Late Christmas presents handed out at Kenilworth Road as Luton thrash woeful Wycombe

Luton Town easily racked up their biggest victory of the season as they hammered a woeful Wycombe Wanderers side 4-0 at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

It was a much-needed success for the Hatters, who had drawn their last two league games on home soil, meaning manager Jack Wilshere was able to watch his team end their four game winless run in style, closing the gap on the play-offs to three points, as they also importantly moved into a plus goal difference as well.

The hosts made one change from the 3-2 defeat against Reading before Christmas, academy graduate Joe Johnson coming in for his first league start this term with Kal Naismith out injured, while Hakeem Odoffin was fit enough for the bench. It wasn’t long before the rout started either, Town taking the lead with a goal of such implicity after just seven minutes, Teden Mengi finding Liam Walsh, who was able to play a wonderful midfield-splitting pass to Lamine Fanne.

He turned and charged forward, playing in Gideon Kodua to his right, the attacker cracking a low shot goalwards that visiting keeper Will Norris made a complete hash of, parrying into his net for the attacker’s fifth league goal of the season. The Hatters went close soon afterwards too, another patient move involving Walsh once more, his ball finding Kodua, the attacker, who was on loan at the Chairboys last term, delivering a cross that Cohen Bramall headed narrowly wide.

Wycombe offered little in the final third early on, although Sam Bell did escape on the left, his cross-shot parried by Keeley. It was the visiting keeper called into action on 18 minutes though when Nahki Wells’ cross-shot was left by Jordan Clark, Norris able to spread himself to prevent it tamely crossing the line. Walsh, who continued to be the architect of the hosts’ best moments, was soon at it again, another sublime crossfield pass to the feet of Kodua, who was able to come off his flank and have a go on his left foot this time, only narrowly missing the top corner

Just before the half hour, skipper Clark produced a moment of magic to spin away from his man and send Wells on his way, the forward showing some real positivity to transfer the ball on to his left foot and shoot goalwards, Norris getting down to push behind for a corner. With 33 gone, Town were unluckily denied a second goal when Walsh’s corner was played back to Fanne by Wells, his low shot beating Norris but not Dan Casey stationed on the line, as the ball hit the post with the defender able to hack the rebound away.

Luton continued to have the better of proceedings as they attacked with urgency from a Wanderers corner, Wells doing well to nip in and get the move going, finding Kodua who then crossed for Walsh, his volley deflected behind for a corner. Town had yet another chance just before the break too when they won a free kick which Walsh, who was Town's best performer in the opening 45 minutes, cleverly dinked a pass to Clark, his audacious volley landing harmlessly in the away fans.

The main concern was the Hatters weren’t able to get the second goal their play fully deserved, but that all changed on 44 minutes, the Chairboys defence gift-wrapping an opportunity for Kodua, as Anders Hagelskjaer got himself in a muddle, his backpass eluding Norris, allowing Kodua to steal in and walk the ball over the line to double his and the hosts’ tally.

With Luton needing a repeat of their opening 45 minutes to seal a good start to what is a hectic festive period, it came under the slightest of pressure in the early stages of the second period, Wycombe finally demonstrating some intent, Mengi and Mads Andersen standing firm to prevent Junior Quitirna from pulling one back.

Town might have had a third when some more impressive vision from Walsh saw Bramall’s cross headed out to Fanne who lashed over from 20 yards, but all the Chairboys could offer from their tiny bit of ascendancy was a Luke Leahy free kick that didn’t test Keeley. Having brought on George Saville and Jerry Yates, Luton then ensured there was no comeback on 70 minutes when Kodua turned provider on this occasion.

He got at his man on the right and produced a cross that saw Yates challenge Norris, the ball hitting Jack Grimmer before dropping to Clark who gratefully smashed home on his left foot from eight yards out. It didn’t stop there though, the Wycombe defence continuing to hand out some late Christmas presents, as Taylor Allen’s pass was straight to replacement Shayden Morris, who took a touch to get into the box before slotting into the net, Norris diving out of the way to allow the Hatters to rack up a fourth.

Late on, Wycombe finally mustered their only shot on target when Grimes headed straight at Keeley, before Kodua, who had been desperate to complete his hat-trick, had a pop, arrowing over the bar, as Town will be hoping that their next opponents Leyton Orient are just as charitable when they head to Bedfordshire on Monday.

Hatters: Josh Keeley, Nigel Lonwijk, Teden Mengi (Hakeem Odoffin 76), Mads Andersen, Joe Johnson, Liam Walsh, Lamine Fanne (George Saville 68), Jordan Clark (Zack Nelson 84), Gideon Kodua, Nahki Wells (Jerry Yates 68), Cohen Bramall (Shayden Morris 76). Subs not used: James Shea, Jacob Brown.

Chairboys: Will Norris, Jack Grimmer ©, Daniel Harvie, Junior Quitirna (Taylor Allen 75), Luke Leahy (Caolan Boyd-Munce 75), Sam Bell, Dan Casey, Ewan Henderson (Jamie Mullins 87), Magnus Westergaard (Alex Lowry 58), Fred Onyedinma (Niall Huggins 87), Anders Hagelskjaer. Subs not used: Mikki van Sas, Connor Taylor. Booked: Westergaard 42. Referee: Dean Whitestone. Attendance: 11,596 (1,092 Chairboys).