Hot Hatters roast City in the sun

Cambridge City 0 (0) Luton Town 4 (2)

A GLORIOUS afternoon at Milton Road for the Hatters saw them score twice in each half to secure a comprehensive victory over the Lilywhites, writes Mark Wood.

Promising youngsters Adam Watkins opened the scoring with a close-range strike before Curtis Osano doubled their lead before the break with a virtuoso goal.

Town took their time to get going in the second half but capped off a fine afternoon with a brace from substitute Aaron O’Connor.

The Hatters named a very strong side for the trip to Evo-Stik Premier outfit Cambridge Citythis afternoon. Fresh from signing a new six-month contract with the Hatters, Osano started alongside trialist strikers Leon McKenize and Nathan Elder, while fellow new signing and former trialist Will Antwi was named on the bench.

Town made a good start, creating a number of chances in the first 10 minutes.

Keith Keane’s pass released McKenzie and his ball picked out Elder, but the target man’s effort was right at former Hatter Zac Barrett in the City goal.

Elder then produced a barnstorming run and his wayward ball to the far post eventually fell for James Dance whose low effort was deflected upwards before being headed away.

Former Shrewsbury man Elder was again at the centre of the action when lively youngster Watkins stood the ball up to the far post but Elder was unable to direct his header.

Barrett was the far busier of the two keepers and was forced into a smart save when he was made to turn McKenzie’s effort from the edge of the box round the post.

At the other end Luke Robbins’ 11th-minute effort sailed harmlessly wide before Luton deservedly took the lead on six minutes later.

Keane’s brilliant crossfield ball was seized on by Dance and he waltzed past his man before squaring for Watkins to sweep home confidently from six yards out.

On a scorching hot day the Hatters were in complete control and should have made it two on 32 minutes when Watkins and Dance combined wonderfully in the box only for the diminutive midfielder to miskick at the vital moment.

An opportunistic effort by Craig Hammond drifted well over, while the promising Dance also showed his moves before unleashing a deflected shot into Barrett’s midriff.

Lee Clift then beat Amari Morgan-Smith on the right and, at full-stretch, Mark Tyler could only fumble the ball and Dean Beckwith was just able to clear with players lining up to score.

Robbins’ curler was easily snared by Tyler with four minutes to go before Luton brilliantly doubled their lead seconds later.

Osano raced through from the halfway line before rifling an unstoppable effort past the unflinching Barrett from 25 yards.

Lilywhites’ Dave Theobald sent a thumping header just over in the opening moments of the second half, while substitute Dubi Ogbonna venomous volley was deflected wide of the mark.

Joey Abbs curled a well-placed free-kick over the bar before the hosts were desperately unlucky not to pull one back when Ogbonna’s rocket from the most acute of angles beat Tyler all ends up as it thudded off the crossbar, down and out.

Having made four substitutions at the break Luton had struggled to get into the game in the second half, but only a fine stop from Barrett denied Elder making it three on the hour when he connected with Dance’s searching cross only to be met with an even better stop from the former Luton man.

Morgan-Smith tried his luck from range, a deep cross from Ed Asafu-Adjaye had to be palmed out from under the bar by Barrett while Dance’s header ran just wide.

However, Town’s third did duly arrive with 11 minutes to go when Dance fed the ball into the path of O’Connor who exchanged passes with Danny Crow on the edge of the box before squeezing a left-foot shot inside the far post.

The Lilywhites looked to hit back but Hammond’s header from a corner was cleared off the line by Asafu-Adjaye.

Town though continued to press with substitute Robbie Willmott’s daisycutter flashing wide, Crow’s chip drifting over and Alex Lawless’ drive flashing wide of the mark.

And Luton capped off a great afternoon when Dance slid O’Connor through in the last minute who buried the ball past Barrett from close to the byline.

Lilywhites: Zac Barrett (C), Liam Nicell, Declan Rogers (Scott Patterson 73), Dave Theobold, Jordan Lambert, Joey Abbs (Chris Lyndsay 73), Lewis Trimmer (Miles Smith 46), Robbie Nightingale (Vinnie Shrieves 83), Craig Hammond (George Darling 83), Lee Clift (Dubi Ogbonna 46), Luke Robbins (Ben Sawyer 83).

Hatters: Mark Tyler, Curtis Osano, Ed Asafu-Adjaye, Keith Keane (Alex Lawless 46), Dean Beckwith (Will Antwi 46), Alex Lacey, James Dance, Adam Watkins (Jake Howells 46), Nathan Elder (Aaron O’Connor 65), Leon McKenzie (Danny Crow 46), Amari Morgan-Smith (Robbie Willmott 73). Substitutes not used: Kevin Pilkington.

Referee: Stuart Pawley.

Assistant Referees: Nigel Phillips and Martyn Holmes.

Attendance: 294.

Star Hatter: Curtis Osano. Put in a good shift and scored a wonder goal.