Banton and McKenzie-Lowe net hat-tricks as Hatters win 12-goal thriller

Hat-tricks from burgeoning young Hatters strikers Jemale McKenzie-Lowe and Zane Banton helped inspire Luton to an incredible 7-5 victory against AFC Dunstable at Creasey Park this evening, writes Mark Wood.

A 12-goal thriller culminated with eight second half goals as Town did just enough to see off gutsy AFC in the first round of the Bedfordshire Senior Cup to progress to the quarter-finals where they will go to Leighton Town.

Former Portugal U19 international David Viana netted Town’s other goal, but managerless AFC showed real heart as they never gave up, replying through a BJ Christie double alongside goals from Craig Butler, James Bishop and Hayden Wills.

The Hatters named a side of real mixed ability for this evening’s tie with experienced heads like JJ O’Donnell, Matt Robinson and Solomon Taiwo, joined by trialist Jide Maduako and young starlets such as Banton.

Viana showed his ability on eight minutes with a lovely piece of skill to release Brett Longden but McKenzie-Lowe couldn’t direct his header.

Luton looked to play some lovely passing football and should have taken the lead on 13 minutes.

Longden’s pass released Banton into the box and his clever backheel was perfect for Robinson, but he could only hit the bar when he should have scored.

McKenzie-Lowe almost capitalised on Wayne Mills’ underhit backpass on 25 minutes but keeper Ryan Darby was able to clear, before the home side took the lead out of the blue two minutes later when Butler’s deflected effort crept inside Ben Barnes’ near post.

But that lead barely lasted a moment as Town levelled after half an hour when the ball broke to Banton 30 yards out and burst forward before burying his shot into the bottom left hand corner from the edge of the box.

And seconds late Luton were ahead when Charlie Smith’s long pass released McKenzie-Lowe and he buried an unerring strike past Darby.

On a high the Hatters missed a great chance to make it 3-1 soon after when Robinson’s canny pass released McKenzie-Lowe into the area and he flashed wide when he should have hit the target.

In complete control, the third did arrive on 36 minutes when Smith battled for the ball on the edge of the area and teed up Banton whose fierce drive went through Darby’s meek effort to save.

Town were proving far too good for their Molten Spartan SML Premier Division opponents and began to really turn it on before the end of the half with some delightful football.

And in injury time O’Donnell and Smith linked well on the left with Town’s former St Albans man firing wastefully over.

Arel Amu replaced O’Donnell at the break and almost made an instant impact as he drove forward but dragged wide.

Viana let fly with a wayward effort before AFC got themselves right back in it with their second five minutes in when Christie skinned Zak Stephens and his cross was netted with a diving header by Bishop.

Two minutes later the hosts should have levelled when star striker Christie again broke clear but he tried to square it and Barnes was able to grab it when he should have taken a shy at goal.

Gareth Harnaman drilled well over for the home side, while Banton flicked Amu through on 57 minutes but, one-on-one with the keeper, his effort ran agonisingly wide of the far post.

Wasteful Luton spurned another chance as Maduako’s long pass forward released Viana and he then turned Courtney Massey inside out before squaring for McKenzie-Lowe who skewed wide.

But Town did get a fourth moments later when Smith’s first time pass released McKenzie-Lowe and he stabbed through another questionable Darby effort to save on 65 minutes.

And just two minutes later McKenzie-Lowe completed his hat-trick when Taiwo’s fine crossfield pass found Longden and his astute cross was swept home from point-blank range and into the gaping net by the young striker.

Banton saw an effort deflected just wide and Taiwo drilled over from range before Banton too completed his treble on 70 minutes when Robinson slipped him through and he slid under Darby to make it 6-2.

Good work by Banton saw him find Viana and his low drive was well saved by the keeper before AFC got their third with 15 minutes to go when Christie drilled in a left-footed effort past the despairing Barnes.

An incredible evening of goalscoring continued as the Hatters scored their seventh five minutes later. Viana won the ball from Massey as he tried to clear and cut into the box before firing in off Darby’s near post.

Controversy ensued moments later when Christie raced through with sub Tinashe Chabata chasing him into the box. The youngster dived in with a last-gasp challenge as he sent Christie tumbling. However, the referee took a lenient view as he chose to just book the youngster as Christie fired the penalty home straight down the middle.

Incredibly the game took another twist as AFC grabbed their fifth seconds later when Christie again powered his way down the left and squared for Wills to fire home the hosts’ fifth and narrow the gap to just two goals.

That goal helped to set up a grandstand finish and the Dunstable side were denied a sixth with three minutes to go when Christie raced on to another long ball over the top, but this time Barnes was on hand to save.

However, there was to be no late drama as Town saw out the remaining minutes to win through to the quarter-finals.

AFC: 1 Ryan Darby, 2 Courtney Massey, 3 George Higley, 4 Jack Lauder, 5 James Baldry (C), 6 Gareth Harnaman (12 Anthony Leslie 66), 7 Wayne Mills (16 Hayden Wills 37), 8 Craig Butler (14 Dale Turney 41), 9 BJ Christie, 10 James Bishop, 11, Connor Smith. Substitutes: 15 Carl Ibbotson, 17 Dan Ryan.

Hatters: 1 Ben Barnes, 2 Brett Longden, 3 JJ O’Donnell (15 Arel Amu 46), 4 Zak Stephens (13 Tinashe Chabata 73), 5 Jide Maduako, 6 Matt Robinson, 7 David Viana, 8 Solomon Taiwo (C, 14 Ian Rees 88), 9 Zane Banton, 10 Jemale McKenzie-Lowe, 11 Charlies Smith. Substitutes: 12 Luke Trotman, 16 Craig King.

Referee: John Panconi.

Booked: Chabata 83.

Attendance: 364.

Star Hatter: Zane Banton. Young striker looks like he has a big future ahead of him.