Hylton is simply the best says boss Jones
NATHAN Jones labelled Danny Hylton the best player in League Two after the striker fired Luton into the second round.
Hylton put the Hatters in front from the penalty spot on 11 minutes only for Reuben Reid to equalise six minutes before halftime.
Glen Rea restored Luton’s lead on 71 minutes and Hylton sealed their passage from the spot with his tenth goal of the season.
Hatters boss Jones said: “He gets stick from crowds but I am telling you now, he is the best player in League Two.
“He has been outstanding for us and has got another couple of goals.
“Everyone knows what I think about him, but he is a plonker as well because he keeps getting these silly little bookings.”
Luton were awarded their first penalty of the match when Hylton went down after getting the wrong side of Pierce Sweeney.
The striker cheekily chipped the spot kick down the middle as Jones looked the other way.
Ethan Ampadu came close to becoming Exeter’s youngest-ever FA Cup goalscorer when he let fly with a thunderous 30-yard effort which came back off the post.
But Reid kept his cool to steer home the rebound for his first goal at St James’ Park since he signed for the Grecians in September.
The game went flat after the break but Rea ghosted to the back post to convert Alan Sheehan’s cross.
Luton were reduced to ten men when Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu picked up a second yellow card following a spat with Exeter winger David Wheeler.
But the Hatters wrapped it up after Craig Mackail-Smith went down under a challenge by Troy Archibald-Henville. Hylton made sure as he sent Bobby Olejnik the wrong way from the spot to preserve Luton’s ninegame unbeaten run.
Jones quipped: “I am delighted with the win and it is great to be in the next round. “Now we want to go all the way to the final.
“We were horrific in the first half but stepped it up after the break and deserved to go through.”
Exeter boss Paul Tisdale refused to criticise his players, saying: “I am disappointed to have lost.
“I criticised the team in the last home game for the way they played. But not today.
‘It was 1-1 at half-time despite the fact we had the lion’s share of pressure and possession.
‘It was one of those games, players getting stuck in.”