HATTERS ON TOP
Midweek round-up, including Luton edging out Portsmouth in thriller
INTERIM manager Mick Harford hailed his gutsy Luton Town troops after they won a thrilling top-of-thetable clash against Portsmouth on Tuesday night.
Striker James Collins (39 & 77 pen) twice gave Luton the lead, but visitors Pompey fought back each time. Ronan Curtis (52) bagged the first and new signing Omar Bogle (79), on loan from Cardiff, notched the second leveller after coming on at half-time to make his debut.
However, midfielder George Moncur, signed earlier this month from Barnsley, endeared himself to the Kenilworth Road faithful by curling a superb free-kick into the bottom corner on 86 minutes to win it for Luton.
The victory extended the table-topping Hatters’ unbeaten run in the league to 17 matches – and their advantage over second-placed Portsmouth, who went down to their third league defeat in a row, to five points.
Some thought Luton would fade once manager Nathan Jones departed for Stoke almost a month ago, but this victory made it ten points from four games under caretaker Harford. The former Luton striker said: “What a performance in the first half – at this level I’ve never seen a performance like that in my career. The game should have been out of sight.
Talented
“Portsmouth hung in there and they’ve come out second half and given us a really good game.
“We know our boys are a talented bunch, but it really showed the character among them today – it shone out.
“I’m absolutely thrilled for George, it’s his first goal for Luton, and overall I thought it was a fair result.”
Experienced Pompey boss Kenny Jackett, who was encouraged by the debut display of forward Bogle, was philosophical.
“There’s a long way to go and we’re disappointed to lose,” he said. “We can’t brush this one under the carpet, but we’re still in the hunt and we have to look forward positively.”
Third-placed Barnsley moved within a point of Pompey after fighting back from 2-0 down to earn a draw at lowly Oxford.
Goals from Josh Ruffels (25) and Jamie Mackie (48) gave the U’s the advantage, but Mamadou Thiam (70) and Kieffer Moore (79) replied for the Tykes. Sixth-placed Peterborough began life under new boss Darren Ferguson with a dramatic draw at Bristol Rovers. Rovers led twice through Tom Nichols (8 pen) and Ollie Clarke (43), but Posh, who dispensed with the services of manager Steve Evans after last weekend’s 0-0 draw against Charlton, showed grit to earn a precious point. Ivan Toney netted their first leveller on 37 minutes and then substitute Joe Ward thumped home a 25-yard rocket in the last minute to make it 2-2. There was an even more exciting finale at Bradford as they edged out Shrewsbury 4-3 – despite Fejiri Okenabirhie netting a hat-trick for the Shrews.
An own goal from Anthony Grant (19) plus efforts from Lewis O’Brien (38) and Eoin Doyle (60) gave Bradford a 3-2 lead approaching full-time after Okenabirhie (28 & 76) struck twice for Shrewsbury.
Incredible
And it looked as though Okenabirhie had earned the visitors a share of the spoils when he converted a penalty three minutes into stoppage time after Paul Caddis had fouled sub Sam Smith.
However, there was still time for the Bantams to win it. In the sixth minute of stoppage time, David Ball surged forward and fired home to seal an incredible victory.
Harry Pritchard netted an 83rd minute penalty leveller as Blackpool drew 2-2 at home against Wycombe. Adebayo Akinfenwa (12) and Joe Jacobson (53) netted for the Chairboys, while Ben Heneghan (50) scored the hosts’ first.
Gillingham and Accrington Stanley played out a goalless draw.