Five-star Hatters thrash the Robins

League Two: Swindon Town 0 Luton Town 5
Harry Cornick celebrates making it 4-0 against Swindon this afternoonHarry Cornick celebrates making it 4-0 against Swindon this afternoon
Harry Cornick celebrates making it 4-0 against Swindon this afternoon

How does the song go? Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the way. Oh what fun it is to see Luton win away. Hey!

Well, if it wasn't being sung on the terraces at the County Ground this afternoon, it should have been as the Hatters produced an utterly immense second half display to put yet another side to the sword, hammering Swindon Town 5-0.

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It hadn't looked the final scoreline was on the cards at half time, as although Luton looked to have the more quality in an engrossing first period, the deadlock remained, with little sign of what was to come.

However, once James Collins opened the scoring with a beautiful strike three minutes into the second period, Town, as they have done on a number of occasions this term, ran riot, scoring five goals or more for the fifth time this season.

Luton were unchanged for the clash from their 2-0 win over Grimsby, with both sides making a bright start to proceedings, Paul Mullin testing Marek Stech who saved comfortably.

Danny Hylton then had shouts for a penalty, sent sprawling by former Town full back Matty Taylor, but referee Gavin Ward shook his head.

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The hosts were creating chances, Mullin having a go from further out, flipped over by Stech, while Olly Lancashire's diving header from the resulting corner was wide.

Town should have gone ahead on 11 minutes, Alan Sheehan with another wonderful free kick delivery and Dan Potts escaping his markers, but from inside the six yard box and with the goal gaping, volleyed over.

Collins then almost netted another long range stunner for the Hatters on 16 minutes, spotting Lawrence Vigouroux off his line and from well over 40 yards out, tried to chip the keeper, who backtracked and palmed over the top to avoid any Boxing Day embarrassment.

Swindon went close midway through the half, breaking from a Luton corner as Kaiyne Woolery easily outpaced Olly Lee and with Keshi Anderson in the area, couldn't quite pick out his team-mate.

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Glen Rea whizzed well wide from 25 yards, while Luke Berry was teed up by Hylton but couldn't repeat his heroics from Saturday, missing the top corner.

After the break, the hosts forced an early corner, but Town hit back perfectly, as Collins netted in glorious fashion against his former side.

Fed by Olly Lee on the right hand side, he cut in, before from the edge of the box, picked out the top corner on his left foot with a truly wonderful finish.

Town then had the game by the scruff of the neck on 55 minutes, as the visitors ripped Swindon apart on the left hand side, Berry finding Potts whose cross was converted by Hylton's glancing header for a 15th of the season.

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Luton's complete dominance was underlined on 66 minutes when Amine Linganzi tried to dribble the ball out of danger, only to be met by a wonderful sliding challenge by the excellent Rea.

Hylton took up the loose ball, fed in Collins and his cut back was turned into his own net by Taylor for a third.

As it their way, Town just kept going and going, Harry Cornick coming off the bench and he was the next to add his own goal of the season contender, using Lee as the overlap and fairly hammering into the top corner from just outside the box.

Luke Norris hooked an acrobatic volley over the top for a clearly shell-shocked Robins, with Hylton withdrawn for Elliot Lee as boss Jones clearly had an eye on Saturday's trip to Port Vale.

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However, it didn't diminish Luton's goal threat, not an iota, as Lee tricked his way into the area and curled low into the bottom corner to make it 5-0.

Hatters could and really should have broken their record for an away win in the Football League, Berry, from six yards out, blasting into the drenched Town fans.

They didn't care a jot though, quick to celebrate another win from a Luton side destined to be playing in League One next season, as they aim to finish 2017 even further clear at the top, when they travel to Port Vale on Saturday.

Swindon: Lawrence Vigoroux, Ben Purkiss, Matt Preston, Olly Lancashire (C), Paul Mullin (Kellan Gordon 62), James Dunne, Luke Norris, Amine Lingazi, Kaiyne Woolery, Keshi Anderson (Ellis Iandolo 75), Matty Taylor.

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Subs not used: Chris Robertson, John Goddard, Reice Charles-Cook, Kyle Knoyle, Scott Twine.

Hatters: Marek Stech, Jack Justin, Dan Potts, Johnny Mullins, Alan Sheehan (C), Glen Rea, Olly Lee (Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu 84), Luke Berry, Andrew Shinnie (Harry Cornick 67), James Collins, Danny Hylton (Elliot Lee 76).

Subs not used: James Shea, Lawson D'Ath, Akin Famewo, Luke Gambin.

Booked: Dunne 52, Hylton 57, Lancashire 57.

Referee: Gavin Ward.

Attendance: 8,526.

Hatters MOM: Glen Rea – dominant force in midfield yet again for the visitors.