Hatters U18s claim fine Orient victory

L12-097 LTFC v Hinckley in the FA Trophy at Kenilworth Road, Luton. Luton won 3:0.
Mark Wood
JR 4
23.1.12
Charlie SmithL12-097 LTFC v Hinckley in the FA Trophy at Kenilworth Road, Luton. Luton won 3:0.
Mark Wood
JR 4
23.1.12
Charlie Smith
L12-097 LTFC v Hinckley in the FA Trophy at Kenilworth Road, Luton. Luton won 3:0. Mark Wood JR 4 23.1.12 Charlie Smith
Luton Town’s U18s continued their winning start to the season with a fine 3-1 victory against Leyton Orient Youth at Woodford Green in their second game Youth Alliance match of the campaign on Saturday morning.

Injuries to Lee Hawkes and Ben Crilley meant Harry Tamplin returned and Isaac Galliford switched to left-back, while Osamu Allman took over Galliford’s more advanced role as Town made just two changes to the winning line-up from their opening game of the season at Dagenham.

As with the opening game, the Hatters opened up a 2-0 lead by the half hour mark.

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Ian Rees opened the scoring in the 21st minute when he finished from close range from a Charlie Smith corner.

The Hatters were good value for their lead as the home keeper had been forced into three smart saves in the early exchanges prior to the goal - a run and strike from Allman being the best of these.

A second followed on 31 minutes when Zane Banton controlled the ball well on the edge of the box and fired home into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

Orient came out for the second half fired up and Andy Edwards deservedly pulled a goal back on the hour mark following a penalty for handball.

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Tuki Tayali and Daril Ngwala immediately replaced Allman and Jemale McKenzie-Lowe and Ngwala almost got on to a through ball within a minute, but the pass just eluded him.

Ngwala then burst through and was clear on goal and about to score when he was pulled to the ground by an Orient defender who was sent off and a penalty awarded, which Smith duly converted to restore Town’s two-goal cushion.

The Hatters saw out the final quarter of the game without further problems to record a good with Portsmouth due to visit Ely Way on Saturday.

Coach Paul Driver added: “This was a good win against a determined Orient side who fought hard for the whole 90 minutes and made it difficult for us even when we were two in front and they were down to 10 men.

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“I thought Charlie Smith was excellent in the first half particularly, and Zane’s finish showed just how far he’s progressed.

“It’s great for me as the coach to be able to bring two first years on in Tuki and Daril and have such a positive effect on the team - next week’s team selection will take some thinking about!

“We can now go into the game with Portsmouth next week buoyed on by two good wins and hopefully get the win to keep this good early run up.”

Hatters: Barnes, Trottman, Galliford (Perry 85), Tamplin, Rees, Chabata, Amu, Smith (C), McKenzie-Lowe (Tayali), Banton, Allman (Ngwala). Substitutes not used: King, Amadi.

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