Shrewsbury Town vs Luton Town FC (2nd Feb 2019)

SHREWSBURY TOWN 0 LUTON TOWN 3

Collins double and another from Pearson sees the Town go six points clear

The Hatters moved six points clear at the top of Sky Bet League One with another thoroughly professional away performance this afternoon as James Collins bagged another double at former club Shrewsbury to take his tally to 18 goals for the season.

The leading goalscorer in the third tier tucked home from close range after half an hour, before Matty Pearson's cross beat everyone including goalkeeper Steve Arnold as he found the back of the net shortly after the restart.

Collins rounded off the scoring for the afternoon when he managed to get an effort away from close range with 69 minutes on the clock to ensure the Hatters' unbeaten run continued.

The Town were unchanged for the fourth game in a row as they looked to make it 18 matches without defeat.

That meant James Shea was in goal behind a back four of Jack Stacey, Pearson, Sonny Bradley and James Justin.

The midfield was made of Alan McCormack, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Andrew Shinnie and Luke Berry, with a front two of Kazenga LuaLua and Collins - who was returning to the club with whom he won two promotions from League Two, and to a stadium where he remains the record goalscorer.

New loan signings Jason Cummings and Alex Baptiste took their place on the substitutes' bench, alongside Danny Hylton on his return from a four-match suspension.

Shrewsbury made the brighter start and Shea had to field a Greg Docherty shot from distance, before Bradley and Pearson dealt well with deep crosses into the box from both flanks.

The Hatters grew into the game and started to dominate possession, without finding the killer pass into the box, but it was Docherty who had the next attempt on goal in the 21st minute, firing over the bar after Shea could only palm Fejiri Okenabirhie's shot back into the danger area and Stacey's half-clearance went straight to the midfielder 12 yards from goal.

Stoke loanee Tyrese Campbell, son of former Arsenal striker Kevin, went close with a cheeky backheel soon after, as Shrewsbury continued to make all the running.

The breakthrough came with the Hatters' first attempt on goal on the half-hour mark though, and inevitably it was Collins - with his 17th goal of the season - who was the executor.

Bradley, Justin and Mpanzu traded passes on the Town left, around halfway, waiting patiently for the opportunity for the full-back to set off on one of his trademark raids.

The ball was worked to McCormack, who crossed to the far post, where Berry had wandered into the box to lay a header back across goal for Collins to steer into the back of the net to the delight of the travelling fans behind that goal.

The Town started to control proceedings, and almost doubled the advantage on the stroke of half-time when LuaLua crossed from the left and almost picked Justin out as he raced towards the near post, but Shrews keeper Arnold stood up to keep the cross out.

The hosts started the second half as brightly as they did the first, but couldn't capitalise before Pearson netted the Hatters' second, somewhat fortuitously, but brilliantly nonetheless.

Justin's deep free-kick from the left beat everyone, but as Shrewsbury struggled to clear from the left-back position, Stacey fed Pearson on the touchline, and the centre-half's cross drifted over Arnold's head and inside the far post for his fifth goal of the season.

Shinnie might have sealed it in the 66th minute as LuaLua slipped him in to the left of the area, but the Scot's shot was straight at Arnold.

Three minutes later the killer strike did come, however, and it was Collins' second, digging his shot out from the edge of the six-yard box at the third attempt after LuaLua had teed him up, that did the damage.

Hylton came on for LuaLua, who had run himself into the ground once again, and almost scored with his first touch, Arnold saving well as the striker directed a header from Stacey's right-wing cross towards the bottom corner.

Justin soon forced Arnold into another flying save with a curling free-kick, with Shrewsbury limited to an Okenabirhie free-kick that flew high into the 1,334 Town fans behind the goal, before Luke Waterfall sent a close range effort the same way.

It had been a tougher afternoon than the final scoreline would suggest, but the Hatters' snowball continues to roll with the club record 19-game unbeaten run in the Football League now just one result away.

TOWN: Shea, Stacey, Pearson, Bradley (c), Justin, McCormack (Potts 78), Mpanzu, Shinnie, Berry (Moncur 83), Collins, LuaLua (Hylton 70). Subs: Baptiste, Cummings, Sheehan, Isted

Goals: Collins 30, 69, Pearson 53

Yellows: Mpanzu

SHREWSBURY: Arnold, Sadler (c), Docherty, Campbell (Payne 63), Okenabirhie, Bolton, Vincelot (Whalley 55), Waterfall, Golbourne, Norburn (Laurent 76), Grant. Subs: Mitchell (GK), Williams, Holloway, Sears.

Yellows: Grant, Docherty, Golbourne

REFEREE: Graham Salisbury

ATT: 6,859 (1,334 Hatters)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA4KXt30wz4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li6B5VIdejI

Collins at the double as Luton tame the Shrews

League One: Shrewsbury 0 Luton Town 3

Striker James Collins returned to haunt his former club Shrewsbury Town with two goals as the Hatters cemented their place at the top of the League One table this afternoon.

Collins, who had served the Shrews excellently twice earlier in his career, scored once in each half to take his tally to 18 for the season, and ensure Luton moved six points clear of Barnsley, who leapfrogged Portsmouth into second place by beating Scunthorpe.

The scoreline did flatter the Hatters, who were never at their best for the opening hour, but showed just why they are now 18 games unbeaten in the league, keeping things solid at the back, and then clinically taking their opportunities when they arose.

Town were unchanged for the clash, as deadline day signings Jason Cummings and Alex Baptiste both earned places on the bench.

Shrews, who had made five additions in the week, started on-loan forward Tyrese Campbell, signed from former boss Nathan Jones' Stoke City in the week.

Visiting keeper James Shea was called upon early, making a comfortable save to his left from Greg Docherty's 25-yarder.

Luton should have been trailing on 22 minutes though as Shea didn't deal with Fejiri Okenabirhie's cross-shot, Jack Stacey making a superb intervention to prevent Campbell scoring, with Docherty hammering the loose ball well over.

Okenabirhie's audacious backheel was then deflected goalwards, with Alan McCormack getting back to clear, as for the first time in a long while, Luton looked a touch shaky at the back.

Out of nothing though, Hatters had the lead, with their first effort on target.

Justin, who was Town's main threat in the first half, steamed forward on the left and found McCormack.

His clipped cross saw Luke Berry nod back to the unmarked James Collins who volleyed home from close range, choosing not to celebrate his 17th of the season against his old team.

Town could have doubled their advantage on the stroke of half time, Kazenga LuaLua going on the outside of his marker and sent over a cross that Justin of all people met on the volley but it hit the keeper and cannoned away.

After the break, Romain Vincelot took aim with a hopeful attempt from 20 yards that was again simple for Shea.

Luton had a second on 53 minutes, when Justin's free kick was headed out to the opposite touchline and the ball was recycled to Pearson.

He looked up and sent over a cross that flummoxed keeper Arnold, dropping into the corner of the net to give Luton real breathing space.

It was almost a carbon copy to the effort he had scored at Peterborough in the Checkatrade Trophy that was eventually given as an own goal, although this time, there was no such issue Pearson with a fifth of the campaign.

That was the cue for Luton to move through the gears, LuaLua bursting forward after good work by Berry. He raced away to find the overlapping Andrew Shinnie, whose effort was too close to Arnold when a ball to Jack Stacey might have been better.

Town were then comfortable on 59 minutes as LuaLua was the architect once more, picking out Collins and after first attempt was blocked, the second trickled in.

LuaLua was immediately replaced by Hylton who almost had a goal with his first touch, climbing highest to reach Stacey's cross, Arnold just about clawing away.

The home keeper then had to get across quickly to paw Justin's free kick behind as Town sniffed a fourth.

Shrewsbury's miserable afternoon was summed up late on, Okenabirhie hammering a free kick well over and then centre half Luke Waterfall skying into the stands during the final five minutes, Hatters comfortable seeing the game out.

Shrews: Steve Arnold, Mad Sadler ©, Greg Docherty, Tyrese Campbell (Stefan Payne 63), Fejiri Okenabirhie, James Bolton, Romaine Vincelot (Shaun Whalley 55) Luke Waterfall, Scott Golbourne, Ollie Norburn (Josh Laurent. 76), Anthony Grant.

Subs not used: Jonathan Mitchell, Ro-Shaun Williams, Aaron Holloway, Ryan Sears,

Hatters: James Shea, Jack Stacey, James Justin, Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley (C), Alan McCormack (Dan Potts 77), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Andrew Shinnie, Luke Berry (George Moncur 83), James Collins, Kazenga LuaLua (Danny Hylton 70).

Subs not used: Harry Isted, Alan Sheehan, Alex Baptiste, Jason Cummings.

Booked: Grant 55, Mpanzu 71, Docherty 72, Payne 73, Golbourne 77.

Referee: Graham Salisbury.

Attendance: 6,859 (1,334 Luton).

Harford**: We weren't at our best during Shrewsbury win**

Hatters interim boss Mick Harford admitted his side hadn’t been at their best during the 3-0 win at Shrewsbury Town this afternoon.

Although James Collins scored twice again his old side, Matty Pearson also on target to make it 18 league games unbeaten for Luton, who moved six points clear of third placed Portsmouth, Harford felt the performance didn't hit the heights of recent weeks.

He said: “The scoreline says it’s a convincing win, obviously we’re absolutely thrilled to keep a clean sheet.

“I thought it was a real, real professional performance on the back of a really hard January.

“We didn’t play at our best, they made it very difficult for us, they matched our shape, the pitch wasn’t in the best condition, but overall I thought it was a real professional performance from the players.

“They were excellent today in terms of second balls, winning their headers, and I think when the game settled down and we scored that second goal, we were in total control and thoroughly deserved to win the game.

“They put us under pressure, they matched us up, went man for man, we were pretty poor first half in terms of possession and switching the play to our full backs.

“But we went in 1-0 up and we were absolutely thrilled with that, (Luke) Berry’s headed the ball back to James and James has volleyed it in.

“They made it tough for us and we weren’t at our best second half.

"But I think when we got the second goal early on and again we didn’t start the second half particularly well, but that settled us down.

"We started playing some real good football on a really difficult surface, so overall it was a real good day for the club.”