Asia opens her account as Town earn derby win

Joanne Rutherford scored her 11th goal of the season for Town before Emma Jenkins equalised for the Yellows just before half time.

Young striker Jodie Bellinger came off the bench to fire Luton ahead once more as Erica Byron and Brown extended the lead.

United, second in the league, then scored on the stroke of full time through Evie Gallop.

The Hatters are now level on points with Old Actonians Ladies in fifth with a game in hand against Norwich City.

Town created some early chances as Byron delivered an exquisite ball into the box to Rutherford who miskicked from six yards.

Moments later, Lucy Webster went on a dangerous run and her tricky feet got her past three United players before hitting the side netting from an acute angle.

At the other end Jess Devoti superbly stopped a free header from Becky Taylor and then pushed behind a testing strike from Gallop.

Rutherford gave Town a well-earned lead in the 37th minute as she latched on to a short back pass and slotted the ball past keeper Verity Crook into an empty net.

Four minutes later, United equalised after Jenkins fired the ball into the roof of the net from distance.

Town regained the lead in the 52nd minute after Rutherford delivered a terrific ball into the box that sub Bellinger headed in at the far post.

Three minutes it was 3-1 to Luton after Carrie Bennett failed to clear and Byron took advantage of her defensive error to beat Crook.

Hatters extended the advantage in the 88th minute after some good build up play by Rachel Kosky led to Brown scoring her first goal in a Hatters shirt as she curled the ball into the top left corner.

United scored their second of the game just before the full-time whistle as Gallop chested it in from close range, while manager Nikki Baker said: “We have taken points off all of the top four.

“It is disappointing that we threw away a couple of silly games otherwise we could have been up there.”

Hatters face Lowestoft Town next on Sunday.