Wycombe Wanderers vs Luton Town FC (21st Jan 2017)

PUBLISHED 18:45 21st January 2017 Ten-man Hatters held by Chairboys

WYCOMBE WANDERERS 1 (Akinfenwa 82)

LUTON TOWN 1 (Cuthbert 57)

Att: 5,387 (1,800)

The Hatters brought a hard-earned point back from this afternoon’s fifth versus sixth clash with Wycombe at Adams Park, after playing the last quarter-of-an-hour with ten men following centre-half Johnny Mullins was sent off.

Nathan Jones’ boys were leading 1-0 at the time through Scott Cuthbert’s 57th minute header – the skipper’s first goal for the club – but Wycombe striker Adebayo Akinfenwa levelled within seven minutes of Mullins’ straight red for a foul on Chairboys’ substitute Scott Kashket.

Jones made three changes to his team from last week’s win at Crewe. One was enforced, with Jack Senior coming in at left-back for his first EFL start after making his debut as a second-half substitute after Alan Sheehan had been sent off in last week’s win at Crewe.

Coming into midfield in place of Lawson D’Ath and Jordan Cook are Jonathan Smith and new signing Luke Gambin, who makes his Town debut following his switch from Barnet last Monday.

The Hatters started brightly, Smith slipping Hylton in behind the home defence in the second minute, but the stop scorer’s touch around keeper Jamal Blackman took him too wide and he could only find the side netting from the tightest of angles.

Wycombe’s first chance came on 11 minutes, but Akinfenwa’s deft touch on Sam Wood’s volley only diverted the ball straight at Christian Walton in the Town goal.

Gambin was looking lively at the tip of the midfield diamond and it was from his left-wing cross that Blackman spilled the ball behind for the corner that led to the next opportunity. Jake Gray’s delivery found Hylton, but Chairboys left-back Joe Jacobson was on the post to hack his glancing header clear.

It was end-to-end and although Cuthbert had won every header against Akinfenwa to that point, when James Justin was penalised for a foul on Paris Cowan-Hall to the left of the Hatters’ box, the Wycombe target man got his head on Jacobson’s free-kick, though his effort flew wide.

A minute later Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu harshly went into referee Mark Heywood’s book for what didn’t even look a foul on Jacobson right on the edge of the area. Thankfully Luke O’Nien’s free-kick flew safely over Walton’s bar.

Just before the half-hour Senior and Marriott combined to tee Mpanzu up for a 25-yard piledriver, but home centre-half Aaron Pierre blocked bravely, then Marriott looked to put Gray into the Chairboys’ box, only for Blackman to race quickly off his line to smother.

Smith soon joined Mpanzu in Heywood’s notepad for simulation as the Hatters appealed for a penalty, then – on 35 minutes – Marriott raced onto a fine lay-off on halfway from Hylton, and although his rising drive beat Blackman, it clipped the crossbar on its way into the home fans behind the goal.

Wycombe defender Pierre was next to be shown a yellow card for going through the back of Hylton as he popped another lovely lay-off for Gray as the Hatters broke down the left, only ending when the former Wanderers schoolboy looked to have been brought down in the box, only for Heywood to point give a goal-kick before dealing retrospectively with Pierre.

As an action-packed half drew to a close, Hylton picked up his tenth yellow card of the season – meaning he’ll miss the next two games – for a soft foul on Jacobson, before Gambin’s shot was deflected into Marriott’s path, only for the striker to drag his effort wide.

As in the first half, the Hatters started on the front foot and after Justin made good progress down the right, the ball was worked across the box to Gray, who tricked his way past Sido Jombati and pulled the trigger, but his effort smacked team-mate Smith full in the face.

Akinfenwa used his strength to create space on the edge of the box as Wycombe pumped another high-ball towards the Town goal, but the ex-AFC Wimbledon forward’s volley was too high.

A dangerous low cross from Hylton on the left was gathered in his six-yard box by Blackman, then Gambin tricked his way to the right byline and stood one up to the far post towards Hylton, but Wycombe looked to have cleared.

Some excellent pressing on the byline to the left corner flag by Mpanzu, however, forced O’Nien into conceding the corner that led to the Hatters’ breakthrough in the 57th minute.

Much has been made of the Town’s lack of goals from set-pieces, but captain Cuthbert stole a yard on his marker and met Gray’s left-wing corner with a firm header into the hosts’ net. The Scot wouldn’t have been too bothered by the yellow card that followed for celebrating his first goal for the club with the 1,800 travelling Hatters behind the goal!

On 65 minutes, Mpanzu’s deflected shot from 18 yards looked to cause Blackman further problems, then the home keeper had to save low at his near post as Marriott looked to get on the end of another low cross from Hylton.

Wycombe sub Scott Kashket came within a couple of inches of levelling with a rasping shot, seconds after the Hatters made a double substitution in the 73rd minute, Hylton leaving the pitch to a standing ovation from the Town fans, replaced by Isaac Vassell, and Glen Rea coming on for Gray.

With quarter of an hour to go, the Town were reduced to ten men for the third time in four matches when Mullins was shown a straight red card for a foul on Kashket.

Weathering the inevitable storm of high-balls that followed, the Hatters were the next to threaten when a lovely move down the left saw Gambin play Vassell into the Wycombe area, but the ex-Truro forward’s shot flashed across the face of goal.

Wycombe drew level in the 82nd minute though when Jacobson sent a deep left-wing cross into the Town box and Akinfenwa directed a powerful header beyond Walton.

The England Under-21 keeper was at full stretch again in the 86th minute when Kashket drilled a low 20-yard shot just wide, then ditto in the last minute when the Wanderers top scorer cut in from the right and flashed a left-footer narrowly wide of the far post.

After looking comfortable with 11 men, Jones was understandably disappointed not to take all three points – but in the circumstances, saw it as another big one gained.

TOWN: Walton, Justin, Cuthbert, Mullins, Senior, Mpanzu, Smith, Gray (Rea 72), Gambin, Hylton (Vassell 72), Marriott (O’Donnell 88). Subs: Cook, Mackail-Smith, D’Ath, King (GK)

Yellows: Mpanzu, Smith, Hylton, Cuthbert, Gambin

Reds: Mullins

WYCOMBE: Blackman, Jombati, Stewart, Pierre, Jacobson, O’Nien, Gape, Wood, Cowan-Hall (Kashket 66), Hayes (Saunders 66), Akinfenwa. Subs: Richardson (GK), Thompson, Bean, Weston, De Havilland.

Yellows: Pierre, O’Nien, Stewart

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/luton-town-football-league-two-wycombe-wanderers-3531483.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BTK2LKfp58

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejzsalk9aM0

League Two: Wycombe Wanderers 1 Luton Town 1

Luton Town were left to rue another meeting with controversial referee Mark Heywood as they were held to a 1-1 draw at fellow promotion chasers Wycombe Wanderers this afternoon.

The official, whose last handling of a Hatters match, saw him fail to control Carlisle United's awful time-wasting at Kenilworth Road back in December, plus sending off Michael Raynes, only to have the decision rescinded on appeal, took centre stage once more.

He quickly lost control of what was a blood and guts affair, showing eight yellow cards, taking his tally to 112 in just 24 matches this term, while with 15 minutes to go, he changed the course of the match.

Luton, who were leading through Scott Cuthbert's first goal for the club, weren't coasting as such, but looked in full control of the destination of the three points, until Johnny Mullins was shown a straight red by for fouling livewire sub Scott Kashket.

The dismissal was Hatters' third in three games, and immediately put Luton under the cosh, as a direct Wycombe side, pumped the ball forward with even greater velocity than they had done, Town unable to hold out, Adebayo Akinfenwa heading home from where Mullins would have been to earn the Chairboys a share of the spoils and stretch their unbeaten run to 15 games.

With striker Danny Hylton also getting his 10th booking of the campaign earlier, it means that Hatters will now be without the summer signings from Oxford when Cambridge and Cheltenham both visit Kenilworth Road in the league.

A hugely entertaining spectacle between two sides with completely different approaches, Luton neat and penetrating, Wanderers' route one to Akinfenwa at every single opportunity, saw Hatters hand an immediate debut to new signing Luke Gambin, while Jack Senior was in for his full Football League debut, with Jonathan Smith recalled too.

The visitors went close inside three minutes, Smith slipping in Hylton, whose first touch took him round keeper Jamal Blackman, but too wide of goal, as he could only find the side-netting.

Wycombe's only effort of note saw Akinfenwa deflect Sam Wood's volley goalwards on 12 minutes, with Christian Walton adjusting his feel well to collect.

Luton then almost ended their long-running search for a goal from a corner, Hylton getting a toe to Jake Gray's delivery, beating Blackman, but not the perfectly positioned Wood, who cleared off the line.

Akinfenwa then got the better of Cuthbert for the first time only to see his header from Joe Jacobsen's free kick miss the bottom corner, with Luke O'Nien curling over the bar too after Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu was cautioned a foul just outside the area.

Hatters thought they had won a penalty on 32 minutes, when Smith went over inside the box, but despite whistling immediately, Heywood booked the Town midfielder for what he alleged was a dive.

Marriott was inches away from putting the visitors in front moments later, speeding on to Hylton's tremendous through ball, and fizzed in a cracking strike that skimmed the top of the bar on its way over.

Heywood was quickly making himself the main attraction, only booking Aaron Pierre for a blatant off the ball body check on Hylton, with Town's leading scorer seeing the yellow that the Wanderers defence had been targeting all afternoon, and Heywood was clearly desperate to show him, for a needless push on Jacobsen.

Marriott had another decent chance before half time, wriggling free to drag wide, while in the second period, Akinfenwa, who had been superbly marshalled by Cuthbert throughout, sent an effort over.

Luton then broke the deadlock from a corner of all things, as after going 48 games without scoring from such a set-piece, at their 151st attempt this season, captain Cuthbert rectified that, getting the run on his markers to meet Gray's delivery and nod beyond Blackman.

It was the centre half's first goal since when at Orient in November 2014, as it sent the away end into raptures, with the pumped up captain earning a booking for his troubles too.

Hylton was then left on a knife-edge after his final talking to from Heywood, leaving boss Nathan Jones with no option but to bring on Isaac Vassell in his place.

Mpanzu's low shot was well handed by Blackman, the keeper also collecting Gray's free kick smartly ahead of the lurking Hylton, while he got a crucial deflection to Hylton's low cross as Marriott was ready to pounce.

Wanderers threw leading scorer Scott Kashket on and it looked like replacement had levelled, swivelling and shooting left footed, but with Walton at full stretch, it flew just wide.

However, with 15 minutes to go, Mullins was dismissed, the crestfallen defender trudging down the tunnel knowing the magnitude of the decision.

As at Crewe last weekend, Luton kept two up front, and with Vassell on, still had the threat on the break, as he burst on to Smith's pass, but couldn't hit the target from 10 yards.

Akinfenwa headed at Walton, before the striker did break Town's resistance on 82 minutes, when Jacobsen swung in a perfect cross from the left and Akinfenwa was left unmarked to direct a wonderful header into the top corner.

Luton were then left holding on for a point in the closing stages, Kashket whistling two efforts perilously close to a winner which would have been a complete injustice on the harshly done by Hatters, who will be hoping that's the last they see of Heywood for a long, long time.

Wanderers: Jamal Blackman, Sido Jombati, Joe Jacobsen, Anthony Stewart, Aaron Pierre, Dominic Gape, Luke O'Nien, Sam Wood, Paris Cowan-Hall (Scott Kashket 66), Paul Hayes (C Sam Saunders 66), Adebayo Akinfenwa.

Subs not used: Barry Richardson, Garry Thompson, Marcus Bean, Myles Weston, Will De Havilland.

Hatters: Christian Walton, James Justin, Scott Cuthbert, Johnny Mullins, Jack Senior, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Jonathan Smith, Jake Gray (Gle Rean 72), Luke Gambin, Danny Hylton (Isaac Vassell 72), Jack Marriott (Stephen O'Donnell 88).

Subs not used: Craig King, Craig Mackail-Smith, Lawson D'Ath, Jordan Cook.

Attendance: 5,387 (Luton 1,800).

Booked: Mpanzu 25, Smith 32, Pierre 37, Hylton 42, Cuthbert 56, O'Nien 65, Stewart 70, Gambin 87.

Sent off: Mullins 75.

Referee: Mark Heywood.

Hatters MOM: Scott Cuthbert. Tower of strength against Akinfenwa and a first goal as well.

J****ones: We were by far the better side against Wycombe

Luton chief Nathan Jones felt his team were ‘by far the better side’ during yesterday’s 1-1 draw with fellow promotion hopeful Wycombe Wanderers.

The Hatters came within eight minutes of inflicting a first league defeat on the Chairboys since October, only for Adebayo Akinfenwa to head home, taking advantage of Johnny Mullins’ red card with a quarter of an hour to go.

However, Jones was full of praise for the visitors display, as he said: “I thought we were excellent, I really did.

“We came here, we were by far the better side, apart from lumping it up to Akinfenwa they had no threat whatsoever, but we had a real structure about us.

“We should have killed them off, Jack Marriott had a great chance that would have won the game for us and I’m proud of us because they stood up to that physical threat, a predictable physical threat, but it’s a threat.

“We were excellent, when we got to grips with it, moved it, we got in a few times, and should have won the game today.”

Wanderers were one of the most, if not the most, direct side that Hatters have come up against this term, as with Akinfenwa upfront, they went long to the charismatic striker from virtually the first whistle.

Jones knew it was a tactic that his side would have to face, as he continued: “We were more of a threat than them all throughout the game, and I’m pleased with how we played.

“We could have come here and I could have picked a side and gone, let’s go and battle them out, and we’ve got players who can do that.

“I could have picked Glen Rea, could have picked extra ones, just to go and battle it out.

“I didn’t. I picked a side, they’re going to show a lot of braun, let’s show a bit of guile and I felt we did that.

“We deserved to win that game, we stood up to it, Scott Cuthbert was immense, absolutely immense, but then we had a cutting edge about us, we got in, Luke Gambin was a real threat as well, I’m proud of them. In hindsight it’s a good point, but I’m gutted we didn’t get three.”

Town’s boss felt the sending off of Mullins for a rash lunge on Scott Kashket changed the course of the game too, plus having to withdraw striker Danny Hylton as well on 72 minutes.

Hee said: “Undoubtedly. We were comfortable, in control of the game, created the best chances, we had far more possession, had way more cutting edge than them.

“Up until the sending off we were dominating the game, no problem whatsoever. There was no threat from them, we handled everything they threw at us, which was predictable.

“We had to make changes, had to bring Danny Hylton off as he was getting absolutely no protection from anyone out there today.

“There must have been a sniper somewhere as they were going down very, very easily and that was affecting all the decisions and the crowd and so on.

“So I had to make those changes, but it’s a good point as they’re a good side, in good form, and will win a lot of games here. But we showed what an excellent side we were, not a good side, but an excellent side.”

Despite being down to 10 men, Luton still may have on it through sub Isaac Vassell, as Jones added: “We had the better chances even with 10 men, Isaac’s had a great chance and fluffed his shot, a bit more clinical edge and he scores.

“Now we have to turn all these things and start killing teams off. We have to start going on runs now and start punishing people as then we’ll be where we think we should be.”

Jones left fuming by standard of refereeing during Chairboys draw

Hatters boss Nathan Jones was left seething with the display of referee Mark Heywood during today’s 1-1 draw with Wycombe Wanderers.

The official, who had also been heavily criticised for his handling of Luton's 1-1 draw with Carlisle in December, had yet another poor afternoon, showing eight bookings and sending off Town's Johnny Mullins with 15 minutes to go.

A visibly frustrated Jones had to choose his words carefully when speaking to the press afterwards, as he said: “I can’t comment about the referee, but my marks for the referee will say absolutely everything about him.

“I’ll be very surprised it if goes into double figures out of 100.

“The officials, I don’t know what I can say or how far I can go to not get pulled up in front of the FA, but let me tell you now, someone needs to look at that performance, because it was way, way short of what we would expect at our level.

“I’m going to see the referee because that’s not acceptable. The performance I saw today from a referee, I thought didn’t manage the game well.

“The intimidating tactics they showed, he didn’t control that in any way and it was just not for me that.”

On the decision to send Mullins off, his second red card of the season, Luton's third in three games and eighth overall this term, Jones continued: “I’m going to have to see that again because I haven’t seen it yet, so I can’t comment on whether it was a right or wrong one.

“But the linesman on that side gave it, so if I’m honest, it was probably the wrong decision, because the afternoon he’s had, I’d be very surprised if he got one right.

“We seem to be getting a lot of red cards lately which we have to brush up on as if we don’t, it’s going to cost us.”

Meanwhile, striker Danny Hylton picked up his 10th booking of the season in the first half and like Mullins, will miss Luton’s next two matches against Cambridge and Cheltenham at Kenilworth Road.

He was withdrawn by Jones on 72 minutes for fear of being shown a red card, as the manager continued: “I had to bring Danny off as he was getting absolutely no protection from the referee whatsoever.

“He didn’t understand anything about the game and then the linesman on this side, I tell you what, I don’t know why he’s come.

“I don’t know what he was doing here, he might as well sleep with that flag tonight.

“It’s disappointing as it’s a good five or six bookings he’s picked up justifiably, the others I think are just reputation.

“Some of the things that went on, they were trying to get him booked, I was disappointed, really with a lot of what Wycombe were doing today.

“They’re a real strong side, an intimidating side, but they didn’t bully us and I’m pleased with that.

“We showed we had a real strength about us, a lot of good leaders out there and I thought we were excellent in possession, I really did.”

Jones also felt that skipper Scott Cuthbert, who netted his first goal for the club, wasn’t given any help from the officials during his excellent battle with larger than life Chairboys forward Adebayo Akinfenwa.

He added: “We know the threat and he got no protection from the referee.

“The referee doesn’t see because he doesn’t know, he should, but he doesn’t. I thought he was excellent, but he’s our captain and he leads well, he was brilliant.”

Hatters boss relieved to see his side finally score from a corner

Hatters boss Nathan Jones was delighted to see his side finally end their long wait to score a goal from a corner kick against Wycombe Wanderers yesterday.

Town hadn’t netted from such a set-piece since the 3-2 win at York City in February 2016 when Cameron McGeehan nodded home Danny Green’s delivery, some 48 games prior to taking the field at the Causeway Stadium.

However, when Jake Gray swung over their 151st attempt of the current campaign, captain Scott Cuthbert timed his run perfectly to nod into the net for his first ever goal in a Luton shirt.

Jones said: “We haven’t scored direct, we need to score more as if we add that to our game, then we’re a threat from all angles.

“We’re a threat from open play, we have a threat in between, threat on the counter attack, so if we add that to our game we’re four pronged.

“We’re delighted with how we’ve done stuff and I am pleased with what we created, how we created, I am.”

Goalscorer himself Cuthbert had no idea why it taken so long for Luton to score from a flag kick either, as he added: “I don’t know why that is, we work hard every day on our set-pieces.

“Harty (Paul Hart) and the gaffer take us aside and we work on them, so I don’t know why, but I’m delighted to score.

“Ultimately if I can chip in with the odd goal here and there and let Hylts (Danny Hylton) and Jack (Marriott) score the goals, then I’ll be happy.”

Meanwhile, midfielder Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu added: “It’s been a long time, everyone’s saying that we need to score more goals from corners and we do.

“It’s good that Scott’s scored and hopefully he’ll get more later in the season.”

REFEREE Mark Heywood proved the villain of the piece as Luton drew 1-1 at Wycombe – all he needed as the perfect prop for his pantomime performance was Danny Hylton's mask.

The Hatters deserved more than the official's inept display, they deserved more than a point.

The story should have been about Scott Cuthbert's first ever Luton goal. The story should have been about Town scoring from a corner for the first time in 49 games. Finally, the story should have been about the Hatters besting Wycombe, one of their promotion rivals.

Instead, the tale was about a man-in-the-middle who seemed to be of the opinion that 5,387 people braved the biting cold to watch him get his cards out and the Luton contingent to gasp and his inability to spot Hylton getting bumped, bruised and kicked from to pillar and post.

"Sunday league referee" came the chant from 1,800 travelling Town as early as the first half. There were boos at the break and Heywood topped it off with a straight red for Johnny Mullins in the 75th minute – Luton's third dismissal in as many games.

Before that, Wycombe had left Hylton in a heap on the turf more times than they'd troubled visiting keeper Christian Walton. Afterwards it was the Alamo and Adebayo Akinfenwa headed an 82nd minute leveller to break the Hatters' resistance, stretching the Chairboys' League Two unbeaten streak to 15 games.

With the card-happy referee in charge, there was always the danger of dismissals and for an hour it looked like Hylton would come a cropper.

The two have previous from the 1-1 draw against Carlisle last month and the striker did eventually get booked, finally succumbing to a long-awaited two-game ban that had been a Sword of Damocles hovering above his neck for the last month.

He had to be subbed for his own good in the 72nd minute, to spare him a red card. At that point Town were in front, in charge.

It had been a pulsating performance in an incident-packed clash, sadly stopped and started far too often by the shrill blast of a whistle.

Hylton was involved in everything. An early chance saw him take Jonathan Smith's through-ball past goalie Jamal Blackman but from an acute angle could only hit the side netting. He then saw a glancing header hacked off the line by Sam Wood.

In response, Akinfenwa had two chances twice, but it all acted, unfortunately, as a side-show to the Mr Heywood Show.

His efforts in the field of how-not-to-win-friends-and-influence-people deteriorated further after 30 minutes when Smith tumbled in Wycombe's penalty area. A gesture towards the spot brought momentary Hatters joy, but then he booked the midfielder for diving.

The striker's frustrations were visible throughout and his exasperations continued into the second period, but Luton's fortunes improved markedly in the 56th minute.

Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu won a corner. So what, really. This season there had been 150 preceding set-pieces prior to this one with nothing to show for them. But an unlikely goal calls for an unlikely striker and Cuthbert – 65 games without notching – glanced in for a very rare collector's item. Still, Heywood had a say, booking the skipper for his celebrations.

Luton went for the jugular and Marriott couldn't quite turn in Hylton's low cross.

Then, Wanderers substitute Scott Kashket – who went close on a couple of occasions – was chopped down by Mullins and though few saw the incident, not least Luton boss Nathan Jones, the straight red signalled a turning point.

Still, it took a moment of real quality to break the visitors' rearguard, Akinfenwa arrowing a header beyond the desperate dive of Walton.

Luton didn't deserve that.

Wycombe: Blackman, Jombati, Jacobson, Stewart, Pierre, Gape, O'Nien, Wood, Cowan-Hall (Kashket, 66), Hayes (Saunders, 66), Akinfenwa Unused subs: Richardson, Thompson, Bean, Weston, De Havilland

Luton: Walton, Justin, Senior, Cuthbert, Mullins, Smith, Gray (Rea, 72), Mpanzu, Gambin, Marriott (O'Donnell, 88), Hylton (Vassell, 72) Unused subs: King, Cook, Mackail-Smith, D'Ath

Referee: Mark Heywood

Attendance: 5,387