Hatters dig in to beat Posh as Luton win four in a row

Luton ground out their first away clean sheet of the season with a battling 2-0 success at struggling Peterborough United this afternoon, as Jack Wilshere’s side made it four successive victories.

Following a fairly subdued first half in which the Hatters led through Jordan Clark’s sixth goal of the campaign, they were favourites to see out a comfortable triumph once Liam Kelly put through his own net just 51 seconds into the second period. However, Robbie Savage's side then went on the front foot, as they gave Town’s defence a thorough going over for a good half an hour, the visitors, marshalled wonderfully by Mads Andersen in particular, and centre half partner George Johnston, dug deep to secure an excellent triumph.

Wilshere’s side got off to the perfect start when, with two minutes gone, they led, as after zipping the ball around, picked out Kasey Palmer on the left flank. He drove forward, despite being under pressure from a covering defender, before releasing Clark with a superb through ball, the midfielder, one of two changes along with Joe Johnson for an ill Kal Naismith, slipping his low attempt beyond Alex Bass.

Town continued to look good in possession, Jake Richards almost finding Clark again, while Callum Marshall was clipped just outside the area by Harry Ashfield for an early booking, giving away a free kick that Jamie Donley curled narrowly over the bar. For large parts of the half, very little happened, Town keeping hold of the ball with a patient approach until the half hour when the hosts gave it away in their own half, Richards teeing up Liam Walsh 22 yards from goal, his shot straight at Bass.

Posh then had their best spell which saw two shots from Ethan Williams and Liam Kelly deflected away for corners. The hosts were inches away from making it 1-1 on 36 minutes, a free kick from the right was met by a stretching Harry Leonard who appeared to have levelled, only to see his shot hit the underside of the bar and fortunately rebound out.

It served as a reminder to Town that their one-goal lead was a fragile one, as Donley was booked for giving away a free kick which Harley Mills curled tamely wide of James Shea’s goal. After a fairly tepid ending to the contest, the second started just as the first did, as Luton got the ball wide through Clark, Palmer easing past his man as if he wasn’t there, seeing his cross take a wicked deflection off Liam Kelly to wrongfoot Bass and fly into the net.

That saw United come on strong, James Shea and Joe Johnston failing to deal with a ball forward that saw Ethan Williams sidefooted cleared off the line by the recovering Andersen. From the corner, half time sub Brandon Khela was left unmarked in the area, as Shea beat away his attempt, the keeper also parrying another interval replacement Matt Garbett’s drive, sprinting forward to gather the loose ball, as Town needed to take the sting out of the hosts’ attack.

They weren’t able to, Garbett with another crack that deflected into Shea’s grateful gloves, as the attacker then pounced on an error from Donley, who tried to dribble the ball out of danger, the replacement not far away from range. Shea was by far the busier of the two stoppers, getting everything behind Leonard’s drilled angled attempt, as both Andersen and Johnston had their work cut out in clearing their lines, before the striker, fed by the increasingly lively Bolu Shofowoke, dragged wide once more.

Luton did begin the weather the storm that was coming their way, as with Andersen starring, even mounted a few attacks of their own, close to a third with four minutes left, the excellent Dane starting a move off which saw Emilio Lawrence’s shot deflected just wide. From the corner, Town kept their hosts penned in, as first Johnson saw his header cleared off the line, while Town won the ball back in the box, the recalled defender’s crack see a home defender fling himself in the way and, despite cries for a handball, saw another set-piece awarded.

Striker Wells swivelled and shot wide via a deflection, as Luton finished strongly, picking up yet another victory as they climbed up to fourth in the table ahead of Tuesday night’s trip to leaders Huddersfield Town.

Posh: Alex Bass, Carl Johnston (C, Sam Hughes 66), Liam Kelly, Tom O’Connor, Harry Leonard, Ethan Williams (Danny Ormerod 66), Harley Mills (Declan Frith 72), Vernon Masara (Brandon Khela 46), Lucca Medonca, Bolu Shofowoke, Harry Ashfield (Matt Garbett 46). Subs not used: Collin Andeng Ndi, Evan Weir.

Hatters: James Shea, Izzy Jones (Harrison Ashby 84), Joe Johnson, Mads Andersen, George Johnston, Liam Walsh (Dan Gore 59), Jordan Clark ©, Jamie Donley, Jake Richards (Tudor Mendel 70) Kasey Palmer (Emilio Lawrence 85), Callum Marshall (Nahki Wells 59). Subs not used: Josh Keeley, Benny Benagr. Booked: Ashfield 9, Donley 43, Palmer 76. Referee: Lee Sandoe. Attendance: 8,814.