CAMERON BREAKS STANLEY HEARTS
THEY may have won by a fortuitous goal but Nathan Jones was immensely proud of his Luton side as they finally overcame the outstanding Accrington goalkeeper Elliot Parish.
Parish made a string of outstanding saves before Cameron McGeehan’s deflected shot 15 minutes from time gave Luton victory.
It was a win that saw the Hatters extend their unbeaten league run to eight matches, despite having Jordan Cook sent off in the closing stages.
“I’m proud of my team and my club,” said Jones.
“The first half was a bit disjointed. We didn’t really have any fluency. We had the best chances and we could have been one or two up comfortably.
“But second half, we asked them for a performance and they gave it to us. The crowd stayed with us as well. If we’d won by three or four, I don’t think anyone would have had any complaints because we dug out that many chances.
“We kept going and we got there. We really had to work for it because this is a good Accrington side.”
Luton dominated throughout and created the first chance after eight minutes.
Alex Gilliead’s rasping 25-yard strike was well saved by Parish. Danny Hylton’s sublime back heel then set up McGeehan, who saw his shot smash against the outside of the post. On 38 minutes, Parish produced a sensational double save, first denying Glen Rea from point-blank range before recovering brilliantly to deny Jack Marriott.
The Hatters struck the woodwork again midway through the second half when Alan Sheehan’s 20yard free-kick hit the underside of the crossbar.
Parish was finally beaten on 75 minutes though. The ball fell to McGeehan, whose deflected shot inside the box looped beyond the keeper and into the top corner.
Stanley were given a lifeline on 83 minutes, when Luton’s Jordan Cook was sent off for a second bookable offence.
But Hatters keeper Christian Walton himself produced some heroics, saving superbly from Romuald Boco before stopping McGeehan putting into his own net in stoppage time.
Stanley boss John Coleman said: “It was typical that it was a fluke that’s won it.
“He’s kicked the ball into the ground and it bobbled over us. There’s nothing you can do about that.
“Our keeper has made three or four really good saves, but if we give them five chances, and have to rely on our keeper to save four of them, then we don’t deserve to win the game.
“On the balance of play, I don’t think there was anything between the two sides.
“We quietened the crowd and had a lot of possession, but then Luton had a purple patch for five minutes where they scored. But on the balance of chances, Luton probably deserved to win.”