HATTERS’ HYLTON HITS A HAT-TRICK
Luton go back top thanks to rout
NATHAN JONES saw his side climb back to the top of League Two and proclaimed the emphatic victory that saw them do so as the best yet under his leadership.
Striker Danny Hylton’s hat-trick put Wycombe to the sword. The 27-year-old scored two from close range and added a late penalty, with Jordan Cook adding a fourth on the break in the final minute.
Wycombe did pull a goal back just after the hour mark through Matt Bloomfield, but there was little dampening Jones’s mood.
“It was an excellent team performance, the best performance since I’ve been here,” Jones said. “We were excellent and we came right out of the blocks and were scintillating at times.
“We got the goal, missed the penalty but still should have been out of sight by half-time. That can come back and haunt you but it didn’t.
“We were wonderful around the box and caused them all sorts of problems. When they came out and attacked us we were devastating on the break. We need our wide men to create chances and when that happens Danny will score and I couldn’t be happier.”
Wycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth made four changes as he tried to find a winning formula, but they had little effect as Luton set the tone from the first whistle.
The opening goal came after just ten minutes as Pelly Ruddock popped up on the right wing and nutmegged Sido Jombati before his cross was met at the near post by Hylton’s glancing header.
Luton continued to pile on the pressure and were awarded a penalty as Cook burst into the box and Stephen McGinn brought him down. Cameron McGeehan stepped up but his weak effort was well saved by Blackman.
The Hatters were almost made to pay for their wastefulness in front of goal as Wycombe fashioned a rare chance at the other end and Christian Walton pushed Bloomfield’s low drive round the post. But Luton continued to dominate after the break and Jombati was forced to clear off his own line as first Jack Marriott and then McGeehan put efforts on target from close range.
It was only a matter of time before the home side made their pressure count and when Blackman could only parry McGeehan’s shot it was Hylton who was on hand to provide a simple finish into an empty net.
The two-goal lead only lasted seven minutes as Bloomfield latched onto Paul Hayes’ flick on andfired past Walton with a fierce, low shot.
The goal galvanised the visitors who enjoyed their best spell of the game. Substitute Garry Thompson came closest to levelling as he barged past Dan Potts and stung Walton’s hands with powerful shot.
It was a brief respite though as Will De Havilland was punished for dragging Hylton back in the box and the striker completed his hat-trick from 12 yards with two minutes left. And Cook completed the rout in the final minute with a calm, low finish.
Ainsworth said: “That’s why Luton Town are where they are. I think we have just seen the champions and that is as good a performance as I’ve seen in League Two.
“The first 20 minutes there was only one team in it, they were far better than us and carved out a number of chances. Once we locked onto them we did OK and created some chances of our own.
“Second half the early goal was a sucker punch but after that it felt like a cup tie and when we got a goal back I thought it was only a matter of time until we equalised. The second penalty was another sucker punch and if the ref got it right then it was poor defending.”