Luton Vs Mansfield

[AdamStag]

Terrific victory that, and one that I didn't expect at half time. The opening 30 was even enough however after a diabolical bit of defending allowing Hemmings to put Mansfield 1-0 up, we were all over the place and lucky not to go further behind.

Second half we made Mansfield look pretty ordinary. We stepped it up a level; something we always seem to need to do after falling behind after poor defending.

The play from Pelly Ruddock was an excellent bit of play, pulling it across for Collins to score his 20th of the season.

Then we got some luck - there was a clear foul around the centre circle, which the referee allowed to carry on, only for a Luton to get a foul of their own around 35 yards from goal. It was a pretty poor free kick from Sheehan; not hit with a massive amount of pace although it bounced in front of Logan who then spilled it for Rea to slot home.

After than Mansfield tried to pile on some pressure, but they didn't create anything that you could call a chance.

Glen Rea's goal was Luton's 100th of the season.

Pretty accurate that kenny.

Despite my mockings of Luton, you've done what you needed to do with a good manager. You deserve promotion and good luck in division 1.

In short, you're doing what we've failed to do so very, very miserably.

 

[Maple Hatter]

Really was a tale of two halves. The first typified how we have played of late. Nervousness and lack of confidence with little idea how to take the game to Mansfield. We had a number of half chances but just didn't look like scoring. The Cuthbert error summed up our defensive play. A long punt which should have been dealt with but Cuthbert was wrongly placed and lost his man. A goal we should never have conceded which also gave Mansfield some confidence. I couldn't see us getting the win with that style of play so NJ had to change our shape and get more urgency into our game. Suddenly we started to see the Luton Town of old who looked hungry and eager to get forward. Brilliant run and cross by Pelly for the first goal and Rea was the first to respond to a hard hit shot which their keeper couldn't hold. Could have got at least one more and while we dominated the second half Mansfield had a great chance at 1-1. So a great win. The relief around KR was immense and the scenes at the end seemed to give everyone at the ground a lift. Pelly MOM today and richly deserved. Thought McCormack had a great game and Collins up front looked a hanful. 77 points and the finishing line in sight. If we play the same way we did in the second half we should do this.

 

[Conker]

Kenny behave, we are ordinary by our own standards.

We don’t need other teams help.

 

[Bosox]

Pelly saved the season.

Fabulous run and cross for the first goal and well deserved man of the match award.

 

[Judge Dredd]

Wow! We're second in the bloody division!!

What more do you want!?

What more do I want, a non-exhaustive list by Judge Dredd (stats accurate as of 2pm today):

1) I would have liked us not to have suffered a 17 point (potentially 23 point if they win games in hand) swing since the turn of 2018 vs a team with a mere fraction of our playing budget

2) I would have liked us to have won more than 1 away game in 2018 (even that one was a scraped 1-0 win against free-falling Grimsby)

3) I would have liked our goal difference since December 27th to have been somewhat better than +1, considering up until December 27th it was +39

4) I would have liked us to look like we had a clue what we were doing in the January window rather than waiting until the last minute to piss a big chunk of money on two players that we didn't really need, one of whom has almost literally not kicked a ball yet and the other who has barely kicked a ball and on those rare occasions has looked desperately ill-suited to our system

5) I would have liked us to have a settled formation and starting XI, injuries permitting, by now.

6) I would have liked us to have a team that are capable of getting results on League Two pitches between the months of December and April rather than a team who only turn up on a summer carpet

7) I would have liked us to show a bit of bottle in big matches every now and then

8) I would have liked us to not keep making the same fucking mistakes we have been making for 2 years now (i.e. inability to defend set pieces, shit ourselves when the pressure is on and concede sloppy goals, pass-pass-pass-pass from left back to right back followed by hoof to no-one).


We've improved under Jones, there is no doubt about that, but then with the budget he has had it would be scandalous if we hadn't quite frankly. The bottom line is we were fairly shit in his first full season for large chunks. We were fairly shit at the start of this season. We hit a golden run of form up until Christmas which put is in what should have been an unassailable position to win the league, but since the turn of the year we have been fairly shit for large chunks. In 2018 we have looked much more like the team of the previous season than the one we did from mid-September until the turn of the year, so the good run looks more like the outlier than the current one to me.

I'm not saying I want Jones sacked, but I would not shed a single tear were he to get poached in the summer based on what I consider to be a largely undeserved reputation in the media. There are huge question marks over him as it stands even if we go on to win promotion at a canter (which we really should do as other than Accrington every other team is massively inconsistent).


I should point out that we played very well today and somewhat addressed my complaint in point 7) as we did indeed show a bit of bottle in that second half performance. But it isn't going to make me forget the preceding months (especially as we very guilty of point 8 again in the first half and nearly paid the price again as a result).

 

[Kenneth E End]

So bloody what? We are going up.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Fuck off lads, You’re going up. We had a 7 point cushion in the play offs 5 games ago and we now sit 8th.

 

[Hatter86]

I've said it once. I've said it twice. I've said it umpteen times. If we go up it will be in spite of our defense. Truly awful defending for their goal, it really was. I was one calling for Cuthbert to be put back in as soon as he was fit however it was entirely his fault today. Very disappointing. Looks like he reinjured his groin and presumably won't be available for the rest of the season. Speaking of which...

I feel like we are falling apart at the seams, fitness wise. Cuthbert gone again, D'ath injured, Berry tragically injured, McCormack only fit enough to place selected games, Cornick back on the bench but not risked, Shinnie out of the squad, assumed injured. We'vegot a big squad sure, but we are losing key players. Hylton still doesn't look right.

But who the fuck cares. Pelly Ruddock-Mpanzu put in the sort of virtuoso performance we got every other game in our promotion season. On a heavy pitch he absolutely beasted it today. In a way the difficult surface played into his hands, hid his technical limitations and emphasised his physical capabilities. If only he had looked right and seen JJ on his own before he was mown down it should have put the game to bed and saved us all 10 excruciating minutes. Yes, these performances have been far too few and far between and on a truer pitch he might have been exposed. But even the most ardent anti Pelly Lutoner (I'm looking at you oakey. 'Mpansy', indeed) cannot deny he was by far our best player today.

Mansfield deserved their lead and, in truth, a draw probably. Although its been a while since a keeping howler went our way. Top work Conrad.

Great result, one step closer. Get well soon Bez.

Up the fucking Town.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

I've said it once. I've said it twice. I've said it umpteen times. If we go up it will be in spite of our defense. Truly awful defending for their goal, it really was. I was one calling for Cuthbert to be put back in as soon as he was fit however it was entirely his fault today. Very disappointing. Looks like he reinjured his groin and presumably won't be available for the rest of the season. Speaking of which...

I feel like we are falling apart at the seams, fitness wise. Cuthbert gone again, D'ath injured, Berry tragically injured, McCormack only fit enough to place selected games, Cornick back on the bench but not risked, Shinnie out of the squad, assumed injured. We'vegot a big squad sure, but we are losing key players. Hylton still doesn't look right.

But who the fuck cares. Pelly Ruddock-Mpanzu put in the sort of virtuoso performance we got every other game in our promotion season. On a heavy pitch he absolutely beasted it today. In a way the difficult surface played into his hands, hid his technical limitations and emphasised his physical capabilities. If only he had looked right and seen JJ on his own before he was mown down it should have put the game to bed and saved us all 10 excruciating minutes. Yes, these performances have been far too few and far between and on a truer pitch he might have been exposed. But even the most ardent anti Pelly Lutoner (I'm looking at you oakey. 'Mpansy', indeed) cannot deny he was by far our best player today.

Mansfield deserved their lead and, in truth, a draw probably. Although its been a while since a keeping howler went our way. Top work Conrad.

Great result, one step closer. Get well soon Bez.

Up the fucking Town.

Something is up with Hylton, he hasn’t looked right since he has been back to be honest. Not sure if it’s my eyes playing tricks on me but he doesn’t run like he used to, looks laboured. He was never quick but he just looks plain slow now.

Agree about Pelly, maybe should have played him on some of these bogs Jones has been going on about!

 

[Maple Hatter]

I've said it once. I've said it twice. I've said it umpteen times. If we go up it will be in spite of our defense. Truly awful defending for their goal, it really was. I was one calling for Cuthbert to be put back in as soon as he was fit however it was entirely his fault today. Very disappointing. Looks like he reinjured his groin and presumably won't be available for the rest of the season. Speaking of which...

I feel like we are falling apart at the seams, fitness wise. Cuthbert gone again, D'ath injured, Berry tragically injured, McCormack only fit enough to place selected games, Cornick back on the bench but not risked, Shinnie out of the squad, assumed injured. We'vegot a big squad sure, but we are losing key players. Hylton still doesn't look right.

But who the fuck cares. Pelly Ruddock-Mpanzu put in the sort of virtuoso performance we got every other game in our promotion season. On a heavy pitch he absolutely beasted it today. In a way the difficult surface played into his hands, hid his technical limitations and emphasised his physical capabilities. If only he had looked right and seen JJ on his own before he was mown down it should have put the game to bed and saved us all 10 excruciating minutes. Yes, these performances have been far too few and far between and on a truer pitch he might have been exposed. But even the most ardent anti Pelly Lutoner (I'm looking at you oakey. 'Mpansy', indeed) cannot deny he was by far our best player today.

Mansfield deserved their lead and, in truth, a draw probably. Although its been a while since a keeping howler went our way. Top work Conrad.

Great result, one step closer. Get well soon Bez.

Up the fucking Town.

Agree with most of that. Thank God we have a big squad because it's clear we have fitness issues with certain players. The fact that we have quality players who can come in and do a job is the reason we should get promoted this season. Pelly for me played in the role that suits him best, that is slightly further up field and using his muscle to make runs which he did for the first goal. Don't think NJ has done him any favours by playing him further back in a more defensive role. Pleased for the lad because he takes a lot of stick. The defence will need to be sorted out in the summer. Far too many errors this season putting our team in a position where they have often had to chase games.
Mansfield are a decent team. I'm sure they aren't out of the promotion race yet. They have some easier fixtures left this season and should make the play offs. I did think however we shaded the game and 2-1 was just about right especially taking our second half performance into consideration.
Not bothered about winning the league. Its all about getting out of league 2 and continuing with our longer term plan to get back to the Championship which I believe is our natural level. Promotion sealed and the green light for Power Court are the two major goals this season. One is withing touching distance and the other in the hands of our beloved local authority. News of which we were promised this month.