Nuneaton Town vs Luton Town FC (22nd Feb 2014)

Hatters run riot...again

Nuneaton Town 0 Luton Town 5 Benson 34, 81, Gray 63, Guttridge 70, Howells 85

The Hatters surged even further clear at the top of the Skrill Premier with a five-star performance at Nuneaton to make it 23 games unbeaten.

Two goals from Paul Benson – one in each half – as well as further strikes from Andre Gray, Luke Guttridge and Jake Howells – sealed an emphatic victory as the Town ran riot for the second week in succession after last Saturday’s 7-0 win over Hereford.

The Town started unchanged at a blustery Liberty Way and it wasn’t until the 11th minute that either side forced a chance when Wes York’s shot from the edge of the box was saved by Mark Tyler, diving down to his right.

Almost immediately he Hatters then raced down the other end to win a corner from which Cameron McGeehan saw his shot from eight yards bravely blocked by a number of Nuneaton players quickly closing down the young midfielder.

Five minutes later, on 17 minutes, the Town came even closing to breaking the deadlock when clever play from Luke Guttridge fashioned a chance for Jake Howells and his fierce drive from the edge of the box was turned over the crossbar by home stopper James Belshaw.

Andre Gray, who scored a hat-trick in the 3-0 win in the fixture between the two sides a month ago, was finding life tough on the right flank up against home defender Theo Streete. On 21 minutes Gray did well to take a Ronnie Henry cross in his stride into the box but the ball ran away from him and the chance was gone.

The wind was wreaking havoc as both sides attempted to play football but a minute after Benson, Gray and Pelly Ruddock combined in some eye-catching football the Town took the lead. Gray’s throughball wasn’t cut out by the home defence allowing Benson to stride clear. The striker scuffed his first shot which eluded Belshaw and Benson was able to run around to tuck home into the unguarded net for his 13th goal of the season.

With their noses in front the Hatters defence did well to nullify Nuneaton’s response: Fraser Franks clearing well after a rampaging run forward from defence by Streete on 40 minutes.

Two minutes later Benson came within a whisker of doubling his and the Town’s lead when he volleyed wide inside the penalty area having taken a superb pass from Guttridge.

Leading at the break the Town defended well four minutes after the restart when home skipper Gaz Dean’s header was hacked away on the post.

After that near miss the Hatters came close to making it 2-0 when Gray sprinted clear down the right flank at pace. His cross was inches away from finding Ruddock before Howells’ shot was then half-cleared to Scott Griffiths’ whose volley was comfortable for Belshaw.

Boro introduced top goalscorer Louis Moult on 55 minutes and four minutes later he almost caused panic in the Town box before the Hatters broke at pace with Gray. His superb cross-field pass found Guttridge but his right-wing cross was smothered by Belshaw with Benson lurking.

However, the Town did double their lead on 63 minutes. Guttridge found a pocket of space in the box to ghost past two men in the box and his cross was bravely flicked on by the diving head of Benson and Gray was on hand to bundle home his 23rd goal of the season from a yard out. It was his 50th goal in Town colours.

It got even better for the Town on 71 minutes when Guttridge made it 3-0 with yet another superb team goal. McGeehan, Ruddock, Benson and Gray were all involved in a fine passing move in and around the penalty area before Guttridge was teed-up to power home his 10th goal of the season.

The Hatters were playing some delightful football and it soon 4-0 on 81 minutes when Benson grabbed his second of the afternoon soon after, diving to head across goal to meet Howells’ pin-point left-wing cross.

Four minutes later it was 5-0 as the Town turned on the style. Substitute Jon Shaw eked out a cross from the right to swing in a perfect ball for the on-running Howells and he buried a header past Belshaw from inside the six yard box. It was a goal that cranked up the goal difference to +50 and that was that was that as the Hatters racked up another astonishing victory.

TOWN: Tyler; Henry, Griffiths, McNulty, Franks; McGeehan, Guttridge (sub Robinson), Ruddock; Howells, Gray (sub Lawless); Benson (Shaw). Subs not used: Charles, Justham.

ATTENDANCE: 3,482, including a magnificent 1,991 from the Town.

(Correction attendance actually 3480?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJiq3Y6gHwo

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/nuneaton-5-0-gallery-1375985.aspx

Five star Luton nuke Nuneaton to stretch their lead at the top

Skrill Premier: Nuneaton Town 0 (0) Luton Town 5 (1)

On-fire Luton massacred Nuneaton in the second half as they romped to a fantastic 5-0 victory in front of a record crowd of 3,482 at Liberty Way this afternoon, writes Mark Wood.

Hatters led 1-0 at the break against their fourth-placed hosts after a keeping error allowed Paul Benson to open the scoring, but the floodgates opened in the second half as Andre Gray, Luke Guttridge, Benson again and Jake Howells all scored in this resounding victory.

It was another terrific team performance from the Town who stretched their record unbeaten league run to 23 games and extended their lead at the top of the division to 11 points over Cambridge United, who were busy booking their place in the FA Trophy final.

Luton named a completely unchanged squad from the one that thrashed Hereford United 7-0 the week before.

A strong wind and bobbly pitch made it difficult for both sides, but it was Boro who threatened first on 10 minutes when Wesley York stretched Town’s defence with a sprightly break forward and drew a comfortable save from Mark Tyler with his effort from the edge of the area.

As Luton got to grips with the conditions they won a corner moments later and Howells’ dangerous delivery ran to Cameron McGeehan at the back post whose shot was well blocked.

The Hatters went close again on 17 minutes when Guttridge’s ball ran to Howells and his right-footed snapshot from outside the area was parried on to the roof of the net by James Belshaw.

It could have been 1-0 to the visitors on 21 minutes when Ronnie Henry’s cross found Gray in the box and he flicked into the air but skewed his volley wide.

Strong defending from Steve McNulty the saw him shrug York off the ball as he looked to make a nuisance of himself on 25 minutes,

James Armson’s cross held up worryingly in the wind as it landed on the roof of Tyler’s net, before a bit of fortune helped the Hatters take the lead on 34 minutes.

Gray’s flick was missed by a defender to put Benson clean through, but his touch looked too heavy as Belshaw seemed to have saved at his feet, only for the ball to go loose as Benson tapped home his 13th of the season before the recovering defender could get there.

Theo Streete threatened with a powerful run forward before Town should have doubled their lead four minutes before the break when Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu headed forward and Guttridge’s lobbed pass found Benson, but he could only skew his volley just wide.

A goalmouth scramble gave Boro some hope before the break, but they couldn’t force the ball home as Scott Griffiths did well to clear.

Boro made a strong start to second half as captain Gareth Dean saw his far post header from a corner deflected behind four minutes in.

A lightning break by Gray saw him race over half the field before trying to pick out Mpanzu at the far post, but he lacked conviction with his attempted header as Griffiths’ effort from the clearance was easily saved.

Boro gambled as they brought on top scorer Louis Moult for Connor Taylor on 57 minutes and the action suddenly switched from end-to-end with Belford doing well to hold on to Guttridge’s low driven cross.

But Town doubled their lead on 63 minutes when Guttridge brilliantly beat Daniel Sleath and curved in a superb low cross which the diving Benson got a touch to with Gray sliding in at the far post to force the ball home for his 23rd goal of the season.

More great work from Gray saw him fire a great cross across the face of goal, but found no takers, before Luton made sure of of victory with 20 minutes to go with a terrific team third.

A brilliant passing move saw Town work the ball from one side of the pitch to the other with Benson integral, as Mpanzu found Gray in the box who teed up Guttridge to fire home a great goal.

Nuneaton looked to hit back as Andrew Brown could only head over on 77 minutes, while more wonderful football ended in Gray forcing a fine low, full-stretch stop from Belshaw.

Town were proving virtually unplayable and, after Benson had seen a header in the box blocked he got his second with nine minutes to go when Howells picked him out perfectly at the back stick and he headed back across goal to score.

In complete control Luton brought on Jon Shaw and Alex Lawless for the deadly Benson and Gray, but it made little difference as the fifth duly arrived five minutes from time as Shaw made an immediate impact, winning the ball well on the left, before delivering the perfect cross for Howells to power home his header at the far post.

Substitute Philip Trainer was lucky not to be booked for a late and unnecessary foul on Mpanzu and Guttridge was afforded a well deserved late ovation as he was replaced by Matt Robinson.

And when the final whistle sounded Town were given the massive standing ovation they rightly deserved from their huge army of travelling supporters.

Boro (4-4-2): James Belshaw, Emmit Delfouneso (David Hibbert 75), Theo Streete, Gavin Cowans, Gareth Dean (C), Adam Walker (Philip Trainer 80), Daniel Sleath, James Armson, Connor Taylor (Louis Moult 57), Andrew Brown, Wesley York. Substitutes not used: Delroy Gordon, Jan Adams.

Hatters (4-3-3): Mark Tyler, Fraser Franks, Steve McNulty, Jake Howells, Scott Griffiths, Cameron McGeehan, Luke Guttridge (Matt Robinson 88), Ronnie Henry (C), Paul Benson (Jon Shaw 83), Andre Gray (Alex Lawless 84), Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu. Substitutes not used: Anthony Charles, Elliot Justham.

Referee: Darren England Assistant Referees: Alix Pashley and Ian Johnston Fourth Official: Joshua Smith.

Attendance: 3,482 (1,991).

Star Hatter: Paul Benson. Simply outstanding, led the line brilliantly and took his goal superbly.

Still hails his Town side after Nuneaton triumph

Hatters boss John Still felt his side are showing the form of champions as they powered past Nuneaton with a 5-0 triumph yesterday, writes Mike Simmonds.

On a tough pitch and with a swirling wind, Paul Benson netted twice, while Andre Gray, Luke Guttride and Jake Howells all scored as Town moved a step closer to the Football League.

Styill said: “The pitch was so bobbly, quite a few players were kicking the ball out and you have to deal with that.

“The wind was up, the pitch was very bobbly and to consistently try and pass move, pass move wasn’t easy. But we dug in first half, worked hard, got in front and I say to the players, champions and winners win in all sorts of conditions, all sorts of refereeing decisions, all sorts of fourth official decisions, you have to find a way.

“We’ve played in difficult conditions over the last five weeks, ankle deep mud, water, wind and we come up with what’s required.

“It’s really important that we do and important that’s out of our heads now and we look to Tuesday.”

Once Town went in front, they never looked back and scored some classy team goals in the second period, with Guttridge’s blast the pick of the bunch.

Still continued: “We hit patches in games where we get a tempo up and the quality, the movement and the passing was first class.

“We move the ball quickly and the quality of finishing (is excellent).

“Jake Howells’ header was a terrific goal, Gutts’ goal was a terrific goal, Benno’s second goal was a proper centre forward’s header.

“They’re a tough team, they’ve got some good players. I know why they’re in a good position that they’re in and we had to make sure we defended all over the pitch.

“I thought the back four was outstanding, Scott Griffiths was tremendous and first half Cameron (McGeehan) was absolutely terrific.

“He won every single challenge and that gave us a cornerstone to push on a little bit second half as the goals were well worked and well finished.”

The victory saw Hatters move 11 points clear of nearest rivals Cambridge United, who were in FA Trophy action, but Still isn’t taken anything for granted despite the gap.

He said: “That’s a nice position to be in, and probably teams will look at us and go 11 points, look at their goal difference as well.

“That’s all very nice, but the time to celebrate is when the job’s over and that’s what we’ve got to do, we’ve got to get the job done.

“We’re doing well, but we’re here to do a job and the job is not done yet. We’ve got to keep working hard and try to complete the job, simple as that.”

Town now host Wrexham on Tuesday night, the last side to beat Hatters in the league, way back on September 13, some 23 games ago.

Still added: “It will be a tough game, I think they’re a decent side, they beat us there and I hold my hands up as afterwards I said I didn’t pick what I realised would have turned out to be the right team.

“We all make mistakes and I made one, that’s gone, it’s got no relevance to what’s coming up.

“We’ve got to go and play for this club on Tuesday, work as hard as we can and try and get the best result.”