Happy Hatters bounce back with Lincoln triumph

David Martin cashed in with a brace, but was denied a hat-trick by some dodgy refereeing, while the lively Andre Gray also notched in a comprehensive victory for the Hatters.

Town made five changes to the team that were humbled at the weekend. The fit-again Alex Lawless, Jon Shaw, Matt Robinson, Ronnie Henry and Scott Griffiths all started as Steve McNulty retained the captaincy despite the return of Henry.

The Imps had their first effort inside 15 seconds as Mamadou Fofana’s long-range effort was spilled by Dean Brill but grasped at the second attempt, while Jamie Taylor’s swerving drive forced the keeper into a flying save.

Martin battled his way clear in the box on nine minutes but fired a great chance over, while Matt Robinson flashed well wide three minutes later.

Luton looked to have taken the lead on 13 minutes when a superb reverse pass by Lawless released Gray on the right and his square ball was put through Paul Farman’s legs by Martin, only to see it ruled out for offside.

Town were in front on 41 minutes though as a half-cleared corner ran to Martin and he powered an unstoppable howitzer in off the post from the edge of the area.

It was 2-0 two minutes later when Gray raced on to Jonathan Smith’s lobbed through ball and rounded Farman before sliding home.

An audacious effort from Shaw flew just wide at the start of the second half but Lincoln still carried a threat as Jake Sheridan jinked through and curled too close to Brill.

Controversy reigned two minutes later when referee Rob Whitton got himself in a real muddle.

Gray supplied a superb cross for Martin to hammer home at the far post as Lawless and Andrew Boyce clashed off the ball.

Whitton proceeded to rule the goal out and book both players before bizarrely restarting with an uncontested drop-ball.

But Luton did have their third on 72 minutes when McNulty’s quick-thinking released Gray with a slide-rule free-kick and Town’s top scorer squared perfectly for Martin to side-foot home.

A weak punch by Brill resulted in Sheridan seeing his shot deflected over, while he then had to paw away Nat Brown’s header.

Simon Ainge, impressing at his preferred position of centre-half, had to be alert to clear Brown’s header off the line on 81 minutes, before substitute Wall fired in a cross-shot well held by Farman.

Substitute Alex Rendell and Gray combined well late on as Gray was twice denied in a matter of seconds by Farman before Rendell saw his drive deflected just wide.

A late effort from Wall was straight at the keeper before burgeoning Robinson shanked wide as Town eased to the most straightforward of victories.

Hatters (4-3-3): Dean Brill, Steve McNulty (C), Alex Lawless (Scott Rendell 76), Jon Shaw (Alex Wall 82), Simon Ainge, David Martin, Matt Robinson, Jonathan Smith, Ronnie Henry, Andre Gray (Dan Walker 90+2), Scott Griffiths.

Substitutes not used: Lathaniel Rowe-Turner, Ben McFarlane-Barnes.

Imps (4-3-3): Paul Farman, Todd Jordan (Alan Power 56), Andrew Boyce, Jamie Taylor (Gomez Dali 76), Jake Sheridan, Dan Gray, Tom Miller, Craig Hobson (Vadaine Oliver 67), Nat Brown (C), Paul Turnbull, Mamdou Fofana. Substitutes not used: Scott Garner, David Preece.

Booked: Boyce 66; Lawless 66.

Referee: Rob Whitton.

Assistant Referees: A Piggott and M Eva.

Fourth Official: A Neil.

Attendance: 5,393 (173 Lincoln).

Star Hatter: David Martin. Lively throughout, scored two fine goals and desperately unlucky not to register his first Hatters hat-trick.