Peterborough United vs Luton Town FC (13th Nov 2018)

PETERBOROUGH UNITED 2 LUTON TOWN 1

Hatters suffer rare defeat, but progress as group winners

The Hatters suffered a rare defeat at Peterborough tonight as first-half goals from Colin Daniel and Ivan Toney proved enough to see the Posh through to the second round along with Nathan Jones' side.

Posh goalkeeper Conor O'Malley let Matty Pearson's cross slip through his hands to halve the deficit with just over a quarter-of-an-hour to go, but the Town couldn't claw the two goals back and suffered a first defeat in six matches, but second at the ABAX Stadium this season after the 3-1 reversal in the league back in August.

With the Town already through to round two as group winners, Marek Stech made his return to the team almost three months since his last appearance, ironically on the same ground, while Jack James came in for his first senior start.

The Republic of Ireland Under-19s international started on the left side of a back four that had Matty Pearson at right-back, with Lloyd Jones and captain Alan Sheehan in the middle.

Alan McCormack was in the midfield holding role with Arthur Read, Kazenga LuaLua and Jorge Grant ahead of him, supplying Aaron Jarvis and Harry Cornick up front.

The Hatters started brightly and had the ball in the net in the fifth minute when Grant and LuaLua combined well on the left with the latter crossing for Jones to steer an effort goalwards, but Jarvis was in an offside position when he tapped over the line from close range.

Read saw a shot saved by Conor O'Malley a minute later, but from then on – bar a brief burst to the byline from Cornick, who saw his low cross go begging - it was all Peterborough.

They were ahead in the 19th minute when Marcus Maddison crossed from the right and left-back Daniel stole in to volley past Stech and into the bottom corner.

Posh midfielder Jamie Walker fired into the side-netting on 26 minutes, before Maddison – who had already seen an early sighter fly high over the bar – aimed a 20-yard shot straight at Stech on the half-hour, the big Czech keeper beating it away.

Six minutes later, Posh doubled the advantage. McCormack miscontrolled in the centre circle and then tripped Toney just outside the area as he tried to chase the striker. The ex-Northampton and Newcastle man took the free-kick himself, bending it around the wall and into the top corner, giving Stech no chance.

Peterborough the first out of the traps in the second period, Callum Cooke letting fly from distance in the 49th minute, but his 25-yard effort just cleared Stech's crossbar.

Daniel was soon becoming the first name in ref Andy Woolmer's notepad for a foul on Pearson, and he was quickly joined by McCormack, for a trip on Siriki Dembele

Once they'd blocked the free-kick, which Dembele aimed straight at the wall, the Hatters launched a lightning quick counter, LuaLua spreading the ball to the left to Grant, who found Cornick sprinting to the right of the area, but the forward's shot was off target.

Grant and Jarvis soon combined to tee up LuaLua for a left-footed shot that was destined for the bottom corner until O'Malley stuck out a big left hand and turned it behind for a corner.

Cornick had another chance in the 59th minute when LuaLua pounced on a loose cross from Daniel and broke quickly, feeding Grant to set up Cornick once again, this time O'Malley saving well before the Town forward's attempted cut-back was blocked.

Seconds later, skipper Sheehan came as close as anybody to dragging the Town back into it, meeting Grant's deep right-wing cross with a firm header that went inches the wrong side of the far post.

As in the league game earlier in the season, the Hatters were enjoying the majority of the second-half possession, and the chances, despite trailing – LuaLua the next to test O'Malley with a volley from outside the area with 20 minutes to go after the home defence could only half-clear.

Stech had to be alert to push a Darren Lyon cross-shot away in the 73rd minute, and within seconds the Town were back in business, as Pearson's cross from the right caught O'Malley out, the Posh keeper letting the ball slip through his hands and inside the far post.

Town were playing with much more conviction and Cornick drifted across the edge of the penalty area before unleashing a powerful shot that O'Malley pushed away from the bottom corner, before Read and LuaLua traded passes to give Grant the opportunity to whip in a dangerous looking cross that was just a shade too far in front of Cornick.

Pearson had a chance to net again in the 77th minute, Sheehan's corner giving him a free header but he directed it down into the ground and O'Malley gathered comfortably as it looped up towards the top corner.

The Hatters continued to have most of the ball, but couldn't find a way past O'Malley and finished with what was just a second defeat in 13 matches in all competitions, but still take their place in Friday's second round draw on talkSPORT2, with a home tie guaranteed as group winners.

TOWN: Stech, James, Pearson, Jones, Sheehan ©, McCormack, Grant, Read (Justin 84), LuaLua, Cornick (Neufville 89), Jarvis. Subs: Isted, Bradley, Stacey, Rea, Mpanzu.

GOALS: Pearson 73 (EDIT Officially O’Malley own goal)

YELLOWS: McCormack

POSH: O'Malley, Lyon, Bassong, Bennett ©, Daniel, Reed, Cooke (O'Hara 83), Walker, Dembele (Buckley-Ricketts 83), Maddison (Cooper 90), Toney. Subs: Chapman (GK), Naismith, Godden, Cummings.

GOALS: Daniel 19, Toney 36

YELLOWS: Daniel

ATTENDANCE: 2,017 (254)

NATHAN JONES ON THE 2-1 DEFEAT TO PETERBOROUGH IN THE CHECKATRADE TROPHY

Town boss Nathan Jones was left frustrated as his side slipped to a 2-1 defeat at the ABAX Stadium in the Checkatrade Trophy this evening.

Having already qualified in top spot, the Hatters fell behind in the 19th minute from Colin Daniel's low effort, before Ivan Toney curled in a free-kick with nine minutes of the first half left.

Conor O'Malley fumbled Matty Pearson's cross into the back of his own net with just under 20 minutes left to play in the second half, but the Hatters were unable to find a late equaliser.

Jones said: "It felt like déjà vu, like the league game here really. First half we were nowhere near, absolutely nowhere near. We played like a team that had already qualified.

"Then second half I thought we were excellent and could have got something from the game. But, once again you're chasing the game – you're 3-0 down in the league game and you don't know how it happened. Naïve defending, there wasn't enough intensity and today was exactly the same. Second half when we played like we actually can play, we were the better side. It's frustrating.

"There wasn't that real zest, we didn't get first contact from corners, we didn't have the zest to go out and win the game. We did start a lot better than them, but then the goal came, we let them press and do what they want, we made them look a good side in the first half in two games now.

"Second half we upped the tempo, we played structurally, we looked a better side, but we have to chase the game again."

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs0CXpQJS_w

Hatters suffer Trophy defeat at Posh - Checkatrade Trophy, Group H: Peterborough 2 Luton Town 1

Luton suffered their first defeat in the Checkatrade Trophy this season, going down 2-1 at fellow League one side Peterborough.

Just as in the league clash at the ABAX Stadium, Town turned around trailing at the break, although this time it was just by two, before a much improved second half display saw the Hatters almost snatch a draw.

Despite Luton already qualifying as group winners, boss Nathan Jones stuck to his word and picked a strong side, with nine changes from Saturday as Matty Pearson and Harry Cornick keeping their places.

Kazenga LuaLua, Alan Sheehan, Alan McCormack and Jorge Grant came in, as did keeper Marek Stech, while first year pro Jack James made his first start for the club.

Moving away from the norm, Jones also selected am experienced bench, Sonny Bradley, Jack Stacey and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu all included.

Town had the ball in the net early on through Aaron Jarvis, after Lloyd Jones diverted LuaLua's cross goalwards, but he was flagged offside.

Arthur Read then tested Conor O'Malley who saved easily enough as the Hatters made a bright start, getting in a number of promising positions, Read's touch just letting him down as he broke the offside trap.

However, the hosts moved ahead with their first real venture into the area on 19 minutes as Marcus Maddison escaped on the right and his cross saw Colin Daniel beat Pearson to the ball, volleying past Stech.

Posh then had a spell in the ascendancy, Siriki Dembele lashing over and Jamie Walker slamming into the side-netting after more good work by Maddison.

The home midfielder tested Stech with a swerving long distance drive, but Town's keeper was picking the ball out of the net on 36 minutes, when Ivan Toney curled a delicious free kick past him from 20 yards.

Toney almost had another special strike, volleying a corner over, while after the break, Callum Cooke wasn't far away either after Luton couldn't clear their lines.

Town finally started to buck their ideas up 10 minutes in, a quick counter saw Grant slide in Cornick, who had time and space on his side, only to slice off target, while LuaLua's rasping low drive drew an excellent save from O'Malley.

The home keeper was swiftly called into action once more, blocking Cornick's attempt with his legs, while an unmarked Sheehan had the chance of the night, heading Grant's cross wide at the far post.

Town did give themselves a lifeline on 73 minutes, when Pearson's drilled cross from the right was spilled by O'Malley, who couldn't prevent it dribbling over the line.

He partly redeemed himself by saving Cornick's curler, and then grabbing Pearson's downward header from a corner.

After two cup games and awaiting their second round opponents in Friday's second round draw, the Hatters can now turn their attentions back to the league as Plymouth visit Kenilworth Road this weekend.

Posh: Conor O'Malley, Colin Daniel, Jamie Walker, Siriki Dembele (Isaac Buckley-Ricketts 75), Louis Reed, Callum Cooke (Mark O'Hara 84), Rhys Bennett (C), Ivan Toney, Marcus Maddison (George Cooper 90), Darren Lyon, Sebastien Bassong.

Subs not used: Aaron Chapman, Jason Naismith, Matt Godden, Jason Cummings.

Hatters: Marek Stech, Matty Pearson, Jack James, Alan Sheehan (C), Lloyd Jones, Alan McCormack, Arthur Read (James Justin 84), Jorge Grant, Kazenga LuaLua, Aaron Jarvis, Harry Cornick (Josh Neufville 89).

Subs not used: Harry Isted, Sonny Bradley, Jack Stacey, Glen Rea, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu.

Booked: Daniel 51, McCormack 54. Referee: Andy Woolmer. Attendance: 2,017.

'Deja vu' for Luton boss Jones during Peterborough defeat

Hatters boss Nathan Jones felt it was like ‘deja vu’ after watching his side lose for the second time this season at Peterborough, beaten 2-1 in the Checkatrade Trophy this evening.

After a 3-1 defeat in the league back in August, when Luton trailed 3-0 at the break, getting a consolation through Danny Hylton, this time, they were 2-0 behind when the side’s swapped ends.

Once more, they came on strong in the second period, Matty Pearson’s cross slipping through keeper Conor O’Malley’s hands to make it 2-1, but despite being the better side, the Hatters couldn’t draw level.

A disappointed Jones said: “It’s a bit like deja vu, like the league game here really.

“First half nowhere near, absolutely nowhere near, we played like a team that had already qualified and then second half, I thought we were excellent and could have got something from eh game, but once again you’re chasing the game.

“We were 3-0 down in the league game, and you just don’t know how it happened, naive defending, not enough intensity and today was exactly the same.

“Second half when we actually play like we can play, then we’re a better side, but it was frustrating.”

Even though Luton had made the brighter starts, going close early on with Aaron Jarvis’s goal disallowed for offside, Jones still wasn’t overly impressed, saying: “There was no real zest to win the game, we didn’t win first contact on the corners, the corners weren’t great, as we did start a lot better than them.

“But we didn’t press, we let them do what they want, we made them look a good side first half and we’ve done that in two games now.

“Second half when we play, up the tempo, we play structurally we look a better side, but we have to chase the game.”

When asked about both the manner in which his side conceded, Colin Daniel and Ivan Toney scoring for Posh, Jones added: “They’re bad goals to give away.

“There’s always a mistake in a goal people say, no matter how good a goal is, he could have done better or he could have done better.

“But one we let (Marcus) Maddison get one v one, he gets past him, clips the ball past in, it’s not a great ball, it’s behind everyone, and then it’s trickled in.

“Then were in possession, Macca (Alan McCormack) took a bad touch, can’t recover, then had to recover again and foul, and then he scored a good free kick.

“There’s real frustration in the work rate and desire first half to go and press and get at them as their two central midfield players never had a glove laid on them and that isn’t us.

“We press the life out of people and we didn’t today, that’s the frustrating thing.”