Second half goals from Mads Andersen and Jordan Clark proved enough for Luton Town to record a second successive win and continue our 100 per cent start to the Sky Bet League One campaign at Peterborough.
Nearly 3,000 travelling Hatters sang themselves hoarse as Matt Bloomfield’s new-look side produced another thoroughly professional performance to once again keep the opponent at arms’ length, while growing steadily into the season.
It wasn’t spectacular. At times it was a scrap.
But when it came to the crunch, Bloomfield’s evolving team were always in control and produced the moments of quality that secured another three points on the road, the six-month long winless run of last season a distant memory as we made it four wins from our last six away league matches across the two campaigns.
Recent signing from Swansea, Jerry Yates, was thrown in for his debut up front, while Shandon Baptiste came in for Liam Walsh in midfield, the manager praising the latter in his post-match interviews for his attitude in ensuring his replacement and partner, George Saville, were right at it in the warm-up, not to mention his half-hour long contribution to help see the game out.
But while there was a new look up top, with summer signing Nahki Wells dropping in to play as a number ten from the left, behind Yates, while Clark did the job from the right, it was the only two players in the starting line-up who remain from our Premier League campaign that did the damage.
After a fairly even first half in which Christ Makosso blazed the Town’s best chance over the bar after Kal Naismith and Wells had turned Clark’s deep 19th-minute corner into his path, and then the skipper himself had dragged a shot into the side-netting when set up by Milli Alli in the opening minute of the second, it was Andersen who got us going.
An hour was on the clock when the tireless Yates did well to run the right channel and win a corner, which Saville arced deep towards the far post where Andersen held off his marker to head firmly past Posh keeper Nicholas Bilokapic.
It was only the Dane’s second goal in a Town shirt, the other being that maiden Premier League goal against West Ham almost two years ago.
After a man-of-the-match performance in last week’s 1-0 win over AFC Wimbledon, the 27-year-old continued to put his injury problems of the past two years behind him with another totemic role at the heart of Bloomfield’s back three.
Seven minutes later, another lovely move down the Town right led to Nigel Lonwijk, on as a half-time replacement for the injured Reu Walters, cutting a ball back for the excellent Baptiste, who might wish he’d shot first time, rather than attempting to side-step his man in the box.
The Hatters were in complete control with Peterborough’s only threat, other than a tight-angled first half shot from Bradley Ihionvien that Josh Keeley did well to repel, being a 73rd-minute free-kick from distance that Harley Mills curled up and over the wall, but wide of the Irish keeper’s left post.
The killer second goal came with five minutes of normal time to play, as the hosts attempted to play out from a goal-kick. Sub George Nevett played it back to Bilokapic, who was forced almost back to his goal-line and in between his posts. The keeper’s touch wasn’t great, and Wells ran like he had all afternoon to close him down, turn and control the ball into the path of Clark.
The Yorkshireman who scored our most famous goal of the modern era under Wembley’s Arch, and who has made a habit of scoring award winners from distance, needed no second invitation to calmly wrong-foot the covering defender and roll the ball into an otherwise empty net.
Cue pandemonium in the away end and a deserved standing ovation for each of the players who made way for second-half finishers – Yates, Wells and Baptiste – but especially for Clicker.
The 31-year-old's name was sung loud and proud as he was replaced by Zack Nelson with a minute of added time to play, moments after Makosso had stung Bilokapic's palms from distance and Lamine Fanne had headed the resulting corner wide.
Luton are back, they also sang. And while it’s early days, these small steps being taken are adding up to a very healthy looking League One table, and a growing belief among a team that is going to get better with every minute they spend together, either out on a pitch or working diligently at The Brache.
So far, so good. See you at Coventry for some midweek Carabao Cup action. If not, then up at Bradford next Saturday for our next league date.
Town: Keeley, Walters (Lonwijk 46), Makosso, Andersen, Naismith, Alli, Baptiste (Walsh 70), Saville, Clark (Nelson 99), Wells (McGuinness 87), Yates (Fanne 71).
Subs not used: Shea, Woodrow.
Goals: Andersen 60, Clark 85
Posh: Bilokapic, Johnston (c) (Lindgren 79), Collins, Wallin (Dornelly 87), Khela, Ihionvien, Odoh (Lisbie 61), Hayes, O'Brien-Brady, Mills (Nevett 78), Okagbue.
Subs not used: Reyes (GK), De Havilland, Conn-Clarke.
Ref: Scott Oldham
Att: 10,827 (2,995 in the away end)
