TAKE YOUR HAT OFF TO THEM
LUTON moved to within three points of League One with a turnaround triumph against Crewe courtesy of worldies from Elliot Lee and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu.
The Hatters could even achieve promotion without kicking a ball on Tuesday if Exeter fail to beat Chesterfield but, either way, their destiny is firmly in their hands.
And they showed a stealthy side to give themselves that platform after falling behind when Alan Sheehan missed the ball, allowing Jordan Bowery to run half the pitch and slot between James Shea’s legs.
The Railwaymen were in front for just four minutes.
Parity was restored when, from a corner, Danny Hylton volleyed in from close range for his 20th league goal of the season.
Flourishing in a slightly deeper number ten role, Lee then made half-time so much happier for the Hatters when he curled in sumptuously via the post.
But Mpanzu outdid his midfield colleague to seal the victory with a supersonic boom that tore into the top corner from 30 yards for his first goal of the campaign.
Talking of his side’s 90th goal of a sharp-shooting season, manager Nathan Jones said: “It was a wonderful strike to seal it and I don’t care how we do it but to do it like we did was wonderful, with two special goals.
“I thought it was wonderful from start to finish.
“Their goal came against the run of play.
“We showed some great character, once again, to come back.
“We scored at a great time and then a wonderful second; it didn’t change my team talk but made it slightly more positive.
“We said: ‘we need to come out and get the next goal’ and we did.
“To win 3-1 in such an important game, at an important stage in the season, is brilliant.”
Though Hylton began the comeback, he was fortunate not to see a second yellow card, immediately after his first, for an off-the-ball incident on 69 minutes.
“It’s petulance,” Jones said.
“He’s a pantomime villain but he’s got to realise that he’s got to help himself.”
Crewe boss David Artell insisted Hylton’s involvement in an earlier incident required a red card.
“It could have been a sending off when the lad’s stood on Ben Garratt’s head but I’m not going to go to refs again,” he said.
“We gave it a right good go against a good team.” However, he was philosophical when assessing his team’s display and happy to concede Crewe had been beaten by the better side. “Luton are a good team – make no bones about it and deserve the promotion that they get,” said Artell. “Their lad scores a worldie – two worldies really – and that’s why they’re at the top.
“We could have got something out of the game.
“We’ve had a decent away record and I never like losing games of football but it’s no shame coming here and it took a great goal.”