Peterborough United vs Luton Town FC (18th Aug 2018)

PETERBOROUGH 3 LUTON TOWN 1

Hylton on target for the first time in League One but Posh's first-half blitz does for Hatters

The Hatters remain without a win three games into the Sky Bet League One season after going down 3-1 at table-topping Peterborough this afternoon.

Danny Hylton grabbed his first goal in English football’s third tier with 12 minutes to go, but the damage had already been done in a first half in which the hosts went 3-0 up with a brace from Jason Cummings sandwiching one from Siriki Dembele.

Manager Nathan Jones made one change to the team that drew with Sunderland last Saturday, with Sonny Bradley, the centre-half signed from Plymouth Argyle in the summer, impressing enough on his first competitive start for the club in the midweek Carabao Cup defeat at West Brom to earn a place in the starting line-up at the Abax Stadium.

Jones switched to a back three of Matty Pearson, Alan Sheehan and Bradley, and they started brightly enough, Potts heading an Alan Sheehan corner onto the roof of the net after the captain’s initial free-kick had been deflected behind by a Posh wall that was never ten yards away.

The hosts had looked lively too, however, and they had the lead in the 18th minute, Cummings winning and converting from 12 yards, although there was confusion over whether the penalty had been awarded by referee Graham Salisbury for a foul by Sheehan or Marek Stech, who came out with his feet, not to mention a possible foul on James Collins in the build-up.

Within a minute Posh had doubled their advantage. The Hatters gave the ball away inside the opposition half, Dembele ran at the Town defence down the left and the winger kept his feet, riding a challenge from Alan McCormack, to fire emphatically into the roof of the net from eight yards.

Hylton tried to drag the Town back into it with an attempted chip from 40 yards, the ball landing on the roof of net, before Jones made a tactical switch with just under half an hour gone – Glen Rea coming on for McCormack and a reversion to the diamond formation with Pearson at right-back and Jack Stacey moved into midfield.

Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu went on a couple of surging runs through the middle in an attempt to get his side going, and it was from a third that he fed Elliot Lee, whose attempted 35th-minute curler from 20 yards was deflected wide.

From the resulting corner, Bradley’s firm header was blocked in the six-yard box and Peterborough broke straight down the left, Dembele bursting clear of Stacey and crossing for Cummings, whose shot from ten yards found its way past Stech.

The Hatters thought they’d found a way back in three minutes later, in the 39th minute, when Lee lured Daniel into a lunge on the right edge of the box. Ref Salisbury pointed to the spot, but then consulted with his linesman who ruled that the Posh defender had got a foot on the ball, and indicated a corner.

It was a controversial call, especially given the decision at the other end, where Stech was called into action again by Dembele before half-time, with the Hatters having shots from Rea and Stacey on target, but straight at Chapman.

Jones made his second change at the break, withdrawing Pearson for Andrew Shinnie, with Stacey moving back to his usual right-back.

Within 15 seconds of the restart, Godden had Stech at full stretch, but the Hatters looked mouch more comfortable and started to dominate possession.

On 55 minutes Ryan Tafazolli become the first Peterborough player to be cautioned, for a foul on Hylton on the right edge of the box, Lee firing over from distance after Sheehan’s initial free-kick was cleared.

Then a flurry of chances came the Town’s way, all falling to Rea. On the hour, after O’Hara had been booked for a foul on the Hatters sub, Lee’s free-kick deflected into his path but the ex-Brighton man’s left-footed effort was flew high over the bar.

On 69 minutes he headed Sheehan’s free-kick wide, before another shot flew off target a minute later.

Lee followed suit with two chances in quick succession – the first a shot well off target, then a header from a right-wing Mpanzu cross that was straight at Chapman.

Jorge Grant came on for Collins and the Hatters soon the goal their second-half performance deserved, in the 78th minute, when Shinnie’s deep cross from the left found Stacey completely unmarked at the far post to steer a volley towards goal, with Hylton turning it in from close range.

Another chance was quick in coming for the top scorer of the last two seasons, Lee jinking past his man on the edge of the box and rolling the ball to his left to Hylton, whose left-footed shot was dragged across the face of goal.

Sheehan needed treatment for an excellent 88th-minute block on Toney, who then sent a header goalward from a corner, Stech saving after a lengthy spell as a spectator.

Ninety minutes were on the clock when Town went close again when Bradley smashed a left-footed volley at goal, finding himself unmarked and with time to chest the ball down at the far post, but Tafazolli threw himself in front of the effort and somehow managed to deflect it over the bar.

TOWN: Stech, Stacey, Pearson, Sheehan ©, Bradley, Potts, McCormack (Rea 29), Mpanzu, Lee, Hylton, Collins (Grant 73). Subs: Justin, Cornick, Jervis, Shea (GK)

Goal: Hylton 78

Yellows: Potts

POSH: Chapman, Naismith, Daniel, Woodyard ©, Tafazolli, O’Hara (Reed 77), Godden (Toney 74), Dembele (Cooper 83), Ward, Bennett, Cummings. Subs: Tyler (GK), Cooke, Yorwerth, Maddison.

Goals: Cummings 18 (pen), 36, Dembele 19

Yellows: Tafazolli, O’Hara

REFEREE: Graham Salisbury

ATT 8,016 (2,209 Hatters)

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pgHEEqLX6Q

NATHAN JONES ON THE 3-1 DEFEAT TO PETERBOROUGH UNITED

Town boss Nathan Jones accepted full responsibility for his side's 3-1 defeat at Peterborough United this afternoon as the Hatters have just a point in the bag after their opening three Sky Bet League One games.

The hosts shot into a two-goal lead as Jason Cummings fired in from the penalty spot 17 minutes in before Siriki Dembele hammered in from close range just two minutes later. Cummings had his third of the afternoon with nine first half minutes remaining, with Town getting their consolation goal late on in the second half with Danny Hylton flicking in Jack Stacey's effort.

Jones said: "Firstly, well done to Steve Evans' side in the first half. I thought tactically they were better than us, they outmatched us, they outworked us in the first half. They caught us on the counter attack, which they have obviously prepared for. A credit to them, I am taking nothing away from them, but there was so much that was avoidable.

"I am disappointed with the result, I am disappointed with our first half performance and I will take full responsibility. Tactically, I thought I got it wrong, I got it totally wrong today and I should have trusted what we do normally. I felt a different way we could have really caused them problems and it didn't and I accept responsibility for that. The first half performance wasn't enough.

"The first goal we feel is a foul on the edge of our half, and then they counter on us. We feel it's a foul, all other times in the game it's a foul.

"I reiterate, this isn't sour grapes or anything, we weren't good enough first half, Peterborough were excellent, they countered so, so well and they got their just desserts.

"Then we haven't defended well enough, we haven't won our headers, we haven't won the one-versus-one in our box, it's too easy. And then the third one the keeper lies down.

"As I said, I am accepting full responsibility for the tactical errors I made today, but we should have come in and been a lot closer to Peterborough, which would have given us a platform in the second half. Too many individual errors."

Hatters beaten after a horror first half

League One: Peterborough 3 Luton Town 1

Luton paid the price for a shocking first half as their search for a first victory of the season went on at Peterborough United this afternoon.

With just 36 minutes on the clock, the visitors' defence, which had looked so solid this term, had been breached three times, with Nathan Jones' side staring down the barrel of an even heavier defeat.

They managed to prevent it becoming embarrassing in the second period, pulling one back through Jack Stacey with 12 minutes to go, but despite having 21 shots, only six of them on target tells the story of what was a miserable afternoon.

Jones surprisingly opted to switch formations at the start, bringing in Sonny Bradley for his full league debut, with Jorge Grant dropping to the bench, the only change from the side that had drawn 1-1 with Sunderland, Danny Hylton recovering from his thigh strain to start.

Neither side created much of note early on, Hylton just failing to arrive on time to turn James Collins' cross in and Jason Cummings' free kick flying over the top.

Sheehan sent a set-piece of his own into the wall and behind for a corner with which he found Dan Potts' whose header was easy for Aaron Chapman.

Town then fell behind on 17 minutes when the home defence were caught out far too easily after giving the ball away upfield.

Matty Godden on the left picked out Cummings charging through the middle, who almost went down under Sheehan's challenge, before going over the legs of Marek Stech for a penalty that referee Graham Salisbury took an age to give.

Once he did though, Cummings got up to make no mistake, sending Stech the wrong way.

Before Town could fully recover, it was 2-0.

This time Siriki Dembele sped into the area and despite being caught by the sliding Alan McCormack, got up to his feet, to slam past Stech with Town's back-line having completely switched off.

Luton tried to respond, Hylton's audacious chip from 40 yards falling on to the roof of the net with Chapman looking nervously over his shoulder.

Jones brought Glen Rea on for McCormack, moving back to the diamond in an attempt to stem the Posh flow.

It initially had looked like the new system worked, Lee's shot deflected behind.

However, they were ruthlessly torn apart once more on 36 minutes, when from a corner that was cleared, Jack Stacey's misjudged his header, allowing Demble time and space on the flank.

He motored away, finding Cummings, who put it on this left and with Stech committing himself far too early, rolled into the bottom corner.

A hugely controversial moment with five minutes to go before the break saw the Hatters awarded a penalty when Lee tricked his way into the box and was brought down by an unnecessary lunging challenge from Colin Daniel.

It looked like he got some of the ball and then the Town attacker, but official Salisbury pointed to the spot nevertheless.

However, the referee had a word with his linesman and changed his decision, awarding Luton a corner instead, much to the fury of Town's players and management.

Stech had to parry Dembele's effort before Rea and Stacey fired straight at Chapman.

After the break, Luton brought on Andrew Shinnie for the out of sorts Matty Pearson and their efforts to mount a miraculous comeback didn't look on, Stech saving from Godden.

Town showed a flicker of life, Lee's effort over, but Town should have had one back on the hour mark when Lee's free kick hit the wall where it fell perfectly for Rea but on his left foot, he sliced wastefully wide from eight yards.

Still the chances kept coming, Potts heading Sheehan's floated free kick wide, while the visitors worked another excellent opportunity, Rea dragging off target from the edge of the box.

Lee headed Mpanzu's cross straight at Chapman, before he moved upfront alongside Hylton when Collins made way for Grant.

With 12 minutes to go, Luton finally had the slightest hope as a deep cross was met by Stacey at the back post and he volleyed through a crowd of players, the goal later being credited to Hylton, giving Town a lifeline.

Hylton almost made it an even more nervy final 10 minutes, as found by the clever feet of Lee, he scuffed the wrong side of the post.

Bradley then thumped a volley that Ryan Tafazolli somehow threw his body in the way of to divert for a corner as the Hatters just knew it wasn't going to be their day.

Posh: Aaron Chapman, Jason Naismith, Colin Daniel, Alex Woodyard (C), Ryan Tafazolli, Mark O'Hara (Louis Reed 77), Matt Godden (Ivan Toney 73), Siriki Dembele (George Cooper 83), Joe Ward, Rhys Bennett, Jason Cummings.

Subs not used: Mark Tyler, Callum Cooke, Josh Yorwerth, Marcus Maddison.

Hatters: Marek Stech, Matty Pearson (Andrew Shinnie 46), Alan Sheehan (C), Sonny Bradley, Jack Stacey, Alan McCormack (Glen Rea 30), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Elliot Lee, Dan Potts, James Collins (Jorge Grant 73), Danny Hylton.

Subs not used: James Shea, James Justin, Harry Cornick, Jake Jervis.

Booked: Potts 22, Tafazolli 54,. O'Hara 60.

Referee: Graham Salisbury.

Attendance: 8,016 (Luton 2,209).

Hylton** claiming his first League One goal at Posh**

Striker Danny Hylton is claiming his first ever goal in League One this afternoon during Luton’s 3-1 defeat at Peterborough United.

With 12 minutes remaining and the visitors trailing 3-0, it looked for everyone in the press box that Jack Stacey had volleyed in at the back post to give Town a lifeline.

However, Hylton, who has not scored at this level before during his career, told the press afterwards it had in fact come off him, saying: “Shinnie swung it over to the back stick, Stacey’s pulled it back or shot or whatever he’s done and it’s come off my left leg.

“I didn’t really know too much about it, it’s gone in the goal and I was surprised to see after the game, the goal’s given to Stacey.

"It's not about me, we’ve just lost the game, but my first goal in League One, so I’m definitely claiming it.

“Its been a long time coming, it's nice to get off the mark, so I'm just waiting for Stu (Hammonds, press and media manager) to contact Sky and get it changed."

**Jones takes full responsibility for Peterborough defeat **

The Town chief opted to change formation from the diamond that had served them so well against Portsmouth, Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion, swapping to a 3-5-2 system, with centre halves Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley and Alan Sheehan all included.

However, Jason Cummings scored twice, once from the penalty spot, and Sikiri Dembele also netted to make it 3-0 by the 36th minute.

Although Luton improved once switching back to the diamond afterwards, they only had Danny Hylton's late goal to show for their efforts as an honest Jones said: "Firstly, well done to Steve Evans' side in the first half.

“I thought tactically they were better than us, they outbattled us, they outworked us in the first half, caught us on counter attacks, which they have obviously prepared for, and a credit to them.

“So, I’m taking nothing away from that, but there was so much that was avoidable

"I am very disappointed with the result, I am very disappointed with our first half performance and I will take full responsibility.

“Tactically, I thought I got it wrong, I got it totally wrong today.

"I should have trusted what we do normally, but I felt a different way we could have really, really caused them problems and it didn't and I accept responsibility for that, but our first half performance wasn't good enough.

"The first goal we feel is a foul on the edge of our half, and then they counter on us. We feel that’s a foul, all other times in the game it's a foul.

"I reiterate, this isn't sour grapes in any kind of way, we weren't good enough first half, Peterborough were excellent, they countered so, so well and they got their just desserts.

"The first one was a definite foul, then we haven't defended well enough, we haven't won our headers, we got done one-v-one in our box, it's too easy.

"And then the third one my keeper lies down which he’s doing regularly lately.

"As I said, I am accepting full responsibility for the tactical errors I made today, but we still should have come in and been a lot closer to Peterborough, which would have given us a platform in the second half, but too many individual errors."