Still hails team effort as youthful Hatters sink Mariners

A real team effort saw the Hatters claim a fantastic 2-1 win at Grimsby Town on Tuesday night according to boss John Still, writes Mark Wood.
Grimsby Town v Luton Town. Photos by Liam Smith. wk 13. PNL-140326-153341002Grimsby Town v Luton Town. Photos by Liam Smith. wk 13. PNL-140326-153341002
Grimsby Town v Luton Town. Photos by Liam Smith. wk 13. PNL-140326-153341002

Luton were forced to weather a late barrage of balls into the box from the Mariners to triumph, but Town stood firm to a man.

Still said: “You know what we had today? Eleven men. Forget ages, 11 men and that’s what’s pleasing.”

Town’s back four were particularly important with full-back Scott Griffiths influential at both ends of the pitch as he continued his good recent run of form.

His boss continued: “Obviously I’ve known Scott for years. And it pleases me with Scott, he didn’t start well, he didn’t.

“But what a fantastic player, fantastic kid, fantastic attitude and I’m so pleased that we’ve come away in what might be classed as a pressure game and everyone has stood up.”

Still though was quick to recognise how hard their hosts had forced Town to work, as he continued: “They worked hard, give Grimsby their due, they worked really, really hard, but we felt if we could deal with the crosses (we’d be OK).

“The way we play, the two centre-halves are very good in the air, Scott Griffiths is fantastic in the air, Ronnie’s (Henry) good in the air, Cameron (McGeehan) is good in the air, and I just felt the gameplan was good tonight.”

Having fallen behind to ex-Hatter Scott Neilson’s first half strike, Town’s response was immediate as a lovely team goal saw the recalled Matt Robinson finish off some unselfish play from striker Paul Benson.

And Griffiths was delighted for the youngster who scored his second goal in two games, before being denied a third when his header was brilliantly saved by the keeper.

Griffiths said: “He almost had his third, I was a bit disappointed for him that it got cleared off the line.

“But I’m still pleased for him that he got his second. He seems very happy with it and obviously it went a long way towards the result.”

And Griffiths was key to Town’s second half winner when he blocked a shot in his own box before surging forward from full-back and seeing his powerful daisycutter rebound off the far post and to Benson to score.

On the goal, he said: “From the start, blocking the shot - an extremely powerful shot – I managed to stay on my feet and make the ground up and, although I didn’t score, I’m claiming an assist!

“So I’m pleased with the assist at least, if I can’t score at least someone can.

“He’s done well, right place, right time, and that’s the sort of striker he is. Obviously he can hit them, but he just mops up what other people don’t finish like today as you see.”

Although disappointed not to score, Griffiths has vowed to find the net again this season, as he continued: “I’ve been disappointed with today and the last game, the last game in particular not scoring.

“I had my chances, had a good one saved - I’m going to save two saved - but I will get another one before the end of the season I have to, or I’ll just be extremely disappointed.”

Still was delighted that his counter-attacking tactics had paid off on the night, and admitted it could have been even more.

“Benno I think is fantastic. Not only is he a scorer, it’s the other stuff he does so well,” he said.

“He worked really, really hard as everyone did, and I was really pleased he got the goal.

“I mean Scott made a great run and put a terrific shot in off the post, but I’m really pleased because he played up there on his own.

“We tried to play with our wide people quite wide tonight and leave Benno there on his own to counter-attack.

“And I think that’s how we got our second goal through counter-attack and I think Andre (Gray) had a great chance to make it 3-1 and put it past them.”

Gray’s second half miss was the worst of the night after Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu had sent him clean through, with the midfielder looking incredulous at his miss.

But he backed Town’s top scorer to keep finding the net, as he said: “Andre’s been prolific this season, he’s got 26 goals and hopefully he’ll make it 27.

“There’s another game on Saturday and hopefully he can bag another and retain being the top scorer in the league.”

On the win itself, he continued: “It means a lot. To come here, it’s difficult to win on a Tuesday night game at Grimsby, so to get three points and a win is great for our confidence and my confidence also.

“Considering we went 1-0 down we came back and Robbo scored and Benno scored in the second half, so it’s a good team performance and I’m glad we got three points.”

Griffiths felt they could have won by more, especially when the referee on the night bottled sending off home keeper James McKeown for a clear professional foul on Mpanzu in the second half.

He said: “I think we were unlucky with Dre’s chance, and with Pelly everybody seemed to think it was a penalty.

“Obviously that got taken off the line. I think the ref said the keeper took Pelly out so I don’t know why he doesn’t give it.”

And he was overjoyed by the result, adding: “I’m over the moon actually, it’s a very hard place to come. I thought they started well, started strong and quick, don’t think we were quite out of the traps as well.

“To the second ball we were a bit slow, but when we got the goal back I thought we tried to pile on top, our spirit came through and we done well to get a result.

“The effort was phenomenal, from back to front, all the way through, Tyles was excellent and pulled off some good saves.

“The strikers worked hard to chase the ball and the midfielders done well to make their tackles and just run themselves into the ground for us.

“I don’t care who you are, to come here with a team like this playing as well as they seem to play, at least in the first half, and they had us under pressure in the second half, I think anybody does well to come here and get any points. So I’m over the moon with it, very pleased.”

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