Shaw hits treble in Hatters rout

Blue Square Bet Premier
Luton Town 6 (3) Barrow 1 (0)

The feel-good factor is well and truly back at Kenilworth Road as Town followed up Saturday’s FA Cup victory over Championship Wolves with a 6-1 demolition of bottom-of-the-table Barrow tonight, writes Mark Wood.

Luton dominated from start to finish as target man Jon Shaw’s first Hatters hat-trick was backed up by strikes from Scott Neilson, Janos Kovacs and Andre Gray as Town ran riot.

Luton made one enforced change from the side that scored a glorious 1-0 win over Wolves as the cup-tied Neilson came in for JJ O’Donnell, ruled out with a broken nose.

Basement outfit Bluebirds, meanwhile, could only name two players on the bench, one of them their reserve keeper.

Luton made the perfect start as they surged into the lead after just two minutes. Gray’s turn and shot from inside the box rattled the upright and Shaw’s rebound from the edge of the area was turned home from close range by Neilson on his home debut.

A flowing Luton counter should have brought number two seconds later but Gray overran the ball into the keeper’s grasp after Neilson had slipped him through.

Sean Hessey drove a long-range free-kick straight into the Luton wall, while Garry Hunter fired a tame effort right at Mark Tyler.

Town were looking the far better team and Barrow were lucky to keep their full complement on the pitch on 16 minutes when Matt Flynn tripped Gray as he raced clean through on to Lawless’ pass – the referee leniently showing him just a yellow card.

The linesman’s flag denied both Gray and Shaw chances, the latter’s volley being met with a superb flying stop from Danny Hurst.

Jonathan Smith was booked for a late challenge on Alex-Ray Harvey midway through the half, while a beautiful passing move ended in Greg Taylor shanking wide.

Luton though did make it 2-0 on 27 minutes when Lawless’ free-kick found Kovacs unmarked in the box and the Hungarian’s flick header was fumbled into the net by Hurst.

The third arrived two minutes later when Kovacs’ brilliant crossfield ball set Gray free on the right and his driven cross was turned home in off the post by Shaw.

Barrow threatened on 33 minutes when Harvey played in lone striker Adam Boyes and he slid his low effort just past the post.

Now in complete control Taylor arrowed a free-kick from the halfway line into the Barrow box and Lawless, lurking at the far post, hooked the ball back into the six-yard box.

Shaw’s header was blocked before he twice fly-hacked at the loose ball as a massive goalmouth melee developed, only for the referee to eventually award a dubious free-kick.

Injury forced the man in the middle J Hopkins to be replaced by the fourth official before Gray skinned two men on the right but, after cutting back in from the byline, he could only roll tamely at the keeper.

A superb piece of juggling from Lawless ended in a left-foot snapshot volley that was just kept out at his near post by Hurst as Luton threatened to run riot.

Another flowing Town break ended in Lawless scooping horribly wide as Town led 3-0 at the break.

After a slow start to the second half Shaw’s pass put Gray away on 58 minutes but his low drive was blocked by Hurst.

However, a minute later Luton had their fourth when Neilson sent Taylor away on the left and his cross was perfect for Shaw to slide home his second from close range.

Taylor was again the provider as the rejuvenated left-back fired in a great cross for Shaw to head home from six yards to complete his first Hatters hat-trick after 64 minutes.

Scenting more goals Neilson almost latched on Ronnie Henry’s cross before lashing an effort well wide.

The fit-again Jake Howells replaced Smith and out of the blue the visitors pulled a goal back on 68 minutes when a deep free-kick was headed back by Flynn and Boyes swept home from close range.

But that strike couldn’t stop the landslide of goals as Lawless clipped Gray through and the tireless striker neatly lifted the ball over Hurst to take him into double figures for the season.

Scott Rendell and Stuart Fleetwood replaced the impressive Shaw and Gray in attack late on and the pair both went close to making it seven in stoppage time.

Fleetwood fired at Hurst when clean through before the keeper kept out Rendell’s far post header from a corner as Town had to make do with a 6-1 victory.

The win saw Luton back into fifth, eight points behind new leaders Wrexham, who won 2-1 at Alfreton, although Town have another break from league action on Saturday as they host Skelmersdale United in the third round of the FA Trophy.

Hatters (4-4-2): Mark Tyler, Lathaniel Rowe-Turner, Greg Taylor, Janos Kovacs, Alex Lawless, Jon Shaw (Scott Rendell 74), Arnaud Mendy, Scott Neilson, Jonathan Smith (Jake Howells 67), Ronnie Henry (C), Andre Gray (Stuart Fleetwood 76)

Bluebirds (4-5-1): Danny Hurst, Matt Flynn, Gavin Skelton, Sean Hessey, Mike Pearson (C), Paul Rutherford, Adam Boyes, Danny Rowe, Alex-Ray Harvey, Garry Hunter (James Owen 70), Sean McConville.

Substitutes not used: Shaun Pearson.

Bookings: Flynn 17; Smith 22.

Referee: J Hopkins.

Assistant Referees: M Taylor and G Parsons.

Fourth Official: S Potter.

Attendance: 5,165 (Barrow 31).

Star Hatter: Jon Shaw. Deadly in front of goal.

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