Luton brush aside AFC Wimbledon to maintain play-off hopes

Luton Town swept aside AFC Wimbledon after a 3-0 win in South London to maintain their hopes of a late run to make the League One play-offs.

Goals by Kasey Palmer, Ali Al-Hamadi and Jake Richards did the business for Jack Wilshere’s outfit as they won at the Cherry Red Records Stadium, making it 4 wins out of 5 in the league.

Victory means that the Hatters are just 3 points off the top 6 in League One, albeit down in 10th in the table in a congested third tier table where several sides are still in the running to be in the play-offs.

Wilshere was watching from the stands in the stadium, having earned a one match touchline ban, with his assistant Chris Powell being the main man in charge on the sidelines.

Against an injury hit AFC Wimbledon side, the Hatters made a fast start, with Nahki Wells firing wide from close range, and Luton would score first after 12 minutes.

Palmer would grab the goal for the visitors, with the midfielder receiving Emilio Lawrence’s pass, controlling the ball and firing into the back of the net.

The visitors did press on for further goals, with Isaiah Jones denied by Nathan Bishop, Lawrence flashed a shot wide and Hakeem Odoffin hit the bar with a header.

AFC Wimbledon did have chances of their own scattered among these opportunities for Luton, however, with Omar Bugiel seeing two shots narrowly miss the target.

Luton would however press on after the break and just before the hour mark, they found a second goal. Richards released substitute Al-Hamadi, and the former AFC Wimbledon striker beat Bishop to grab his first goal in Luton colours.

Richards would make it 3 with just over ten minutes of the 90 to play, receiving Al-Hamadi’s pass before finding the back of the net for his second goal of the Easter double header.

Victory was duly accomplished for Luton in the first of their back-to-back visits to London. The Hatters’ next assignment sees them visit Wembley next Sunday for an EFL Trophy final against Stockport County.