Shocking Luton are humbled by a humiliating 5-2 thrashing at Mansfield

A quite frankly abysmal performance from Luton saw the Hatters handed what was a truly humiliating and downright disgraceful 5-2 thrashing at the hands of Mansfield this afternoon.

Town had gone into the contest on the back of an excellent defensive showing at Premier League giants Chelsea just a few days earlier in the Carabao Cup, where they managed to keep the likes of England internationals Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers quiet for large periods, earning some real plaudits for their excellent rearguard efforts.

It was then hoped, and almost in fact expected from the near 1,500 visiting fans who made the trip to the One Call Stadium, that they would at least be able to replicate those efforts when taking on a Stags side, who on paper shouldn’t have caused them anywhere near the same amount of concern.

However, boss Jack Wilshere and his players quickly found out that football hasn’t ever been played on paper, as they were dominated from start to finish by their hosts, showing barely an ounce of the desire to keep the ball out of their net that was on display in West London, Mansfield racing into a 3-0 half time lead and then scoring twice more before the hour mark to inflict Luton’s worst defeat since a 5-0 drubbing at Barnsley in November, and their first league reverse since March.

Ahead of kick-off, Jamie Donley, who arrived on a season-long loan from Tottenham Hotspur yesterday afternoon, was immediately named in the starting line-up, along with Jake Richards, Kal Naismith and Izzy Jones, meaning Harrison Ashby, Benny Benagr, Joe Johnson and Gideon Kodua dropped to the bench. The Hatters were put under pressure immediately in what was a nod to what was to come, as having failed to clear their lines, Kyle Knoyle put a decent opportunity over the bar.

The hosts continued to have the better of things, Josh Keeley called on to parry a dangerous cross into the box, before saving an angled attempt from Jon Russell. Town simply didn’t look switched on in the early stages of the contest, Louis Reed breaking into the area, his cross close to rebounding in, before Kasey Palmer threw himself in the way of Liam Thompson’s low shot to deflect it away.

The Jamaican international was involved at the other end in the visitors’ only real chance of the opening 15 minutes, as found by an adventurous burst from Richards, he tried an ambitious and unlikely attempt from 30 yards that was straight at Liam Roberts. Mansfield’s promising start paid off with a deserved opening goal on 17 minutes as a high ball into the box was nodded down by Michael Smith, Russell playing in Nathan Moriah-Walsh to clip home a left-footed shot.

No matter what they tried, Luton just could not get a foothold in the game, the Stags, meanwhile looking a huge threat whenever they ventured forward, Russell in particular, Johnston throwing himself in the way of one low blast, the midfielder also sending in another dinked cross that Jones nipped in to clear.

Emilio Lawrence, who disappointed hugely once more, was almost punished when needlessly giving the ball away midway through the half, as Smith dragged inches wide of the far post after being waved play on. There was no let off for Luton as on 28 minutes, and not for the first time, Palmer lost the ball in midfield, as when his complaints that he’d been fouled fell on deaf ears, Stags were allowed to play on, with that man Moriah-West taking full advantage, arrowing a magnificent angled attempt beyond the flailing Keeley.

All wasn’t lost for Luton, as the situation of the game replicated last season in an almost carbon copy fashion, 2-0 down on 28 minutes, with a player, Russell, scoring twice then, as they had come back to draw 2-2, and really ought to have won. They should have halved the deficit immediately too, Jones getting away on the right and lofting a cross that saw an unmarked Lawrence volley into the ground and wastefully over the bar from around eight yards out.

Despite the Stags dropping off, there was nothing clicking upfront for Luton as any slightly promising moves broke down in and around the area, Mansfield almost getting a third, fortunate that Russell couldn't find the net on this occasion. The Stags were able to celebrate a third goal just before the interval, as Jones gave the ball away trying an unwise trick in his own half, Smith freed to find Moriah-Welsh, whose fierce cross shot was instinctively volleyed in by Reed.

Wilshere responded with a triple substitution at the break, Naismith, Lawrence and Jones all hooked for Benagr, Ashby and Johnson, but it didn’t work at all, Luton shipping a fourth just a minute into the second period when a cross from the left wasn’t cleared and Russell was left completely unmarked to pick his spot, which he did with ease.

Such was the position of strength that Mansfield found themselves in, home boss Nigel Clough could afford to protect his two players already on a booking as Ryan Sweeney and Reed came off for Elliott Hewitt and Frazer Blake-Tracy. Still, Luton made the Stags look like Barcelona when they attacked, as Keeley was picking the ball out of his net for a fifth time on 56 minutes, Mansfield once more barely having to work for their goal, a ball into the box dropping to Russell, who yet again had no-one around him and could just volley in his second.

Palmer almost pulled one back with a piledriver from 20-yards that fizzed inches wide of the top corner with Roberts beaten, Town throwing on Wells and Kodua, but it mattered little at this point, Jake Richards’ hopeful 30-yarder being just that. As spaces started to open up, Luton then won a penalty with 12 minutes left, when Wells got the wrong side of Knoyle and went to ground, dusting himself down to slot into the bottom corner and score his third of the campaign.

Luton aimed for a second consolation moments later, as Walsh’s deep free kick was met by Odoffion to put his header straight at Roberts. They did bag another in stoppage time, a loose ball smashed home by Wells, who could at least leave with some credit in the bank on a personal level, making the overall scoreline, if not the performance, slightly less embarrassing.

Luke Bolton dragged wide as Mansfield sensed a sixth, but the Hatters were finally put out of their misery by referee Richard Eley, and will need to muster some real reserves of energy to bounce back themselves and produce a performance worthy of a side aiming to win promotion this term, against Stockport County on Wednesday night.

Stags: Liam Roberts, Kyle Knoyle (Luke Bolton 85), Stephen McLaughlin, Ryan Sweeney (C (Frazer Blake-Tracy 53), Jon Russell (David McGoldrick 68), Michael Smith (Rhys Oates 68), Liam Thompson, Nathan Moriah-Welsh, Deji Oshilaja, Regan Hendry, Louis Reed (Elliot Hewitt 53). Subs not used: Lucas Akins, Owen Dodgson.

Hatters: Josh Keeley, Izzy Jones (Harrison Ashby 46), Kal Naismith (C Joe Johnson 46), Hakeem Odoffin, George Johnston, Liam Walsh, Kasey Palmer, Jamie Donley (Gideon Kodua 62), Jake Richards, Emilio Lawrence (Benny Benar 46), Callum Marshall (Nahki Wells 62). Subs not used: James Shea, Mads Andersen. Referee: Richard Eley. Booked: Reed 8, Jones 26, Sweeney 45, Kodua 63, Knoyle 77, Hendry 90. Attendance: 8,754 (1,454 Hatters).