Al-Hamadi ends his long wait for a first Luton goal as brilliant Town dismantle AFC Wimbledon

Luton turned in without doubt their best and most dominant performance on the road this season as they made it a quite fantastic Easter period by dismantling a poor AFC Wimbledon side 3-0 at the Cherry Red Records Stadium this afternoon.

The Hatters were quite simply miles apart from their hosts in terms of class, quality, end product, defending, absolutely everything, as they finished with a hugely impressive 24 shots, nine of them on target, the Dons unable to muster a single effort at Josh Keeley’s goal, allowing the Irishman to pick up his first clean sheet since January 31.

Town manager Jack Wilshere, who had to watch from the stands due to his touch-line ban for a third booking of the campaign against Peterborough on Good Friday, made two changes, Mads Andersen and Kasey Palmer in for Nigel Lonwijk and Davy van den Berg, as it was Palmer who was without doubt the star of the show in south London.

The visitors should have led on three minutes, Jake Richards playing a one-two with Jordan Clark which saw Palmer sprung on the right of the area. He squared the ball to Nahki Wells who had time to take a touch and pick his spot, but went first time, dragging disappointingly wide Town looked like they were struggling to deal with the physical challenge that was coming their way in the early stages, Dons lively out wide, as a ball into the box beat the defence, but thankfully Antwoine Hackford slipped when trying to convert.

Emilio Lawrence then appeared like he was going to have to go off, holding his ankle after a 50-50 challenge, down on his haunches, with Cohen Bramall stripped and ready to go on. The on-loan Manchester City youngster was able to carry on after some treatment and it proved a real blessing for the Hatters as he played a key role in Town’s opening goal on 12 minutes, getting the ball on the left and knocking it beyond his marker to speed away.

Looking up, he found Palmer who still had plenty to do, but boy did he do it well, taking a handful of touches inside the box to jink around his markers and then fire clinically into the top corner for his fourth goal in six outings, easily his best too. The Jamaican international almost had a second on 16 minutes as Liam Walsh sent Izzy Jones away on the right, his cross half-volleyed wide by the on-loan midfielder, who went on to get dogs abuse from the home fans for the manner in which he had celebrated the first, although was clearly thriving in his role as the villain.

Luton were then forced into a change 60 seconds later, but it was Wells who this time went down holding his groin, Ali Al-Hamadi coming on against his former club. Although the Hatters never looked totally secure early on, they were able to repel most crosses that were sent into the danger area, Jake Reeves’ slicing another well wide.

Dons, who had to replace the injured Patrick Bauer, were then forced into another alteration moments later on the half hour, as Joe Lewis slid in on Richards, referee Carl Brook shaking his head initially and then giving the foul against the defender, who injured himself in the process and also had to go off, Sam Hutchinson coming on.

Palmer continued to shine, picking the pocket of his man high up and finding Al-Hamadi, who was unable to make the most of the opportunity, as it bobbled through to the keeper. Home stopper Nathan Bishop was worked on 34 minutes when Jones broke through the middle and found Palmer who swivelled and sent Lawrence away, his shot saved, while Richards and Palmer had attempts blocked.

From the corner, Walsh’s delivery saw Odoffin rise highest at the far post, his towering header cannoning against the crossbar. Still the Hatters kept on coming, Palmer who had already produced a no-looks pass before grinning at the home supporters, split the defence to send Jones through, who got himself into a good position, but could only end up passing it through to Bishop.

The main concern was that Luton would come back to rue the chances they missed, as a glorious outside of the boot pass from Clark sent Lawrence away who, despite having Palmer and Al-Hamadi well positioned, opened his body up to go for goal, his sidefooter brushing against the outside of the post.

During first half stoppage time, Steve Seddon thundered a header over, before Luton pressed again, with Richards’ attempt changed down and then Lawrence keeping the move alive for Palmer to roll his foot over the ball and just miss the top corner. The Hatters swapped ends knowing that it would be a travesty if they left with anything other than the three points, given a warning shot when Alistair Smith skied onto the roof of the stand from the outside of the box.

It wasn’t long before Town were trying to add to their lead again, Palmer finding Al-Hamadi who teed up Walsh to fire a dasiycutter that didn’t miss by much. He had a truer connection moments later which Bishop held above his head, with a third shot inside the opening 10 minutes, but found in the most inviting possession, unleashed his worst attempt, unable to keep it down.

Somehow, Luton didn’t have a second on 58 minutes, when Palmer raced half the length of the pitch and using Al-Hamadi as a decoy, eventually went for goal himself, Bishop making a terrific low stop. Thankfully, the visitors’ next attempt did find the net, as Kal Naismith won a high ball and moved it along to Richards. The teenager delayed his pass until just the right moment, finding the run of Al-Hamadi, who took a touch and rifled beyond Bishop to finally end his long wait for a first Hatters goal, celebrating joyfully with the 900 travelling fans.

Now unburdened, the Iraq international was a different player, demonstrating a good touch to see his next attempt deflected, also sniffing a second when Jones’ run was spied by Walsh, his cross gathered by Bishop, colliding painfully with the post, but was thankfully able to carry on. With 75 gone, Luton, after dropping down the gears for a brief period, got back on the front foot again, Jones popping up on the left this time to see his low curler palmed away.

Dons then had to unluckily play the final stages with 10 men, Bugiel going off injured, but having made three blocks of substitutions, AFC boss Johnnie Jackson wasn't able to go to his bench again. Town finally sewed the points up on 79 minutes when Palmer and Lawrence combined, Clark finding Al-Hamadi, who picked out Richards, the youngster calmly passing beyond the desperate dive of Bishop and into the bottom corner.

Late on, and Town almost had a fourth, Shayden Morris now on, dinking over a cross that was met by Cohen Bramall whose header appeared to be brilliantly touched behind by Bishop, only for a goal kick to be given, while Al-Hamadi nipped on to a poor backpass, but saw a defender stationed well to block. However, the three goals were more than enough, with Luton’s play-off hopes boosted by Reading’s defeat, as they climbed to ninth and now trail sixth-placed Stevenage by just three points.

Dons: Nathan Bishop, Steve Seddon, Jake Reeves (C, Kai Jennings 67), Callum Maycock, Omar Bugiel, Alistair Smith, Patrick Bauer (Nathan Asiimwe 23), Antwoine Hackford (Aaron Sasu 67), Junior Nkeng, Joe Lewis (Sam Hutchinson 30), Isaac Ogundere. Subs not used: Joe McDonnell, Osman Foyo, Layton Stewart.

Hatters: Josh Keeley, Hakeem Odoffin, Mads Andersen, Kal Naismith (C), Izzy Jones, Liam Walsh, Jordan Clark (Davy van den Berg 87), Kasey Palmer (George Saville 81), Emilio Lawrence (Cohen Bramall 81), Jake Richards (Shayden Morris 87), Nahki Wells (Ali Al-Hamadi 17). Subs not used: James Shea, Nigel Lonwijk. Booked: Lewis 28, Richards 63. Referee: Carl Brook. Attendance: 8,668 (930 Hatters).