Plymouth Argyle vs Luton Town FC (6th Aug 2016)

PUBLISHED 18:38 6th August 2016 Dream start for the Hatters down in Devon

PLYMOUTH 0 LUTON TOWN 3 (Hylton 50, Marriott 69, Smith 90+6)

Att: 9,761

Luton Town opened their Sky Bet League Two campaign with a stunning 3-0 win at last year’s beaten play-off finalists Plymouth Argyle this afternoon.

The Town overcame the loss of captain Alan Sheehan moments before kick-off with a calf injury, and the late dismissal for a second yellow card of Dan Potts – when the score was already 2-0 – to beat a highly-rated Argyle side with goals from the Hatters hotel chain forwards, Danny Hylton and Jack Marriott, and an injury-time third from substitute Jonathan Smith.

Ahead of what panned out to be the perfect away afternoon, Jones had selected a side that included four debutants and seven players who started the last game of last season against Exeter.

Christian Walton was returning to his first club to make his competitive debut in goal on loan from Brighton, with Stephen O’Donnell, summer signing from Oxford Johnny Mullins, captain Alan Sheehan and Potts due to be in front of him.

Glen Rea was in the midfield holding role with Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and Jordan Cook, who joined from Walsall, playing off him and Cameron McGeehan at the tip of the diamond.

The other recruit from Oxford, Hylton, led the line with Marriott, who scored the winner on the Town’s last visit to Home Park in March.

There was a change in the seconds before kick-off, however, when Sheehan was injured and Cuthbert was summoned from the bench to replace him. The Scot took the armband and went straight for the coin toss, as the Town players were left with little time to regroup.

For the first ten minutes, as you’d expect, the hosts tried to take advantage. To Cuthbert and his colleagues’ credit, the Town defended doggedly, producing several blocks and clearances that limited Argyle to a couple of corners, but no clear chances.

The best of them, it turned out, belonged to Luton. Showing patience to wait for their chance to grab a period of possession, the Hatters had three good opportunities in the space of five minutes.

First, on 29 minutes, Rea met Cook’s left-wing corner but couldn’t keep his header down.

David Goodwillie sent an over-head-kick narrowly wide at the other end on the half-hour, but a minute later Cook, O'Donnell and Mpanzu combined down the right and the latter cut the ball back for Marriott, but his stabbed effort hit Yann Songo'o and looped into the keeper's grateful arms.

In the 34th minute, Cook’s initial free-kick from the left was cleared, but only back to his feet. The 26-year-old went past his man and clipped a lovely ball to the far post, but Mullins’ header was too high.

Carey sent a 25-yard free-kick narrowly wide for the hosts, then a minute before half-time, Hylton went close with a curling effort set up by excellent run from Cook.

The former Oxford man didn’t have to wait long for his first goal. He had already set Marriott in the clear in the first few seconds of the half, but with 50 minutes gone, he held the ball up superbly to bring right-back O'Donnell into play.

The Scottish full-back’s cross looked perfect for Marriott, but the Hatters striker couldn't connect properly. It wasn’t a problem. The ball hit a defender and bounced back into the path of Hylton, who lashed in from six yards out.

Cook was having an excellent game and he soon hit one over, then Goodwillie sent a free-kick over for Argyle after Mpanzu went into the book for a foul.

McGeehan was keen to try his luck from fully 30 yards, but the midfielder’s effort was too high, but on 69 minutes the Hatters were two goals to the good – and this time it was the other half of the Hatters hotel chain.

McGeehan set the former Ipswich man clear and he was into the box like a shot, sending his unerring left foot effort low past McCormick and into the bottom corner.

There was still some defending to be done by the Hatters, but Cuthbert, Mullins and Co were obdurate in their duties, and when Argyle did look like breaching the defensive line, Walton was off his line in a flash to smother at Jimmy Spencer’s feet in the 74th minute.

The Hatters were in control, however, and always looked as if there was another goal in the locker.

Cuthbert had turned in a real captain’s performance and headed balls clear for fun all afternoon. In the opposite six-yard box, however, he produced another towering header with seven minutes to go, but this one from Cook’s corner found McCormick’s gloves.

Potts was dismissed in the 89th minute after collecting a second yellow card after an incident on the far side of the pitch with the hosts’ sub Jordan Slew, and when six minutes of time added on were indicated, you thought the Hatters might have a fraught finale.

Not so. Smith, who had only come on a minute before the sending off, replacing the excellent Cook, burst down the right in support of Hylton, who rather than run the ball into the corner, had cleverly held it up once again.

The striker slipped Smith into the box and although his shot wasn’t the most powerful the Town’s longest serving player has ever hit, it went under McCormick and into the gaping net to send the 1,000-plus travelling Hatters behind that goal into dreamland.

TOWN: Walton, O’Donnell, Mullins, Cuthbert, Potts; Rea, Mpanzu (Gray 90+7), McGeehan, Cook (Smith 88); Hylton, Marriott (Lee 90+2). Subs: Gray, Vassell, McQuoid, King (GK)

Yellow cards: Hylton, Mpanzu, Potts, McGeehan

Red card: Potts

PLYMOUTH: McCormick, Miller, Songo’o, Bradley, Sawyer, Ijaha (Jervis 64), Carey, Threlkeld, Donaldson (Fox 76), Spencer, Goodwillie (Slew 76). Subs: Smith, Purrington, Rooney, Dorel (GK)

Yellows: Miller

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hrkxMyV7Tw

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/gallery-plymouth-0-luton-3-3229856.aspx

Jones hails opening day win as dreamlike

Hatters boss Nathan Jones saluted his team for making the opening day of the season “a dream come true” in Devon.

The Town won 3-0 at Plymouth with a debut goal from Danny Hylton, a second from Jack Marriott and a late third from Jonathan Smith after overcoming the loss of Alan Sheehan to injury moments before kick-off.

Jones said: “It was a fantastic victory – a dream come true really, as you can imagine, us coming away on the opening day of the season and winning 3-0 at one of our promotion rivals. I’m so pleased for everyone.

“We had to contend with a few little hiccups early on. We defended well, and to be fair to Plymouth, they came right out of the blocks. But I thought it was an excellent away performance.”

Sheehan pulled up in between the pre-match Respect handshake and going for the captains’ coin toss with the match officials.

Regular skipper Scott Cuthbert stepped straight off the bench to replace him alongside Johnny Mullins and the pair formed a formidable barrier to the early Plymouth attacks.

Jones explained: “Alan was struggling with his calf but we felt it was a little bit of a kick from training the other day. Just as he came out he felt a tweak and couldn’t risk it. But that’s the quality we have, in that we can have a replacement come in like Scotty Cuthbert. He was absolutely immense.”

League Two: Plymouth Argyle 0 Luton Town 3

A supreme away performance saw Luton begin the League Two season in truly magnificent style with an emphatic 3-0 win at Plymouth Argyle this afternoon.

Boss Nathan Jones had been targeting a fast start to the campaign and boy did he get just that, as second half goals from Danny Hylton, Jack Marriott and Jonathan Smith, propelled Hatters to the top of the table.

After weathering an early burst, the style and at times sheer dominance that Luton displayed, will have pleased the manager no end either, as his side were thoroughly deserving of their triumph.

Hatters had seen their pre-game plans disrupted prior to kick-off due to an injury to skipper Alan Sheehan, who walked to the side-lines, clearly grimacing, with what was later diagnosed as a calf injury, replaced by Scott Cuthbert, whose first job was to don the captain’s armband for the coin toss.

The opening was fast and furious with Argyle definitely claiming the early ascendancy, working a number of decent opening outside of the area, through Graham Carey and the exuberance of debutante David Ijaha, but couldn’t send anything serious at Christian Walton’s goal.

Whether shaken by the early alteration to their side, Luton, who had given debuts to Walton, Hylton, Johnny Mullins and Jordan Cook, took a good 10 minutes to really regain their composure, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu collecting Stephen O’Donnell’s ball to win a corner, while a quick break saw Hylton fail to pick out Cameron McGeehan.

Hylton was walking something of a disciplinary tightrope from 25 minutes in, booked for leaving his foot in, as Hatters had a marvellous chance soon after, an unmarked Glen Rea putting his header over by a country mile.

That led to the game opening up, with David Goodwillie’s acrobatic volley flying wide, before Mpanzu was found by Cook, and his cross reached Jack Marriott whose toe-poke goalwards flicked off Yann Songo’o and into Luke McCormick’s grateful gloves.

Mullins put a header over from Cook’s delivery, while he was then back in his rightful position to block a home attack behind for a corner.

Argyle’s efforts were mainly from range, Carey narrowly wide from a free kick, while Town’s summer addition Cook, who impressed all afternoon when running with the ball at the opposition, did so again, finding Hylton whose first time curler didn’t quite have the bend required.

Once into the game, Hatters impressed, particularly on the break, and they did so immediately after the interval, with Hylton sending Marriott scampering away, whose low attempt was parried by McCormick.

Walton was then called into action as well, using his legs well to repel Goodwillie’s low drive, before the deadlock was broken on 50 minutes.

It came about through some classic hold-up play from Hylton, who once again showed his strength to find the waiting Stephen O’Donnell.

His wonderful cross from the right was missed by Marriott but rebounded to Hylton who slammed his first goal for the club past McCormick.

Hatters kept Argyle at arms length from then on to deny their hosts any real opportunities of pegging them back, with both centre halves magnificent in repelling anything that came their way.

Carey put another ambitious free kick over, although it was Town whom despite their advantage, never attempted to kill the game, as they showed a refreshing will to score again, McGeehan opting to go from distance when others were better placed.

However, he was the architect of Hatters’ second on 69 minutes, sending last year’s top scorer Marriott clear, as he easily had the pace to sprint away from Songo’o and then calmly beat McCormick.

Walton had to be alert as Jimmy Spencer raced through to Carey’s lofted pass, but couldn’t dink his effort over the onrushing keeper, who controlled his area impressively, keeping a richly deserved clean sheet.

Cuthbert almost topped his sterling show with the third only prevented by McCormick’s reflexes, before the only slight blot on Luton’s copybook saw full back Dan Potts harshly dismissed late on for his second bookable offence.

However, there was still time for a third and it arrived when rather than opt to run down time in the corner, Hylton, who showed just why Jones was so keen to sign him this term, decided to head for goal.

It was vindicated entirely as late sub Jonathan Smith’s angled drive squirmed under the dive of McCormick to send Luton to the top of the tree and complete the perfect afternoon.

Argyle: Luke McCormick (C), Gary Miller, Gary Sawyer, Yann Songo’o, David Goodwillie (Jordan Slew 75), Jimmy Spencer, Graham Carey, Ryan Donaldson (David Fox 75), Sonny Bradley, Oscar Threkeld, David Ijaha (Jake Jervis 65).

Subs: Connor Smith, Ben Purrington, Louis Rooney, Vincent Dorel.

Hatters: Christian Walton, Stephen O’Donnell, Dan Potts, Johnny Mullins, Scott Cuthbert , Glen Rea, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (Jake Gray 90), Jordan Cook (Jonathan Smith 88), Cameron McGeehan, Danny Hylton, Jack Marriott (Olly Lee 90).

Subs not used: Craig King, Isaac Vassell, Josh McQuoid, James Justin.

Bookings: Hylton 25, Miller 46, Mpanzu 56, Potts 69.

Red cards: Potts 90.

Attendance: 9,761 (1,094 Hatters).

Hatters boss Nathan Jones admitted that his side’s terrific 3-0 win at Plymouth Argyle on the opening day of the season yesterday left him feeling slightly ‘euphoric’.

Town had taken five league games to put their first win on the board last season, but were up and running immediately, hitting the top of the table thanks to a wonderful performance at Home Park, particularly second half, as goals from Danny Hylton, Jack Marriott and Jonathan Smith blew away the Pilgrims.

Jones said: “We’re very pleased to have got the result and I’m very proud, probably a little bit euphoric if I’m honest, because I didn’t envisage that.

“I wanted to start well, I know last year they didn’t start well and didn’t win in five, so we’ve put that to bed and now we have to build on that.

“I thought we were excellent a real top class away performance and I’m proud of them, I’m a proud manager.

“It’s a very good away performance and we’re pleased, very pleased with that, because we could have come here and not settled for a draw, but a draw’s a good result here.

“But we came here last year and won last year, similar type of performance but with a little bit more cutting edge this year and that’s why we’ve won three and we’re pleased.”

Hatters didn’t have it all their own way though, having to weather an early 15 minute storm from the hosts, which Jones knew was vital, as he continued: “They started really well, credit to them, they came out of the blocks, and it was key that we didn’t concede.

“If we weren’t at it and didn’t defend well enough then we could have been a different game, but we did, we showed a resilience there and to come away from home you kind of expect that.

“We want to impose ourselves on teams but it isn’t always possible because of the opposition and they’re a good side, they will be up there, they’ve recruited well and got real good players,

“But we weathered that storm and then we were the better side, I have no doubt about it.

“We had chances first half, Glen (Rea) had a great opportunity with the header and we had other opportunities to score.

“Then second half, I thought it was outstanding, to score three away from home is a dream.

“We weren’t really fluent, but we showed we have other facets to us and it should have been more, we had other chances to go on, I’m not speaking after the fact.

“We had the better chances, clear-cut chances and from start to finish they were outstanding.

“The work-rate, the desire to do well was superb and that’s what I’m proud of.

However, with just the one game gone, Jones wasn’t getting carried away, adding: “Our intentions haven’t changed since I took over in January, so no, it doesn’t change anything.

“There’s always results like this on the first day that don’t tell true stories and so on and so forth, so it’s a result and a good result away from home, an excellent away performance.

“But we’re not getting carried away, Plymouth are a good side, they won’t not be there, it’s not the end of Plymouth’s season for example.

“It’s just pleasing, a difficult fixture, when the fixtures came out, I had millions of texts saying difficult start for you and it is, but we wanted the result and we’re pleased we got it.”

Plymouth Argyle 0 Luton Town 3

You can keep your surname-based hotel jokes to yourself but Danny Hylton, Jack Marriott and Luton Town are up and running. Three away goals and top of League Two – season openers don't come much better than this.

Plymouth Argyle has been a happy hunting ground for the Hatters' last two campaigns – 1-0 victories in each – but this was better than both of those combined; packed full of promise, purpose and penetration.

But for a shaky start – a cage-rattling opening ten minutes after captain Alan Sheehan injured his calf seconds before kick-off, to be replaced by Scott Cuthbert – Nathan Jones' new-look side were imperious against a Pilgrims side expected to match Luton as promotion challengers.

"I'm a really proud manager," said the Town boss, adding: "We were the better side, have no doubt about it. We had the better chances, we had clear-cut chances and, from start to finish, they were outstanding.

"The work-rate, the desire to do well, the desire to defend, was superb and that's what I'm proud of. We weren't fluent but we showed we have other facets to us. It should have been more. I'm not speaking after the fact but I thought we were excellent – a real top-class away performance."

Chief architect of that was Hylton, who bullied and harassed the hosts and gave the Hatters an anchor point to steady themselves and then take charge.

The striker opened his account on 50 minutes, which was no more than he deserved, and it was celebrated in song – "super Danny Hylton" – from 1,094 rapturous Town fans, sat right in front his thumping volley. Instant adoration.

Then Marriott doubled lead on 69 minutes with pace and a finish of unerring confidence. He's a man that loves Home Park, after his winner here last term.

So comfortable were Luton that, not only did they survive an additional six minutes, minus Dan Potts – sent off harshly in the 89th minute for a second bookable offence – they went on to notch a third.

Jonathan Smith had only been introduced as an 88th minute substitute when he squirmed the ball beneath Argyle keeper Luke McCormick. The man who teed him up? Hylton. A clear man-of-the-match among a group of players, none of whom were marked below an eight out of ten.

The former Oxford hitman was one of four Town debutants in a starting 11 with an average age of 24 years while, the Pilgrims handed seven players their bows.

The hosts looked a good outfit for ten minutes after the pre-kick-off Sheehan drama, but though Luton bent, they didn't break. And, once they settled into a rhythm, the groove stuck.

If anything, as Jones assessed, they should have won by a greater margin as Glen Rea and Johnny Mullins both headed headed high and wide in a goalless first half and Marriott was thwarted by McCormick in the second.

An off-target David Goodwillie overhead kick Graham Carey free-kick was all the hosts had to show for their first 45 minutes.

Luton upped the ante after the interval and, five minutes later, Town took a deserved lead. Marriott should have connected with Stephen O'Donnell's cross, but his loss was Hylton's gain and as the frontman pounced on the loose ball to open his Hatters account.

Not to be outdone, Marriott clinically finished off a Cameron McGeehan through-ball, turning on the afterburners and caressing past McCormick.

After Argyle striker Jimmy Spencer squandered a chance to half the deficit, Luton made them pay even more.

First Cuthbert – magnificent after his last-second call-up – almost added a third and, though Potts got his marching orders, Smith did score, rounding off a stunning first day of the season.

May they all be like this.

Plymouth Argyle: McCormick, Miller, Sawyer, Songo'o, Goodwillie ( Slew, 76), Spencer, Carey, Donaldson (Fox, 76), Bradley, Threlkeld, Ijaha (Jervis, 65)

Unused subs: Smith, Purrington, Rooney, Dorel,

Luton Town: Walton, O'Donnell, Potts, Mullins, McGeehan, Hylton, Cook (Smith, 88), Marriott (Lee, 90+3), Rea, Mpanzu (Gray, 90+7), Cuthbert

Unused subs: McQuoid, Vassell, King, Justin

Referee: Lee Collins

Attendance: 9,761 (1,094)