Same old story for Luton as Wilshere begins Town reign with miserable defeat to Mansfield

Jack Wilshere saw his start to life as Luton manager get off to the worst possible start as they were beaten 2-0 at home by Mansfield this afternoon.

With high hopes that the appointment of the ex-England and Arsenal star would lead to an instant upturn in performances, after a vociferous introduction for the new Hatters’ chief, then it was just a case of more of the same as a devoid of confidence home side turned in yet another woeful offering, particularly in the second period, when they failed to barely land a glove on their opponents, who could see out victory in the easiest of fashions.

In fact, Wilshere should have seen his new team behind after just three minutes, when the visitors found Tyler Roberts completely free in the box, but his shot was too close to Josh Keeley, who made an important block with his legs. Roberts looked the game’s stand-out player in the early stages as the Stags, who went into the game with just one victory in their last six league outings, appeared the slicker of the two sides, finding Nathan Moriah-Welsh to whizzed an attempt wide of the target.

It took Luton a good 18 minutes to finally mount some pressure of their own, Jordan Clark freed in the area as his goalbound shot deflected behind off Adedeji Oshilaja, with George Saville’s corner met by Milli Alli who got his downward header all wrong, eventually diverting the loose ball over too. Alli might have done better when Mads Andersen’s snapshot fell in his path, while Wells tried his luck from 25 yards midway through the half, but it bounced up easily for Liam Roberts.

With 27 minutes gone, Luton crafted easily their best move of the contest, a crisp passing move involving Naismith, Saville and Wells freeing Christ Makosso on the right, whose cross was met first time by Gideon Kodua only to ripple the side-netting. The hosts went on to have their best and only real spell of dominance in the fixture, as just after the half hour they looked to have broken the deadlock when Clark was once more picked out in the area, his curler appearing destined for the top corner only to see Roberts make an absolutely stunning save, finger-tipping on to the post as it rebounded to safety.

Luton then had another brilliant chance to move ahead 60 seconds later, Clark burrowing his way into the box where he was fouled by Kyle Knoyle for a spotkick that saw Wells rather than Kodua set up, but for the second game home game running the striker failed to find the net, going for power, but putting it too close to Roberts, who was able to grab the loose ball too.

Wells then completed a first half to forget on 40 minutes as he gave the ball away just inside his half which saw Rhys Oates pick up possession, cut onto his left foot and then curl beautifully inside Keeley’s far post to put the Stags in front. The visitors should have doubled their lead in first half stoppage time, Roberts once more breaking away on the left and picking out Will Evans in splendid isolation who slammed over the bar from just eight yards.

After the break, Town were fortunate to not concede a second just five minutes in when that man Roberts did superbly to beat Keeley from a tight angle only to see his effort clip the bar. Luton should have been facing a spotkick of their own on 55 minutes, Alli clearly fouling Roberts only for referee Ross Joyce, who had the perfect view, to somehow wave the appeals away.

However, they did have a penalty with 59 gone, when a free kick was swung into the box and deflected against the outstretched hand of Andersen, Roberts showed how it was done, comfortably sending Keeley the wrong way to make it 2-0. Wilshere responded with a double substitution, Wells getting some sarcastic cheers as he made way, Lamine Fanne off too, Jerry Yates and Zack Nelson introduced.

Clark slammed over on 64 minutes, but Town could just not get going at all in the final third, as their battered confidence prevented them from ever really testing Roberts once more, playing far too slowly, putting passes out of play again and again, as Milli Alli in particular was one of the main culprits, his end product simply not good enough at times, getting the better of his defender and then cutting the ball back to an opposition player.

The one time he did pick out his man with seven minutes left, Nelson got it all wrong, shooting over from inside the box, allowing a Stags side to easily keep their first clean sheet away from Field Mill in the league this season with alarming ease, as for what seems like the umpteenth time this campaign, Town’s players found themselves booed off after the final whistle.

Hatters: Josh Keeley, Christ Makosso, Teden Mengi (Lasse Nordas 80), Mads Andersen, Kal Naismith ©, George Saville, Jordan Clark, Lamine Fanne (Zack Nelson 60), Milli Alli, Gideon Kodua (Cohen Bramall 72), Nahki Wells (Jerry Yates 60). Subs not used: James Shea, Marvelous Nakamba, Jake Richards.

Stags: Liam Roberts, Kyle Knoyle, Stephen McLaughlin ©, Aaron Lewis, Will Evans (Jordan Bowery 75), Jamie McDonnell, Rhys Oates (Joe Gardner 68), Frazer Blake-Tracy (Ryan Sweeney 85), Nathan Moriah-Welsh (Max Dickov 85), Adadeji Oshilaja, Tyler Roberts (Regan Hendry 68). Subs not used: Owen Mason, Dom Dwyer. Referee: Ross Joyce. Attendance: 11,783 (1,308 Stags).