Hatters youngsters excel with four points on their travels

Luton Town’s U18s returned with four points in the Youth Alliance from two tough away trips this week.

The young Hatters beat second-placed Dagenham & Redbridge 2-0 last Tuesday and drew 1-1 with sixth-placed Aldershot on Saturday to maintain the pressure on Watford and Leyton Orient at the top of the table.

Manager Paul Driver said: “Four points from the two matches is a good return for us.

“We were probably better as a team in the Aldershot game where we drew than the Dagenham game where we got the three points despite being below par from recent performances, but that’s how things go sometimes.

“We lost the first two games of the season against Orient and Dagenham so to go to their place in the return games and, deservedly, get a win and a draw against teams, at the time, above us and in the top three shows the boys are progressing well and the U16s that have come into the side have all done very well so we are really positive about the squad going forward.”

Town named the same side for both games with U16s Luke Trottman and Zak Jules replacing the injured Arel Amu and Lee Hawkes.

A disjointed first half against the Daggers ended goalless, with the hosts having more pressure.

Trottman’s lob early in the second half was handled by a defender and Charlie Smith made no mistake as he sendt the keeper the wrong way from the spot.

Hatters continued to improve and doubled their lead on 76 minutes when Brett Longden won possession.

Ian Rees fed Smith and he released Jemale McKenzie-Lowe into the box whose cross-shot was stabbed home from close range by Zane Banton.

Daggers had a number of corners and shots from range but Town stood firm.

Against the Shots at Surrey Sports Park Town took the lead midway through the first half when Longden’s pass was finished by Banton.

Leeroy Magaraushe combined well with Jerome Jibodu as he burst into the area 10 minutes later but shot wide.

The Shots came out firing in the second half and, after spurning an easy chance, levelled the score up in the 61st minute with a strike from 12 yards.

Luton proceeded to create the better chances as Tinashe Chabata’s header from a free-klick and Banton’s offside strike were both disallowed.

McKenzie-Lowe shot wide from inside the box and a last minute scramble saw the home keeper deny both Trottman and Tayali a late winner.

Hatters: Barnes, Longden, Jibodu, Rees, Chabata, Jules, Trottman, Smith, McKenzie-Lowe, Banton, Maguaraushe. Substitutes used: Tayali, Davis.

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