Oxford United vs Luton Town FC (2nd Oct 2018)

OXFORD 1 LUTON TOWN 2

Potts marks 100th appearance for the Hatters with a 98th-minute winner

The Hatters recorded their first away win of the season in dramatic style tonight as Dan Potts marked his 100th appearance for the club with a 98th-minute winner at Oxford United.

The Hatters spurned a host of good chances and looked like having to rely on James Collins' second goal in as many matches to rescue a point, after conceding first for the eighth time in 11 league matches when Ricky Holmes fired the struggling hosts in front just after half-time.

But Potts chose the perfect moment to net his first goal of the season on a landmark night, just a couple of minutes after having a doal disallowed for a foul in the box, to send 1,171 travelling Hatters wild as they celebrated a last-gasp winner just three days after seeing Charlton deny them three points with an injury-time goal at Kenilworth Road.

Town boss Nathan Jones made one change to his team from Saturday's draw with the Addicks, with Harry Cornick returning to the starting line-up after his first goal of the season in place of midfielder Jorge Grant.

That meant James Shea was in goal, behind a back four of Jack Stacey, Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley and Dan Potts. Captain Glen Rea was anchoring a midfield that also included Andrew Shinnie and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, with Elliot Lee and Cornick in attack alongside Collins, who had also registered for the first time this season at the weekend.

The Town are looking to make it four matches unbeaten, with a first away victory of the season the aim as Jones and his side look to improve their 12th place in the table.

Potts, making his 100th appearance for the Town, made a crucial block in the opening minute as Oxford started brightly, the Hatters left-back getting in the way of his opposite number Luke Garbutt's shot.

The Town were quickly on the front foot though, with Stacey racing to the right byline and cutting a ball back to the near post, where Collins' attempted flick was smothered by former Hatters loanee Jonathan Mitchell in the Oxford goal.

Mpanzu called the Derby loanee into action again with a curling effort from the edge of the box on 14 minutes, then Potts saw his header from the resulting corner cleared off the line by Jamie Hanson.

Lee fired another effort on goal after Potts did well to dig out a cross in the 17th minute, but Mitchell was again equal to it, then Cornick fired wide after Shinnie's low cross was cleared only as far as the edge of the penalty area by Tony McMahon.

Although the Town were dominating possession and territory, Oxford reminded Jones and his men of the threat they carried, particularly livewire striker Gavin Whyte, who cut in from the right touchline and unleashed a 25-yarder that Shea had to dive full length to turn away on 22 minutes.

Cornick was soon leading another quickfire break down the left, however, stretching his legs from midway inside his own half before playing Mpanzu inside, but the midfielder's shot was blocked before Rea sent a left-footed curler into Mitchell's arms.

Chances were coming thick and fast as the Hatters impressed, and Mpanzu found himself in a promising position again just after the half-hour when Lee fed him in the middle of the goal, 18 yards out, but he blazed his shot over the bar.

Oxford defenders were having to put their bodies on the line, and when Rea released Stacey down the right four minutes before half-time, the full-back found Lee infield and the ex-Barnsley forward's shot was rocketing towards goal when Hanson threw himself in the way to deflect the ball for a corner.

All the possession and chances created counted for nothing when the hosts took the lead in the 48th minute - the Town conceding the first goal for the eighth time in 11 league matches - when Holmes picked up the ball up midway inside the Hatters half and fired a low shot across Shea into the bottom corner of the net.

Cornick tried to lead the response, bursting into the right side of the area and unleashing a low drive that Mitchell turned behind for a corner, and the equaliser wasn't long in coming.

Potts drove into the left side of the penalty box and looked to be tripped, but Mpanzu gathered the loose ball and surged towards the byline, playing across the six-yard box to Cornick, whose stabbed effort rebounded off the bar straight to Collins, who gobbled up the opportunity of his second goal of the season from three yards out.

Garbutt had an attempt on goal for United, but it flew high over the bar, shortly before Stacey went into the book for a foul on the goalscorer Holmes.

Another glorious chance came Mpanzu's way in the 70th minute when Stacey progressed down the right again, beating his man and driving inside to cut the ball back to the edge of the box, where Mpanzu fired high over the bar and into the car park behind the goal.

The hosts were reduced to ten men when captain Shandon Baptiste was shown a second yellow card in the 72nd minute for a foul on James Justin, who had come on for Shinnie only a couple of minutes earlier, before Hanson and Rea quickly followed him into ref Michael Salisbury's notepad for late challenges as tempers started to fray.

Jones introduced Kazenga LuaLua for his debut with just over ten minutes to go, and the former Brighton winger played Stacey in again in the 86th minute, but Collins couldn't turn the right-back's low cross in at the near post and Oxford manager to avert the danger.

The Town thought they'd grabbed what would have been a deserved winner four minutes into time added on, when LuaLua arced in the left-wing cross for Potts to head home, but ref Salisbury had his whistle in his mouth for an infringement.

A couple of minutes later it was Potts whipping in a dangerous cross that just eluded both Collins and Cornick, and with that it seemed the Town's hopes of taking that elusive first away win back to Bedfordshire had gone.

We counted without that wand of a left foot that belongs to captain Alan Sheehan, who had come on to a rousing ovation from the Town fans to take a trademark mayhem-causing corner with three minutes of normal time to go, for Rea in the holding midfield role.

Inside the final minute of the eight due to be added, LuaLua was fouled on the lef touchline, Sheehan - who whipped in a delicious free-kick and Potts rose in the middle to power a header into the top corner to mark his 100th appearance in fine style.

The Hatters were taking three points back to Kenilworth Road for the first time since Yeovil away on April 7th, and were up to tenth in the table. On to Scunthorpe at home on Saturday!

TOWN: Shea, Stacey, Pearson, Bradley, Potts, Rea (Sheehan 87), Mpanzu, Shinnie (Justin 70), Lee (LuaLua 78), Cornick, Collins. Subs: McCormack, Grant, Jarvis, Isted (GK)

Goals: Collins 55, Potts 90+8

Yellows: Stacey, Rea (EDIT Lee)

OXFORD: Mitchell, Garbutt, Dickie, Nelson, Hanson (Ruffels 77), Brannagan, Holmes, Whyte (Mackie 77), Obika (Carruthers 83), Baptiste, McMahon. Subs: Shearer (GK), Smith, Mousinho, Henry.

Goals: Holmes 48

Yellows: Baptiste, Hanson, Brannagan (EDIT McMahon)

Red: Baptiste

REFEREE: Michael Salisbury

ATT: 6,769 (1,171 Hatters)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHdDAvwbfy0

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

NATHAN JONES ON THE 2-1 WIN OVER OXFORD UNITED

Town boss Nathan Jones felt his side were dominant in their 2-1 win over Oxford United at Grenoble Road this evening as the Hatters claimed their first three away points of the campaign.

After a strong first half performance, the Hatters fell behind early on in the second half when Ricky Holmes fired home in smart fashion, but the Town equalised shortly after when James Collins slotted in from close range.

Dan Potts then grabbed an emphatic last-minute winner as he headed in from Alan Sheehan's cross to seal the Town's first away win of the campaign.

Jones said: "I thought we were as dominant as an away team could be in the first half. I thought we were excellent.

"To be fair to them they gave us massive respect, they matched us up, they played the diamond, they haven't done that. I can't remember Karl Robinson doing that, they showed us massive respect.

"Second half, we didn't actually start slowly, just a bit of quality from Ricky Holmes, we'll be disappointed, we didn't deal with it. But it's a great bit of composure. We went at them and it [the result] doesn't flatter us in any way.

"We keep saying there's a theme of missing chances, we had enough chances to have won far more comfortably. It was a great way to win."

Potts nets in stoppage time as Hatters beat Oxford

League One: Oxford United 1 Luton Town 2

Dan Potts scored a dramatic stoppage time winner on his 100th appearance for the club as Luton picked up their first away of the season at Oxford United this evening.

The full back, who had been denied what looked like a perfectly good goal just moments earlier, rose highest to nod in Alan Sheehan's free kick and send the away end into delirium.

Victory was no more than the Hatters deserved against a dreadful U's side, as they created by far the better of the chances, but as has been their issue in recent times, just couldn't take them.

Town boss Nathan Jones made one chance to his side, Harry Cornick in for Jorge Grant, as both sides had opportunities early on, Jon Obika failing to convert a close range header and James Collins just unable to get on the end of Jack Stacey's low cross.

An open game saw Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu fire a powerful effort that ex-Town loan keeper Johnny Mitchell palmed behind for a corner.

From the set-piece, Potts met Andrew Shinnie's delivery, with Jamie Hanson's vital interception preventing his header from flying in.

Lee then tested Mitchell, who comfortable gathered his bouncing volley from 20 yards, while Cornick really should have done better on 20 minute when Shinnie's cross was cleared to him, scuffing wide from close range.

James Shea was called into action on 21 minutes, diving full length to parry Gavin Whyte's 22-yarder away as the U's man was worryingly allowed to run and run.

Hatters then had a spell of pressure, Mpanzu's attempt charged down, while Glen Rea's 25-yarder lacked the power to beat Mitchell.

Town had the chance of the match on the half hour, as Lee picked out the run of Mpanzu perfectly inside the box, the midfielder taking a touch, steadying himself and then proceeded to blast over.

Shinnie was wayward once more, while Lee almost broke the deadlock, his effort deflecting over the bar.

After the break, Hatters somehow fell behind just three minutes in, as Ricky Holmes burst forward from midfield and allowed to size up the bottom corner, did just that, pinging his effort beyond Shea.

Luton almost had a equaliser straight away, Cornick's shot shovelled behind by Mitchell.

The visitors weren't behind for long though, seven minutes in fact, as Mpanzu broke free on the left and his low cross saw Cornick somehow hit the bar from three yards, but Collins was there to sidefoot home.

Hatters should have been ahead on 70 minutes, Stacey putting the ball on a plate for Mpanzu, who dead centre of the goal, blasted into carpark.

The U's were down to 10 men on 73 minutes though when Shandon Baptiste, who had been walking a disciplinary tightrope after a first half booking and might have gone at least twice, eventually did for a foul on James Justin.

Kazenga LuaLua came on for the final 10 minutes and it was he who won the free kick that fellow sub Sheehan delivered perfectly into the area for Potts to nod home a wonderful winner.

United: Jonathan Mitchell, Luke Garbutt, Rob Dickie, Curtis Nelson, Jamie Hanson (Josh Ruffels 77), Cameron Brannagan, Ricky Holmes, Gavin Whyte (Jamie Mackie 76), Jon Obika (Samir Carruthers 82), Shandon Baptiste, Tony McMahon.

Subs not used: Scott Shearer, Sam Smith, John Mousinho, James Henry.

Hatters: James Shea, Jack Stacey, Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley, Dan Potts, Glen Rea (C Alan Sheehan 87), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Andrew Shinnie (James Justin 70), Harry Cornick, Elliot Lee (Kazenga LuaLua 78), James Collins.

Subs not used: Harry Isted, Alan Sheehan, Aaron Jarvis, Alan McCormack, Jorge Grant.

Booked: Baptiste 28, Stacey 66, Hanson 76, (EDIT also Lee 76), Rea 81, McMahon 90, Brannagan 90.

Sent off: Baptiste 73.

Referee: Michael Salisbury.

Attendance: 6,769 (1,171 Luton).

Jones: Stoppage time win is the best kind of victory

Hatters boss Nathan Jones admitted winning in stoppage time last night at Oxford United was the best way to end his side's long search for an away victory.

The visitors looked like they were destined to make it nine games without victory on the road, a run stretching back to last season, missing a hatful of chances as the game went into eight minutes of stoppage time.

But after Dan Potts had one goal disallowed, he rose again in the final seconds to nod home Alan Sheehan’s free kick and give Town three points on their travels for the first time since April 7 against Yeovil last season.

Jones said: “It’s about time, it’s been a long time coming and I want to say something, these are not in good form and are not getting results, but that’s the first time they’ve been really, I think, turned over.

“I’ve watched the games, I know Karl (Robinson) and his staff are under a bit of pressure but they’ve been playing well.

“They went to AFC Wimbledon at the weekend, dominated the game, just couldn’t score, I watched them play Walsall and it was an even game.

“They’re a good side, but it was brilliant, what a way, the fans were wonderful again.

“It is the best way to win, we’d like to win by more, but if you score in injury time like that and to score in the manner we did, wonderful, wonderful and we take any away win.”

There was no question that despite the lateness of the winner that Town didn’t deserve to emerge triumphant, as they looked head and shoulders above their woeful hosts.

Jones added: “I thought we were as dominant as an away side could possibly be first half, I thought we were excellent.

"Again, just a little bit of our shooting boots, chances, opportunities, possession, to be fair to them, they gave us massive respect.

"They matched us up, played a diamond, they haven't done that, I can't remember Karl Robinson doing that, but I thought we were excellent.

"We'd be disappointed we didn't deal with him, but he showed a great bit of composure.

"Then we came at them and it doesn't flatter us in any way.

"I keep saying it's a theme and we keep missing chances, as we had enough chances there to have won far more comfortably, but it's a great way to win."