Hatters sparkle against Diamonds

Blue Square Premier

Luton Town 3 (1) Rushden & Diamonds 0 (0)

MORE of the same from the Hatters made for a Happy New Year at Kenilworth Road on Saturday, writes Mark Wood.

Town put in sparkling performance against an unpredictable Diamonds side that initially frustrated with their pressing game.

However, after Matthew Barnes-Homer gave Luton the lead their performance became tarnished and Town cantered to a well-deserved win with a second from Barnes-Homer and a third from Claude Gnakpa as the Hatters kept themselves well placed in the title race.

Luton made one change from the team that started the abandoned game against York City last time out, with fit-again Dan Gleeson coming in at right-back for Ed Asafu-Adjaye, as Luton looked to complete their first league game since the 5-1 thrashing of Histon on November 20.

A minute’s silence for departed former Hatters captain Terry Branston and tragic Diamonds keeper Dale Roberts who recently passed away was impeccably observed by both sets of supporters before the game got under way.

Town started brightly but it was the visitors who crafted the first chance on eight minutes. A slick passing move in the Luton half created acres of space on the edge of the box for Alan Power but his blasted effort was well repelled by Mark Tyler.

Luton proceeded to take charge of the game and should have snatched the lead moments later. Amari Morgan-Smith, still wearing the face protection for his fractured cheekbone, slipped through a luscious pass for Danny Crow but his tame effort was saved by the sprawling Joe Day.

Only the linesman’s flag thwarted the Hatters from making it 1-0 on 12 minutes. A dazzling weaving run from Andy Drury took him into the Diamonds penalty area and from his lay-off, Gnakpa buried home a dipping, curling effort into the far top corner, only to see his effort ruled out for offside.

Barnes-Homer was next to unveil his party piece, nutmegging Shane Huke as he burst into the area, but his strike wasn’t clean and Day hit the floor to gather.

Diamonds looked dangerous on the break and swirled in some dangerous corners, but it was again Luton who wasted a decent opportunity on 27 minutes.

Morgan-Smith did well to rob his man on the right and, although his soft cross was cut out, Gnakpa blasted the rebound wastefully over with Barnes-Homer and Crow clamouring for the ball in the box.

Diamonds’ harrying approach proceeded to stop Luton from playing as the crowd grew restless at a wintry Kenilworth Road.

A mistake by Huke almost let Barnes-Homer in in the closing minutes but his pull-back was cleared behind.

Just when it looked like they had lost their way Town grabbed a deserved 44th-minute lead. Crow’s canny flick set Gnakpa free on the right and his teasing centre was perfect for Barnes-Homer to beat two defenders in the air and loop home a fine header.

Some hugely questionable refereeing fanned the ire of the home crowd in the closing stages and after Drury had another marauding run unfairly curtailed the Diamonds almost equalised.

The ball finally found its way to Matt Johnson in the box but Tyler got down to save well, with the linesman’s flag being completely ignored by referee T Robinson who walked off at the break to howls of derision.

Town should have doubled their lead four minutes into the second period when a long ball through the middle caught Diamonds’ defence napping and Gnakpa stole in behind to feed Barnes-Homer but he fired wildly over.

At the other end Sam Smith saw a scintillating 30-yarder fly inches over before Barnes-Homer made up for his earlier miss with his second on 51 minutes.

The Luton forward battled well to make the most of a ball through the middle and having eluded several tackles he kept his cool to fire home left-footed.

Still very much in it, Aaron O’Connor headed a free-kick over for the visitors two minutes later and Diamonds further showed their intent when they brought on former Luton trainee and ex-Bedford Town striker Rene Howe.

Rushden had shouts for a penalty against Barnes-Homer for handball turned down on 64 minutes while Gnakpa was crudely chopped down by substitute Michael Corcoran as he looked to burst through on 69 – a terrible challenge that more than deserved the yellow card it received.

Drury’s long-range free-kick was well fielded by Day before Barnes-Homer and Gleeson combined brilliantly on 73 minutes with the right-back eventually drilling into the side-netting.

The third did come with a quarter of an hour to go though. Barnes-Homer’s pass released Crow and Gnakpa developed his touch before rolling home into the far corner.

Town began to play with more abandon and after a flowing move had been ended by the linesman Drury stroked an effort straight at Day.

The visitors continued to push and almost pulled one back on 84 minutes when Town struggled to clear a corner and Justin Miller’s shot was cleared off the line.

Power saw a piledriver fly just wide seconds later before Keith Keane’s sumptuous pass almost set Barnes-Homer up for his hat-trick but his drive was parried away by Day.

Diamonds captain Jamie Stuart thumped a late header just wide before Town rolled the changes in the closing stages as they eased to a well deserved victory.

Hatters (4-4-2): Mark Tyler, Dan Gleeson, Keith Keane, George Pilkington (C), Amari Morgan-Smith (Godfrey Poku 90+2), Matthew Barnes-Homer, Andy Drury, Zdenek Kroca, Jakes Howells, Claude Gnakpa (Alex Lawless 90+1), Danny Crow (Jason Walker 89). Substitutes not used: Craig Hinton, Ed Asafu-Adjaye.

Diamonds (4-4-2): Joe Day, Justin Miller, Jamie Stuart (C), Curtis Osano, Aaron O’Connor, Alan Power, Sam Smith (Rene Howe 58), Matt Johnson (Aaron King 75), Ryan Charles, Shane Huke (Michael Corcoran 60), Michael Gash. Substitutes not use: Craig Farrell, Lance Key.

Booked: Johnson, 32; Corcoran, 69.

Referee: T Robinson.

Assistant Referees: P Redmond and D Leach.

Fourth Official: A Aylott.

Attendance: 6,928 (Rushden 279).

Star Hatter: Matthew Barnes-Homer. Goals when Town needed them most.