Borough blitzed as Hatters warm up for the play-offs with stylish win

Luton Town 3 (1) Eastbourne Borough 0 (0)

SCINTILLATING Hatters made sure of their Blue Square Bet Premier play-off spot by tearing part sorry Eastbourne Borough 3-0 at Kenilworth Road this afternoon, writes Mark Wood.

Rampant Town created chance after chance, thumping the woodwork twice as they could have run up a cricket score against their already-relegated opponents who also had full-back Darren Baker sent off late on for two bookable offences.

Livewire wingers Robbie Willmott and Claude Gnakpa ran riot against Borough as the former Cambridge United man netted twice and the Frenchman once on a confidence-boosting afternoon for the Hatters.

Manager Gary Brabin lived up to his promise to continue to shuffle his pack, making five changes from the side that went down to a 1-0 defeat at play-off-chasing York on Tuesday.

A knee injury ruled left-back Freddie Murray out, Amari Morgan-Smith missed out after hobbling off in midweek and defender Luke Graham was also left out of the squad, with Adam Newton and Matthew Barnes-Homer dropping to the bench.

In came wingers Gnakpa and Willmott, rested centre-half Zdenek Kroca, midfielder Alex Lawless and striker Lloyd Owusu.

Those changes gave Luton a far more balanced and well rounded look as they started brightly on a glorious spring afternoon in soaring temperatures.

Willmott released the overlapping Jake Howells on two minutes but his centre was headed over the bar by the recalled Owusu, while Lawless fired over the bar moments later.

Having already been on the end of one heavy challenge, Gnakpa was felled by full-back Mick Demetriou who was the first player to enter the referee’s notebook.

Sports keeper Rikki Banks was warned for time-wasting as early as the 14th-minute before Willmott unleashed a fabulous flashing drive that was acrobatically turned over the bar by Banks.

Owusu put a header wide from a corner before Town grabbed a deserved lead on 18 minutes. Dan Gleeson’s raking ball down the middle was well chased by Willmott, whose sliding challenge beat Banks to the ball, and from the acutest of angles he slid the ball past the desperately scampering keeper to put the Hatters ahead.

A downward Gnakpa header across the face of goal found not takers and went just wide, Owusu seemed to be bundled over in the box as he threatened to net from Gnakpa’s inviting cross and Keith Keane blazed miles over as Luton turned the screw.

And Town wasted a wonderful chance to double their lead on 27 minute from a beautiful free-flowing move. Lawless threaded a measured pass for Jason Walker and he unselfishly squared for Owusu who could only prod over from just seven yards out.

A big punt from Mark Tyler was miskicked from Demetriou on the edge of the box as Gnakpa ghosted in behind, but the Frenchman showed a selfish streak and fired into the side-netting when a pull-back to the unmarked Owusu seemed the better option.

Howells’ jinking run ended with his shot being deflected behind and Gnakpa could then only fire a good chance well over from Owusu’s knockdown before Town missed another great chance eight minutes before the break.

Lawless’ long pass was superbly controlled first time by Jason Walker, who cut inside Danny Kelly, but could only fire straight at Banks as the ball went behind for a corner.

A prodigious leap from Jason Walker saw him beat two defenders to Gnakpa’s cross but he could only head softly at Banks, while Steve Brinkhurst smashed a rare Sports effort miles wide at the other end.

Jamie Taylor spooned a great chance over just before the break, while Lawless was thwarted by Banks at the other end and Owusu headed Howells’ pinpoint cross wide as Town went into the break with just a one-goal lead.

Newton replaced Keane in the centre of midfield at half time with Neil Jenkins coming on in place of Demetriou for the Sports, who had been run ragged by Gnakpa in the first half.

George Pilkington should have made it 2-0 when he headed Howells’ corner wide in the opening moments of the second half.

Brinkhurst slid in a shot straight at Tyler, before Luton twice went close to adding a second. Pilkington whipped in a teasing cross and Zdenek Kroca’s deft flick header forced a fine save from Banks.

Willmott then fired in a telling free-kick from the right and Gnakpa’s header rattled the bar as Borough were again given a let-off.

Dan Gleeson drew a curious booking, seemingly for dissent, while Baker was lucky to escape with only a booking following a tasty two-footed tackle on Walker.

The chances continued to come thick and fast with with Owusu’s thumping header from Howells’ corner shuddering the woodwork and Richard Pacquette’s header from Matt Crabb’s free-kick on the hour being ruled out by the linesman’s flag.

Gnakpa proceeded to steal the show, seeing one venomous effort well saved by Banks before sending his far post header from Howells’ cross just wide of the mark.

The second goal was certainly coming and it duly arrived on 65 minutes. Jason Walker picked out Gnakpa at the far post and this time the Frenchman made no mistake as he firmly planted his header into the net, giving Banks no chance.

Gnakpa was harshly shown a yellow card for what seemed an innocuous foul on Eddie Hutchinson before firing another effort wide as the wide man proved he certainly has the bit between his teeth prior to the play-offs.

A Howells cross drew shouts from the Kenny end for handball on 73 minutes, while Gnakpa proceeded to roll out the party pieces and Walker’s acrobatic effort was deflected wide.

And things continued to get better and better as Willmott drove forward from midfield, stepping past several challenges, before confidently driving home from 20 yards into the bottom left-hand corner for his sixth goal in a Hatters shirt.

Gnakpa somehow stole in behind with 12 minutes to go, but his powerful blast was blocked.

Town were playing all the football and, after some lovely work by Lawless and Gnakpa, Owusu’s stabbed effort was brilliantly repelled by Banks before spreading himself well to save the follow-up.

Gleeson was inches away from his first Hatters goal when his 80th-minute pile-driver flew just wide and Sports were then reduced to 10 men with eight minutes to go when Baker was shown a second yellow card for his untidy challenge on an overlapping Howells.

Just before that, Ed Asafu-Adjaye, who had been recalled from his loan spell at Histon, had received a rapturous reception when replacing Gnakpa, while Dan Walker came on for Willmott to provide a brief cameo against the side he had been on loan at earlier in the season.

Newton’s through ball put Jason Walker through in the final moments but his strike was wiped out for offside. Jason Walker’s long ball then released namesake Dan in the third minute of stoppage time and, despite rounding Banks, he couldn’t get his shot away earlier enough and was denied by a covering defender as rampant Hatters had to be content with just a 3-0 victory.

Hatters: Mark Tyler, Dan Gleeson, Keith Keane (Adam Newton 46), George Pilkington (C), Robbie Willmott (Dan Walker 84), Zdenek Kroca, Alex Lawless, Jake Howells, Claude Gnakpa (Ed Asafu-Adjaye 81), Jason Walker, Lloyd Owusu. Substitutes not used: Matthew Barnes-Homer, Kevin Pilkington.

Sports: Rikki Banks, Darren Baker, Ben Austin (C), Jamie Taylor, Simon Johnson, Richard Pacquette (George Purcell 76), Matt Crabb, Steve Brinkhurst, Mick Demetriou (Neil Jenkins 46), Danny Kelly, Eddie Hutchinson (Matt Smart 83), Substitutes not used: Ethan Strevett, Gary Elphick.

Bookings: Demetriou 7; Gleeson 54; Baker 55; Gnakpa 68; Baker 82.

Sent off: Baker 82.

Referee: K Johnson.

Assistant referees: A Matthews and D Ricketts.

Fourth official: A Gillett.

Attendance: 6,171 (Eastbourne 30).

Star Hatter: Claude Gnakpa. When the Frenchman is in this form he can undo any team in this division.