rhys Turner 71), Lee Molyneux, Kevin Ellison (Paul Mullin 71), Alex Whitmore, James Jennings, Cole Stockton (Ntumba Massanka 82), Michael Rose.

Subs not used: Liam Wakefield, Danijel Nizic, Luke Conlan, Jack Dunn.

Hatters: Christian Walton, James Justin, Alan Sheehan, Johnny Mullins, Glen Rea, Olly Lee, Alex Gilliead (Jake Gray 85), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (Jonathan Smith 82), Cameron McGeehan, Danny Hylton, Isaac Vassell (Jack Marriott 80).

Subs not used: Craig King, Josh McQuoid. Craig Mackail-Smith, Stephen O'Donnell.

Attendance: 1,570 (520 Luton). {attendance actually 1507}

Booked: Rose 72, Smith 90, Hylton 90.

Sent off: Whitmore 86.

Referee: Ben Toner.

Hatters MOM: Isaac Vassell

Hatter boss Nathan Jones labelled it a ‘complete’ performance after his side picked up a 2-0 victory at Morecambe yesterday afternoon.

Goals from Danny Hylton and Isaac Vassell, his first for the club since joining in the summer, saw Luton comfortably see off their struggling opponents to make it nine games unbeaten in the league.

Jones said: “I think it was a complete performance today, if I’m honest.

“It’s as good as I’ve had since I’ve been a manager in terms of completeness. I thought we were excellent.

“We asked for that (fast start) because when we went to Exeter the other day, we didn’t start very well and sort of waited for them, but today we took it to them.

“You can wax lyrical about a lot of stuff, but I thought it was an outstanding away performance.

“We defended fantastically well, we had a tireless work-rate, we had a real cutting edge about us and the only thing that we lacked was a ruthless streak because that should have been more.

“To win each half 1-0 is nice. I’d have liked to have won it a bit more comfortably but I felt we were just really professional, really complete. It was excellent.

“I’m proud of them. I’m usually proud of them but I thought that was a complete performance.

“We just kept going for it too. We tried to get that second, tried to get that third, and when we did get it, I thought we saw out the game magnificently well.”

The victory was the first time Luton have recorded back-to-back triumphs since the end of August when they won at Cambridge and then beat Wycombe Wanderers.

Jones has urged his side not to be content with that statistic though, as he continued: “I’d like to keep going, it’s not just back-to-back wins, I just want to keep winning as many games as we can and people are going to drop points.

“The game was in doubt, there was a pitch inspection, but we didn’t want it off, because we felt we could fall behind with other teams winning.

“As it is we’ve gained ground, it’s a brilliant, brilliant win and I’m so, so pleased for them”

Jones was also delighted to record three successive league cleans sheets for the first time since taking over as manager in January.

The boss had to make a change to his defence once more with Scott Cuthbert unwell and Johnny Mullins coming in, as he added: “He (Cuthbert) was ill on Thursday night, but when we’ve got the likes of bringing Johnny Mullins in, it’s a wonderful thing to be able to do and Johnny was outstanding again today.

“I think they started away at Cambridge (Rea and Mullins), but I thought they were excellent all game.

“These (Morecambe) have got some real good players, at home they’re not in the best of positions, but they’ve got some real good footballers, (Lee) Molynuex and the’re dangerous.

“Bt I felt we nullified that, we were excellent and I’m proud of them. I’m usually proud of them but I thought that was as complete a performance.

“It (not conceding) helps you win games. We have a good defensive record, I wasn’t worried about not keeping clean sheet but we like to do it because then you only need 1-0 wins.

“We’ve got a good side, we defend well and we work hard and I thought we were excellent.”

Morecambe 0 Luton Town 2

How's this for a philosophical question – if Danny Hylton scores his 11th of the season at Morecambe and there are hardly any Hatters fans there to see it, did it really happen? The answer, thankfully, was yes. A total of 520 beleaguered travellers eventually also bore witness to Isaac Vassell's first ever professional goal as their side made it two wins on the spin and extended their unbeaten run to nine games in League Two.

But, for much of the opening 45 minutes, scores of Luton fans were left stuck on the M6 motorway thanks to traffic chaos. With 400 away tickets sold in advance and the final total of Town supporters accounting for a third of the 1,507 Globe Arena gate, car-bound fans pleaded on social media for a delayed start to allow for their passage to the Shrimps' stadium. While those requests fell on deaf ears – or silent Twitter timelines, at least – boss Nathan Jones extended those that missed out an invitation.

"One day we'll get them in, set up in the Eric Morecambe Lounge and we'll watch the first half together. I'll do it one day this week so if they want to join me, bring them in," said the manager afterwards. “We have the best fans in the league. They follow the team, they support the team, they're now patient, we've got them all onside and it's a real together club. It's a forward-moving club. Brilliant. We love them. What I said when I first came here was that we're going to put a side out there that they can be proud of. Well, they've got that. Now, can we achieve something?"

Results elsewhere saw the Hatters leapfrog back into fourth place at the expense Tuesday's opponents Portsmouth, while the Welshman's three changes all paid off.

Vassell's performance and long-awaited first Town goal made the most of being preferred to the out-of-sorts Jack Marriott for only his second league start of the season. A penetrative Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu returned from his one-match suspension to replace Jordan Cook who began his own ban, while Johnny Mullins came in for sickly skipper Scott Cuthbert and marshalled a third straight clean sheet in the division.

For those still en route, first half eye-witness accounts told of Town dominance in the opening 20 minutes, and manager Jones called it a "complete performance".

That often demands a complete player or two and Hylton has previously been hailed by Jones as the best striker in the league. He was, once again, Luton's go-to man, breaking the deadlock on 26 minutes with a low curler into the bottom corner for his sixth goal in his last seven outings.

A one-goal advantage at the interval flattered the hosts, but when Luton emerged for the second half it was to the welcome sight off a fuller contingent of their travelling faithful. As it turned out, they were short-changed of time, but for quality control they got double-bubble – and they soon had their rewards for a nightmare journey.

James Justin's shot was too hot too handle for Shrimps' shot-stopper Barry Roche who could only paw onto the crossbar with the bounce falling kindly to Vassell. The striker was waiting for the easiest of point-blank headers to open his account in an unguarded net.

Town threatened to run riot with Hylton involved in three chances but though they couldn't squeeze in a third they were in cruise control, their task was made even easier with five minutes to go when Alex Whitmore lunged dangerously at Jonathan Smith and then Olly Lee within seconds of each other. Referee Ben Toner had no option but to send him off.

There was still four minutes of injury time for Hylton to pick up a needless fourth caution in five games, which moved him ever closer to an almost inevitable two-game ban.

That fact left boss Jones remonstrating with the striker after the final whistle as the team applauded their fans, for whom it was a short afternoon, but oh so sweet.

Morecambe: Roche, McGowan, Edwards, Winnard, Murphy (Turner, 71), Molyneux, Ellison (Mullin, 71), Whitmore, Jennings, Stockton (Massanka, 83), Rose Unused subs: Nizic, Wakefield, Conan, Dunn

Luton Town: Walton, Mullins, McGeehan, Hylton, Gilliead (Gray, 85), Rea, Mpanzu (Smith, 83), Lee, Vassell (Marriott, 80), Justin, Sheehan Unused subs: King, O'Donnell, Mackail-Smith, McQuoid

Referee: Ben Toner Attendance: 1,507 (520)

Luton manager Nathan Jones hailed hitmen Danny Hylton and Isaac Vassell as they both scored to sink Morecambe in a comfortable 2-0 win – the latter with his first ever professional goal.

Town's top marksman, Hylton, curled in his 11th of an already stellar season midway though the first half before Vassell – in only his second League Two start of the campaign – finally got off the mark after 16 previous attempts, with a close range header on the hour.

Jones hailed the former Truro City man for his cameo in last week's 1-0 win over Accrington and, at the Globe Arena, he picked the 23-year-old ahead of Jack Marriott.

"His performance merited something today and I'm glad he's got off the mark because it will give him a little lift, but he was excellent," the Welshman said of Vassell, adding: "He's a bit of a animal up there, as we've said. We've got it; his pace, his power, he leads the line.

"When Jack and Danny play up there together Danny's the focal point, the sole focal point, and then Jack is the one that gets off the back of people. Now, with both of them [Vassell and Hylton] up there we've got two focal points. They both can work together. It took a little bit of the onus of Danny and I thought he was excellent."

But joy and frustration often come as a couple where Hylton is concerned and he marred a marvellous scoring performance with a needless foul in injury time. It earned him his fourth booking in five outings and two more cautions before March will result in a two-game ban for the hotshot, who has already served two suspensions this season.

Jones said: "I'm more concerned with Danny Hylton getting booked after having an unbelievable game. It was a magnificent game, he led the line, he was a threat all day and then he goes and does something stupid at the end.

"It's just game management because we're going to be without him for two games soon and that's the thing that's the killer. He's important to us. He's the best centre forward in this league and to be without him is a real pain."

Luton's second straight victory and third consecutive clean sheet in the league extended a nine-game unbeaten streak and saw them leapfrog Tuesday's opponents Portsmouth into fourth place.

"To win each half 1-0 in nice. I've have liked to have won it a bit more comfortably but I felt we were just really professional, really complete. It was excellent," said Jones, adding: "We've gained ground today, which is excellent. I'm so, so pleased for them."