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CHARLES TREBLE EARNS RESERVES WIN

Posted on: Fri 09 Apr 2010

A first half hat-trick from Ryan Charles earned the Town reserves their third straight victory in the totesport.com Combination.

Against a Norwich side including former Hatters loanee Michael Spillane, the striker opened the scoring from the penalty spot on three minutes after strike-partner Jordan Patrick was upended by visiting goalkeeper Remi Matthews.

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The Town, fielding a side mostly made of trialists and scholars, continued to press and Charles scored his second of the afternoon when hitting a stunning volley into the top corner on 26 minutes after good work from JJ O'Donnell.

Norwich reduced arrears a minute later when Damon Lathrope hammered a free-kick from the edge of the penalty area beyond Aaron Fletcher.

The pacey Patrick almost restored the Town's two-goal cushion on 32 minutes but his smart snap-shot was saved by Matthews.

Charles was full of playing full of confidence, and he almost laid on the Hatters' third when surging down the right flank, beat two players and found Martell Powell but his shot was just off target.

However, not to be denied, the striker grabbed his treble in first half stoppage time when turning and firing home in a crowded penalty area after Norwich failed to clear O'Donnell's left-wing corner.

The Canaries came within a whisker of reducing the deficit for a second time on the stroke of half-time when Cody McDonald saw his shot come back off the post after the striker had wriggled his way past two Town defenders.

City started the second period well, and twice came close to equalising in the space of a minute starting on 53 minutes when firstly Tyree Clarke misseD from close range and then Tom Adeyemi fluffed his lines with the goal gaping.

A minute later, however, the Canaries did make it 3-2 when Clarke bundled the ball over the line after McDonald had seen a shot cleared off the line by Taylor Nathaniel.

A dearth of opportunities followed as both sides rang the changes and it took until 72 minutes for either team to come close when Martell came agonisingly close to making it 4-2 to the Town when he lofted a super effort over Matthews but, unluckily, the ball bounced off the turf in the goalmouth up and onto the crossbar and away to safety.

Godfrey Poku impressed in the midfield for the Hatters and he went close with a swerving drive from the edge of the box with a minute to play before City came close to stealing a point at the death.

Firstly, two minutes into stoppage time, Danny Kelly saw his goalbound header tipped over by Fletcher and then, from the resulting corner, the same player hooked over the crossbar.

First team coach Kevin Watson was again pleased with the showing of all involved, especially the three players that appeared for the second time in a week.

"Godfrey, JJ and Gavin all came through another 90 minutes and showed good fitness levels and the team as a whole were good, honest and hardworking," he said afterwards.

"The trialists did exceptionally well and I'm delighted for Ryan.

"It was nice to see him score a hat-trick and for him to get an hour's fitness under his belt is an added bonus.

"He's on the comeback trail now after a long spell out injured so no doubt he'll want to continue that between now and the end of the season."

Luton Town: Fletcher, Miley, Nathaniel, Poku, Caines, Wilkinson, Halford (Barker 60), Powell, Patrick (Watkins 76), Charles (Wood 60), O'Donnell.

Subs not used: Harriott, Deeney.

Goals: Charles 3 (pen), 27, 45.

Kenilworth Road
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