Luton reserves hit 8 past Dons

LUTON TOWN RES 8-0 MK DONS RES

Dean Morgan hit a hat trick, as Luton walloped an inexperienced MK Dons side 8-0, in the Pontin's Holiday Combination League at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

A larger than usual crowd fronted to see new strikers Adam Boyd and Sam Parkin appearing from the start and, with six midfielders and two strikers in the opening line up, 10 of whom feature in the first team squad, a goal fest was on the cards, and the fans were not disappointed!

Parkin and Boyd played well together causing serious problems for the Dons defence, and the Town began well with an opening onslaught which might have borne fruit straight from the whistle.

Danny Stevens took a long pass from O`Leary in the 11th minute and fired home for the opener, and shortly afterwards Parkin headed powerfully goalwards from Stevens` corner, only to see Rashid Kamara make a goalkeeper-like save on the line. As the crowd waited for the mandatory red card, the referee, Mr Tomlinson, inexplicably let him off with just the penalty kick, and, as it turned out, it was probably just as well he did!

Dean Morgan crashed home the penalty for a 2-0 lead.

Strangely, O`Leary and Holmes seemed to be playing in the back four, with Asafu-Adjaye and Keith Keane, but the Dons rarely got that far forward, as the Town were rampant.

A heavy downpour caused both teams difficulty, but there was still time for Stevens to intercept a stray pass and slip the ball to O`Leary, who shot hard and low into the net for a half-time lead of 3-0.

Almost immediately from the restart Parkin found Morgan and he scored his second and a fourth for the home side.

Parkin had done enough to show that he will be a very good addition to the first team squad and was taken off on the hour. His replacement was a young player, Shaun Ross, whom Mike Newell is alleged to have found playing in a Hartlepool Sunday League, and who has quite a reputation in those parts. His father has described him as the new Beckham, so no pressure on the lad, then!

David Bell ghosted past two non-existent challenges to slip a superb pass to Stevens. He played a square ball to Adam Boyd, who coolly chipped the ball over the keeper for Luton`s fifth.

The Dons were showing nothing in attack and very little in defence, and on 70 minutes, Ahmet Brkovic side-footed the sixth, after Boyd and Morgan had linked to set up the chance.

Holmes scored a classic free kick goal ten minutes from time, for 7-0, from just outside the box, and Dean Morgan wrapped up proceedings with a cracking shot for a well-earned hat trick, after good work from Keane, in injury time.

Mike Newell could not have failed to be impressed by excellent performances from Boyd, Parkin and, in particular, Dean Morgan, who must have done enough to gain inclusion in the next starting eleven for the first team. Boyd looks to be gaining the fitness that Newell said was lacking, but Boyd is a thinking player and does not waste his energy on lost causes, so perhaps he is fitter than he looks!

As Mike Newell scours the transfer market for a central defender, it is rumoured that he may also sign another striker, so once the new arrivals gel together Luton should be far stronger in depth than they were last season, and perhaps a play-off berth is not beyond them.

Luton: Dean Brill, Ed Asafu-Adjaye, Keith Keane, Ahmat Brkovic, Stephen O'Leary, Davis Bell, Peter Holmes, Dean Morgan, Danny Stevens, Sam Parkin, Adam Boyd.

MK Dons: Laurie Walker, Adam Kent, Sam Collins, James Nash, Oliver Thorne, Tamba Ngongou, Rashid Kamara, Gareth Edds, Joe Tillen, Dan Powell, Ben Harding.

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