Hatters flying after smashing five past 10-man Sandgrounders

RAMPANT Hatters went goal crazy this afternoon at Kenilworth Road against 10-man Southport as they romped to a 5-1 victory, writes Mark Wood.

The second half sending off of Southport’s Steve Akrigg proved decisive as the Sandgrounders proceeded to crumble and conceded four goals in the space of seven minutes.

For much of this game Town were frustrated as Southport grabbed a shock lead through Jonathan Brown after just eight minutes.

But Town gritted their teeth and, after Adam Watkins levelled with his first-ever league goal for the club, it was he who was felled by Akrigg to earn the Southport defender his second yellow card.

Town’s substitutes then answered boss Gary Brabin’s calls to come to the fore and the Hatters eventually won out with late strikes from Will Antwi, Amari Morgan-Smith, Robbie Willmott and Danny Crow – and in the end it could have been many more.

Town made three changes to the side that was held to a frustrating 1-1 home draw by much-improved Forest Green Rovers on Tuesday night. Fit-again stopper Mark Tyler came back in between the sticks as Kevin Pilkington dropped to the bench.

Ed Asafu-Adjaye and Matthew Barnes-Homer were also named among the substitutes as livewire winger Willmott came into the starting XI and Watkins was handed his first league start.

Luton started brightly with Willmott pulling a shot just wide in the opening seconds, but it was against the run of play that the Sandgrounders snatched the lead on eight minutes.

James Smith was allowed too much time and space on the right and his cross was teed up in the box for Brown by John-Paul Kissock and he squeezed his close-range effort past a statuesque defence and under the body of the exposed Tyler.

Shaun Whalley’s long-range strike was straight into Tyler’s midriff as the expectant Kenilworth Road began to air their frustrations.

Willmott finally found some space on 13 minutes, but his curling cross/shot was beaten away by Tony McMillan in the Southport goal.

Luton lacked spark, tenacity, intensity and urgency and an eerie stagnation seemed to permeate through the stands and on to the pitch.

A head injury to James Dance forced him off just after the half hour with Crow replacing him up front and the struggling Aaron O’Connor switching to the right wing.

An Antwi defensive header looped just wide as Town continued to struggle before defender Simon Grand twice came to the Sandgrounders rescue in a matter of seconds.

First he did well to get in the way of Watkins’ effort after a jinking run before doing the same to turn an O’Connor effort from inside the box over the bar.

Finally Luton looked to be finding some inspiration as Keith Keane burst through the middle before finding Crow’s feet and his shot on the turn beat McMillan but dipped just over the bar.

A moment of magic though saw Luton level just four minutes before the break when Willmott slipped Watkins into space and he skirted the edge of the area before squeezing his effort just inside the right-hand upright.

Southport though almost instantly regained their lead when Tony Gray did well to control a cross and turn Dean Beckwith but could only roll tamely at Tyler.

And right on the stroke of half time Antwi rose highest to get on the end of Lawless’ far post cross, but his header was snared by McMillan.

A promising Luton move saw Curtis Osano and Watkins link well to set up O’Connor, but he could only drag a weak effort wide early in the second half.

Referee A Davies was struggling to control Southport’s time wasting, while Town were not helping themselves with too many long balls.

Whalley did well to get in behind Luton’s defence, but could only flash wide as disjointed Town continued to struggle.

O’Connor, whose first touch let him down all afternoon, was replaced by Amari Morgan-Smith on the hour and he almost made an instant impact when Keane headed through and Crow’s canny through ball put Morgan-Smith in the clear but he could only slide his effort agonisingly across the face of goal.

Brown’s difficult cross was flapped at and missed by Tyler as Southport briefly threatened, while Crow poked wide at the other end.

The game then swung in Town’s favour on 67 minutes when Watkins burst on to a loose ball and, as he careered towards goal, Brown took his legs from under him and was promptly shown a second yellow card followed by red.

As the two sides waited for the free-kick Kevin Lee collapsed in a heap, claiming he’d been caught by Beckwith in an off the ball incident, but nothing was given.

Willmott’s free-kick was then headed behind as Luton proceeded to run riot.

Morgan-Smith appeared to be felled in the box while a Watkins cross seemed to be handballed before Luton went goal crazy with four goals in seven minutes.

Willmott whipped in a fine 71st-minute corner and Beckwith flicked on and the front post and Antwi was on hand to stab home his first goal for the club from just a yard out.

From there the floodgates opened. And after Morgan-Smith had been farcically penalised for handball when charging down a McMillan clearance, he netted Town’s third on 74 minutes.

The substitute beat his man before embarking on a bulldozing run down the left, winning a strong challenge on his way into the box before his heavily deflected effort beat McMillan at his near post.

Town’s fourth arrived three minutes later when Morgan-Smith produced more good work before squaring the ball across the box for Willmott to bury an unstoppable drive into the bottom left-hand corner.

And the avalanche of goal was complete seconds later when Osano’s pinpoint cross was powerfully headed home from close range by a rejuvenated Crow.

Morgan-Smith was denied a clear penalty when he was hauled down by James Smith only for clueless referee A Davies to wave away Luton’s appeals.

Keane sent a speculative effort well wide of the mark while Crow wastefully headed wide in injury time from Morgan-Smith’s excellent centre, but by then goal-hungry Hatters were already well satiated.

Hatters (4-3-3): Mark Tyler, Keith Keane (C), Dean Beckwith, Alex Lawless, Robbie Willmott, Aaron O’Connor (Amari Morgan-Smith 60), Jake Howells, Will Antwi, Curtis Osano, James Dance (Danny Crow 32), Adam Watkins (Ed Asafu-Adjaye 79). Substitutes not used: Matthew Barnes-Homer, Kevin Pilkington.

Sandgrounders (4-5-1): Tony McMillan, Kevin Lee (C), Chris Lever, Steve Akrigg, Simon Grand, Shaun Whalley, Tony Gray (Andy Owens 72), Jonathan Brown (Leon Osborne 72), James Smith, Karl Ledsham, John-Paul Kissock (Russell Benjamin 46). Substitutes not used: Matt Nemes, Michael Ordish.

Booked: Akrigg 21; Keane 45; Beckwith 54; Akrigg 67.

Sent Off: Akrigg 67.

Referee: A Davies.

Assistant Referees: A Fielding and K Howick.

Fourth Official: D Richardson.

Attendance: 5,681.

Star Hatter: Danny Crow. Completely changed the dynamics of the game.