Yeovil Town vs Luton Town FC (4th Mar 2017)

PUBLISHED 18:29 4th March 2017 Four-midable Hatters' destiny in their own hands

YEOVIL TOWN 0

LUTON TOWN 4 (Hylton (pen) 8, 32, Rea 55, Mpanzu 85)

Att: 4,194 (698 Hatters)

The Hatters moved back up to fourth in Sky Bet League Two and within a point of the automatic promotion places with a magnificent 4-0 win at manager Nathan Jones’ old club Yeovil Town this afternoon.

Leading scorer Danny Hylton took his tally for the season to 22 with a deadly double to put the Town in control by half-time at Huish Park.

Then Glen Rea, with a 55th-minute header, and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu – with his first strike of the season – helped boost the division’s second-best goal difference after the break and make a distant memory of the last-gasp Checkatrade Trophy semi-final defeat to Oxford in midweek.

Jones made three changes to the team that took on the League One U’s on Wednesday night, with captain Scott Cuthbert, Stephen O'Donnell and midfielder Jonathan Smith all returning to the starting line-up.

The Hatters got off to a dream start when Hylton netted from the penalty spot on eight minutes, after strike partner Isaac Vassell had been brought down by Glovers centre-half Bevis Mugabi as he went on one of his trademark surges into the hosts’ box.

Hylton chipped into the roof of the net with the supreme confidence of a man knowing it would be his seventh goal in as many games since seeing his last spot-kick saved at Grimsby a month ago.

Eight minutes later the Town came close to doubling the advantage when Rea met Jordan Cook’s corner on the volley, but Liam Shephard cleared off the line before Rea’s follow-up shot was deflected behind for another corner.

Rea, playing at the heart of defence, was causing all sorts of problems at the other end of the pitch in an opening period that the Town showed utter dominance, latching onto a deep free-kick from Alan Sheehan and teeing up centre-half partner Cuthbert, but the skipper’s shot flew over the bar.

Yeovil gained a bit of a foothold in the game around the half-hour mark when, after Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro had seen an overhead-kick drift harmlessly wide, Francois Zoko brought Matt Macey into action for the first time with a smart save low by the far post.

But from the resulting Yeovil corner came the Town’s second, on a lightning quick counter-attack that saw Vassell win a header on halfway after Cook headed the corner clear and O’Donnell – up from right-back in the wide left position – cushion a beautiful pass into Hylton’s path.

Collecting the ball 40 yards out, the ex-Oxford man did the rest to make it eight in his last seven games, side-stepping the onrushing Yeovil keeper Artur Krysiak by the time he got to the edge of the box and slotting home unerringly past two defenders racing back towards their own goal-line in a vain attempt to keep it out.

The Town saw the opening half out comfortably, Sheehan threatening with a 20-yard free-kick after Mpanzu had been brought down by Kevin Dawson, but the Yeovil wall did its job and it remained 2-0 at the break.

The hosts came out more positively for the second half and within the opening five minutes they’d had three sights of Macey’s goal; Akpa Akpro seeing a low shot deflected into the side netting by Cuthbert, then a powerful header go just wide before Zoko’s low shot was saved well by the Arsenal loanee.

But by the 55th minute it was game over, when – after Hylton had been fouled for the umpteenth time by Mugabi – Sheehan floated a deep free-kick into the Yeovil box and Rea hung in the air to send a perfect header back across Krysiak into the far corner.

Two minutes later Sheehan tried his luck himself from another free-kick given for a foul on Hylton, this time by former Hatter Alex Lacey. The left-back had spotted Krysiak off his line and attempted to chip him from fully 45 yards, his effort landing on the roof of the Somerset side’s net.

Jones made a change on 66 minutes, bringing left-back Dan Potts on for his first action since suffering a recurrence of a knee injury on New Year’s Eve, moving Sheehan to centre-half and Rea into midfield with Gray the man making way.

It was a replacement by his former team-mate Darren Way, the Yeovil boss, who almost produced the game’s next goal however, Tottenham loanee Shayon Harrison firing goalward after Glovers skipper Ryan Dickson cut the ball back from the left byline, but Macey was equal to it.

Within seconds Mugabi was looking to get on the end of another left-wing cross, but by the 71st minute it was the Hatters who were posing a threat again.

Ollie Palmer, on as a sub for the ever-threatening Vassell, headed another precise delivery from Sheehan over the bar before the Irishman carried the ball forward and created a chance for Hylton to fire at goal for his hat-trick, only to drag his right-footed effort well wide.

It was to be the 28-year-old’s last involvement, with Jack Marriott coming on to replace him as Hylton received a terrific ovation from the 698 Hatters fans who had made the trip to Huish Park.

The top scorer couldn’t get his second treble of the season, but we went from one extreme to the other goalscoring wise, with Mpanzu putting the icing on the cake by firing in his first of the campaign with five minutes to go.

Smith crossed it to his fellow midfielder on the left side of the Glovers area, and the 23-year-old cut back inside his man, onto his right foot and cracked a beauty low inside Krysiak’s near post to register for the first time since hitting the winner against Dagenham last April.

Palmer was keen to get in on the act, attempting a lob over the Krysiak, who gathered comfortably as he retreated to his line. Then Macey had to make another good stop from Yeovil substitute Brandon Goodship from the last action of a very satisfying afternoon for Jones and his side.

With Portsmouth losing at home to lowly Crewe and third-placed Carlisle going down at Plymouth, the Hatters’ promotion destiny is now in their own hands, with a game in hand on Keith Curle’s side and one of the dozen remaining matches coming with the trip to Cumbria on Tuesday week.

It could be one hell of a ride – both to Brunton Park and beyond.

But first comes a home date next Saturday with sixth-placed Stevenage in what has become a mouth-watering local derby.

TOWN: Macey, O'Donnell, Cuthbert (c), Rea, Sheehan, Mpanzu, Smith, Gray (Potts 66), Cook, Vassell (Palmer 69), Hylton (Marriott 77). Subs: Mullins, D'Ath, Justin, Moore (GK)

Yellows: Smith

YEOVIL: Krysiak, Shephard, Mugabi, Lacey, Dickson (c), Lawless, Dawson, Dolan (Goodship 82), Whitfield (Harrison 62), Zoko, Akpa Akpro (Eaves 66). Subs: Maddison (GK), Butcher, Sowunmi, James.

Yellows: Dawson, Lawless

REFEREE: Kevin Johnson

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/luton-town-football-league-two-yeovil-town-3606464.aspx

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWBYUwu3Pio

PUBLISHED 17:58 4th March 2017 The Hatters moved into fourth place with the win

Hatters boss Nathan Jones praised his team’s “magnificent” performance as they ran out 4-0 winners at Yeovil Town.

The Town took an early lead when Vassell was brought down in the Glovers’ penalty area, with Danny Hylton converting the resulting spot-kick.

The forward doubled his tally when he rounded keeper Artur Kyrsiak and fired home just after the half-hour, before Glen Rea’s header and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu’s powerful strike sealed the win for Jones’ side in the second half.

Results elsewhere favoured the Hatters, as they climbed up into fourth place in Sky Bet League Two, courtesy of an away win for Crewe Alexandra at Portsmouth, as well as moving within a point of third-placed Carlisle United as they slipped to a 2-0 loss at Plymouth Argyle.

Jones said: “I am delighted in everything we did. Apart from one or two balls into our box where they are a physical threat, I thought we were very professional in everything we did.

“We started very, very quickly. We started with a real press about us and a real energy. Our front two were just relentless.

“Two-nil can be a tricky lead, but I thought second half we were so professional and we got the goal from a set-piece, which we don’t normally do. I thought we were magnificent today, a great away performance.”

On the Hatters’ last trip to Somerset, before Jones took charge, they also took a 2-0 lead in the first-half only to lose 3-2.

“I can’t affect what happened last year,” said Jones. “Now when we are 2-0 up we don’t tend to lose. We have a strength about us, we have a physicality, we have an energy about us.

“We are never satisfied with 2-0. We went into that lead quite quickly and comfortably without playing particularly fluent.

“What we have now is a threat and sides can do what they want against us. They can press, they can drop off. We have solutions now.”

League Two Yeovil Town 0 Luton Town 4

Luton Town produced as dominant a performance as you could ever wish to see, thumping a desperately poor Yeovil Town side in front of their own fans this afternoon.

Prior to the game, Hatters boss Nathan Jones had urged his side to put the opposition to the sword after the disappointment of the Checkatrade Trophy semi-final defeat to Oxford United, and that's exactly what they did, in complete control from virtually minute one to 90, with the outcome never really in doubt, even before Danny Hylton's seventh minute penalty.

Hylton added another in the first period, with Glen Rea and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu notching second half strikes as the visitors ran riot to give their goal difference a welcome boost, closing the gap on third placed Carlisle to just one point as well, after the Cumbrians lost 2-0 to Plymouth.

Luton chief Jones made three changes to the side that had been beaten on Wednesday night as Scott Cuthbert, Jonathan Smith and Stephen O'Donnell came in for Johnny Mullins, Jack Senior and James Justin.

That saw Alan Sheehan switch to left back, while Rea dropped into central defence alongside captain Cuthbert.

With the hosts not scoring in three games and on a run of one league win in 15, it was imperative Luton didn't give them any chance to get a foothold and so they did, forcing a number of corners early on and then winning a spotkick with seven minutes gone.

There can be little question mark over the decision too, Glovers' centre half Bevis Mugabi diving in on Isaac Vassell, clearly taking out the Luton forward before actually getting the ball, despite the home players and fans protestations.

Hylton stepped up and despite missing against Grimsby last time out, produced a lovely clipped finish over the diving Artur Krysiak for goal number 21 of the season.

Luton were close to a second on 16 minutes, when a corner, won by the quick thinking of Vassell was swung in by Jordan Cook and Rea's effort had to be cleared off the line by Liam Shephard, the defender's rebound deflected behind too.

Town should have made their early dominance pay soon after too, Sheehan's free kick picked up at the back post by Rea, who pulled back for Cuthbert to slam over from eight yards out.

The clearly low on confidence hosts barely threatened in the opening 25 minutes, before finally improving a touch, Matt Macey alert to sweep up from the onrushing Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro, with the striker then sending an acrobatic volley wide.

Macey made a crucial save from Zoko's looping header, quickly blocking the rebound too and the importance of his stop was highlighted with Luton clearing the corner and then breaking with their now usual devastating pace.

Gray fed the onrushing Vassell, who nodded on for O'Donnell with the full back racing away on the left hand side of all places, lifting his head up to notice Hylton all alone in the middle and putting the striker clear.

As befitting a forward who had recently reached 20 for the first time in his career, he displayed a cool head to round the advancing Krysiak and slot into the net, doubling his account for the afternoon on 31 minutes.

Town easily saw out the rest of the half, with the only danger for the visitors was complacency creeping in, as they had been here before, leading 2-0 last season, only for the Glovers to hit back for a 3-2 victory.

The opening moments of the second period was the only time, Yeovil looked remotely capable of replicating such a feat though, Akpa Akpro diving full length to head wide from a corner, with Macey's handling spot on from Zoko's sharp turn and shot.

However, Hatters quickly turned the screw and snuffed out any chances of lightning striking twice, notching a third on 55 minutes when Sheehan's deep free kick was met by Rea's cushioned header into the far corner for his third goal of the season.

Sheehan tried his luck from fully 40 yards from another deadball situation, spying Krysiak off his line, but his cheeky effort just didn't quite come down in time.

The hosts, now looking absolutely bereft of ideas, almost had a fortunate way back into the match, Macey fumbling a cross only to see Matty Dolan nod straight back into his grateful gloves.

With Luton almost in cruise control for the final quarter, they brought on Dan Potts for his first action since New Year's Eve, as Sheehan swapped to centre half, with Rea back in central midfield once more.

Yeovil were denied the chance of making any kind of grandstand finish with 22 minutes remaining, thanks to a truly wonderful save from Macey to deny sub Shayon Harrison, the on-loan Arsenal stopper reacting superbly to stick out a left hand and turn behind for a corner.

Hylton had a great chance for his treble, dragging wide after a powerful break from Sheehan, which was his last action of the match, replaced by Jack Marriott.

Even without their talisman, Luton still managed to grab a fourth for the first time on their travels this season, when Smith picked out Mpanzu and he cut inside to drill low beyond Krysiak for his first goal since April 12, 2016.

Hatters' replacement Ollie Palmer almost notched a fifth, when his audacious volley was collected by the hastily back-pedalling Krysiak, as the beleaguered home fans were reduced to cheering a passage of play that led to Yeovil almost bagging a late consolation.

However, Macey stood firm to pick up what was a first clean away from home for Luton since the 2-0 win at Blackpool on December 17, as the dream of automatic promotion to League One is now firmly alive and kicking.

Glovers: Artur Krysiak, Liam Shepherd, Matthew Dolan (Brandon Goodship 82), Bevis Mugabi, Alex Lacey, Kevin Dawson, Alex Lawless, Ryan Dickson (C), Francois Zoko, Ben Whitfield (Shayon Harrison 62), Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro (Thomas Eaves 67).

Subs not used: Jonathan Maddison, Matthew Butcher, Omar Sowunmi, Thomas James.

Hatters: Matt Macey, Stephen O'Donnell, Alan Sheehan, Scott Cuthbert (C), Glen Rea, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Jonathan Smith, Jake Gray (Dan Potts 66), Jordan Cook, Isaac Vassell (Ollie Palmer 69), Danny Hylton (Jack Marriott 76).

Subs not used: Stuart Moore, Johnny Mullins, Lawson D'Ath, James Justin.

Booked: Dawson 35, Smith 44, Lawless 58.

Attendance: 4,914 (698 Luton).

Referee: Kevin Johnson.

Hatters MOM: Danny Hylton. Forward showed just what a menace he is to opposing defences throughout, making it 22 for the season

'Dream win' for Luton boss at former side

Luton Town chief Nathan Jones hailed his side’s thumping 4-0 victory at Yeovil Town yesterday as a ‘dream win’ for his side.

Although the struggling Glovers went into the game on a terrible run of form, winning just one of their last 15 league games, they remained tough to beat at Huish Park, unbeaten in four and had defeated Town's promotion chasing rivals Plymouth 2-1 recently.

However, as soon as Danny Hylton netted a seventh minute penalty, there was no stopping Luton, as they cruised home with Hylton bagging another, plus Glen Rea and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu adding further goals in the second half too.

Jones said: “Apart from one or two balls into our box, where they’re a physical threat, I thought we were very, very professional in everything we did. We started very, very quickly, with a real, real press about us and an energy about us.”

“Our front two were just relentless really and then second half, when, 2-0 can be a tricky lead, we were just so professional. We got the goal from a set-play which we don’t normally do, but I thought we were magnificent today, a great, great win and performance.

“It was a deserved scoreline, I would have taken 1-0 here, I would have taken any kind of win as that’s the most important thing,

“To come here, which is a difficult place to come as Plymouth lost here, Doncaster have beaten them here, but Portsmouth, I watched the game, they drew. They get up for big games here and I was delighted, it’s a dream really, 4-0, a dream.”

Hatters had led 2-0 after just 19 minutes last season thanks to goals from Craig Mackail-Smith and Paul Benson, before contriving to lose the game 3-2, something that never remotely looked like happening this time around.

Jones continued: “I can’t affect what happened last year, we’re a different side now, and when we’re 2-0 up we don’t tend to lose.

"We have a strength about us, we have a physicality, we have an energy about us, but we’re never satisfied with 2-0. We went into that lead quite quickly and quite comfortably and without playing particularly fluently.

"But what we have now is a threat and sides can do what they want against us, they can press, they can drop off, we have solutions now and that’s really, really pleasing.

"When you’re 2-0, it can be a tricky, a real precarious lead, as if they get the next goal, people can get edgy. So what we did was and as we have said beforee, whatever the lead, get the next goal and that’s what we wanted to do. We didn’t start the half particularly well, a bit sloppy, but once we got that (third goal), we powered on.”

The result saw Town cut the gap to third placed Carlisle to just a single point after the Cumbrians were beaten 2-0 by Plymouth, while they also leapfrogged Portsmouth into fourth, who lost 1-0 at home to Crewe.

Jones said: “We looked at the fixtures and not everyone could win today. So we only concentrate on our result, but if we win, then we knew we’d make ground on someone, and that’s all we have to do, keep chipping away, keep chipping away.

"We said we’d be strong second half (of the season) and we’re in a good position. So lets just continue in that vein, we can’t get carried away as we’ve got some big, big games coming up, real important games and we’re looking forward to them.”

Meanwhile, when asked about his return to a club where he spent over seven years of his career, Jones added: "I love it. I can’t have too much sentiment, but I love this club, I gave my life to this club, my sweat and blood for this club.

"I loved it, they’ve got great people here, people that want you to do well, people that will do anything for you. We’ve been in Yeovil now for two days and the people that I’ve known from when I was here have helped us out.

"People in hotels and Sherbone football club, credit to them, have helped us out, let us use their pitch yesterday. So the people in the area are salt of the earth and that’s why I loved my time here. We thank them for that and I don’t like Yeovil losing, except when they play against us, so unfortunately they were playing against us today."

Hatters boss Nathan Jones explained his decision to change three quarters of his defence from Wednesday night’s Checkatrade Trophy defeat to Oxford United for the 4-0 win at Yeovil Town yesterday.

Only Alan Sheehan remained in the back four, with the Irishman moving to left back as Jack Senior was rested, while Stephen O’Donnell returned for James Justin, meaning Scott Cuthbert and Glen Rea formed a newlook centre half partnership.

Speaking afterwards, Jones said: “I wanted to go really strong today in terms of size, in terms of everything as I wanted to cover every eventuality.

“They’re a side who can score from set-plays. I couldn’t second guess who they would play, whether it was (Tom) Eaves or (Omar) Sowunmi, as we had problems with that when they played in the Checkatrade game.

“But I was very, very pleased today and I went with strong, strong, men, a good bit of experience in the side.

“We’ve got two wonderful young full backs but today I just wanted to make a bit of statement and we did that, and showed that. It was a first clean sheet in a while and I’m pleased with that.”

Teenage defender Senior missed out after starting the last 10 games in all competitions since making his what was his full league debut at Wycombe recently.

That mean fit again left back Dan Potts came on for his first minutes since New Year’s Eve during the second half, as Jones continued: “I spoke to Jack in midweek as midweek was probably one game too far for Jack.

“These young players, they need nurturing, need looking after as they’re not machines yet.

“They can’t just roll out, roll out, roll out performances, 90 minutes after 90 minutes because their bodies are not used to it.

“But because Potts wasn’t quite ready, we just had to play him an extra game (against Oxford) and he’s just looked a bit jaded lately.

“So we’ve pulled him out, a little rest up for him and then he can come back.

“It was great to see Pottsy back. He came on and we were able to shift things about to combat anything and preempt anything they did and that was pleasing.”

Meanwhile on Luke Gambin’s absence from the match day squad, Jones confirmed it was a tight hamstring, adding: “Yes, it was precaution and it enables us to do that with the strength of squad we have.

“He’s trained fully, Thursday he had an extra session and Friday he was just feeling it.

“We pulled him out as there’s no point risking him, putting him on the bench.

“The bench we had anyway was strong, we’ve got people like Lawson D’Ath in there, so we didn’t need to risk him in any way shape or form.”

YEOVIL Town were comprehensively outplayed and outclassed as Luton Town eased to a 4-0 victory at Huish Park.

Two first half goals from Danny Hylton – a penalty and a clinical finish from a counter-attack – put the visitors in control before Glen Rea's looping header and Pelly Ruddock-Mpanzu's late strike put the gloss on a commanding display by the Hatters.

Yeovil again lacked a quality and cutting edge as their wait for a goal extended to four matches, while Luton now sit just one place outside the automatic promotion places having brought their unbeaten run in the league to six matches.

Luton's hopes of reaching the Checkatrade Trophy final at Wembley were ended by Oxford on Wednesday, but there was no question of any hangover from that defeat as Nathan Jones' men began the game on the front foot.

It took just eight minutes for Luton to take the lead when Bevis Mugabi fouled Isaac Vassell in the box and left referee Kevin Johnson with no choice but to award a penalty.

Hylton duly stepped up and coolly chipped his kick past Artur Krysiak, although his celebrations in front of the Yeovil fans did not endear him to the home support.

Luton nearly doubled their advantage ten minutes later when Rea had a goalbound header cleared off the line.

The dominant visitors looked destined to double their lead, and the second goal came from a Yeovil corner in the 31stminute as the Glovers failed to anticipate a counter-attack and Stephen O'Donnell played in Hylton, who calmly took the ball around the onrushing Krysiak to notch his 22ndgoal of the campaign.

Any hopes that Yeovil had of mounting a comeback evaporated ten minutes into the second half as Alan Sheehan's free-kick found Rea, who directed a fine header over the top of Krysiak's head and into the net to kill off the game.

Yeovil had struggled to create any noteworthy chances, but they nearly found a way through a resolute Luton defence and to a consolation goal when substitute Shayon Harrison latched onto Ryan Dickson's cross and drew a brilliant save out of Matt Macey.

It proved to be the only time Luton were made to sweat, and with five minutes to play they compounded Yeovil's misery when Ruddock-Mpanzu cut inside and hit a sweetly struck low drive past Krysiak.

Yeovil Town:Krysiak, Shephard, Mugabi, Lacey, Dickson, Lawless, Dawson, Dolan (Goodship 82), Whifield (Harrison 62), Akpa Akpro (Eaves 67), Zoko

Unused subs: Maddison, James, Butcher, Sowunmi

Booked: Lawless, Dawson

Luton Town:Macey, O'Donnell, Smith, Cuthbert, Gray (Potts 66), Hylton (Marriott 76), Cook, Rea, Ruddock-Mpanzu, Vassell (Palmer 69), Sheehan

Unused subs: Moore, Mullins, D'Ath, Justin

Booked: Smith

Goals: Hylton (7 pen, 31), Rea (55), Ruddock-Mpanzu (85)

Referee:Kevin Johnson

Attendance: 4,194 (698 away)

Danny Hylton could easily play in the Championship - according to Luton Town boss Nathan Jones.

The in-form striker took his tally for the seaaon to 22 with a brace in the Hatters' 4-0 hammering of Yeovil Town at Huish park yesterday, chipping home a penalty before rounding the home keeper for another smart finish.

Jones spent three years in the second tier as assistant manager, caretaker manager and first team coach at Brighton, so is well placed to assess Hylton's ability to play at a higher level.

He said: "He's a Championship striker. The boy's a Championship player for me. I worked at Brighton, and he could go into Brighton's squad without any problems.

"He's a credit to himself, he leads the line. He takes stick from opposing fans and he's a pantomime villain, but for me he leads the line. He's as good as I've ever worked with.

"I love the kid because he wants to get better, he's great around the place. It's a great atmosphere, and he's one of the characters that creates it."

The win saw Luton bounce back from Wednesday's Checkatrade Trophy semi-final heartache in emphatic style, moving just one point behind the League Two automatic promotion places.

Jones added: "We're in a good place, and ll we have to do now is worry about ourselves and win our games, because there's nothing else we can do.

"We think we're going to finish the season strongly because of the way we trained and the way we look after them. We have a fantastic squad, and we're very proud of them.

"We've got a real good squad, you saw that today. The people we bring off the bench like Jack Marriott and Ollie Palmer, who will get into a lot of first teams, and then you look at Dan Potts who came on."