Hayrettin praise as Town reach final

Luton Town reached the Bedfordshire Senior Cup final with a penalty shootout win over Barton Rovers on Tuesday, writes Mike Simmonds.
Hakan HayrettinHakan Hayrettin
Hakan Hayrettin

After 90 minutes finished goalless, the match went straight to penalties, with goalkeeper Elliot Justham making two saves and Luke Trotman scoring the winner.

First team coach Hakan Hayrettin said about their Calor Southern League Division One Central opponents: “It was difficult conditions, on a difficult evening with the wind blowing all over the place.

“I thought we conducted ourselves professionally and got what we deserved.

“Full credit to Barton Rovers, they played the game the right way, but we had to be professional because when you go to places like that, you never know what you’re going to get.

“They seem to know every nook and cranny of that pitch and we didn’t.

“It was a very bumpy pitch and we had to adapt and be professional.”

Hatters started brightly, with Rovers keeper Kyle Forster making a number of good saves, none more impressive than his close range stop to deny Anthony Charles.

Hayrettin continued: “He made about five saves in the first half, you can’t answer that, he did really well.

“Take nothing away from our boys, they worked very hard, played the game at at quick tempo, put them under pressure.

“On another night we could have got six, it wasn’t to be, we went through the way we went through and we’re more than happy with that.”

Hatters picked a mixed side with the likes of Jon Shaw, Mark Cullen and Alex Lacey all getting 90 minutes, as did U18s Tinashe Chabata and Trotman.

Daril Ngwala came off the bench for the second half too as Hayrettin added: “All the experienced players got minutes, which was very, very good for the football club.

“The youngsters were very very encouraging too, the future is hopefully going to bright with some of these lads.

“Good luck to him (Ngwala). We have an ethos that we want to push these youngsters so hopefully these boys will come through.”

Town will now face Calor Southern League Premier Division side Biggleswade Town at Kenilworth Road in the final later in the season.

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