Luton strike three times to take three points at Stockport

Luton Town continued their upturn in form after a 3-0 win over League One leaders Stockport County at Edgeley Park.

Jake Richards, Cohen Bramall and Isaiah Jones did the honours for Jack Wilshere’s outfit, in a game that also saw Luton keeper Josh Keeley save Nathan Lowe’s penalty in-between the second and third Luton goals.

Victory in Greater Manchester means Luton have won four games in a row in all competitions, with the Bedfordshire club up to 9th position, sitting 3 points off the play-offs.

In a clash between two teams who have the nickname The Hatters, it was the home side who were busier in the opening phase.

Stockport, who had taken top spot after being unbeaten in 7 League One games, had early chances, with Callum Camps and Jack Diamond having strikes blocked by Luton defenders.

The hosts pressed in the opening half-hour, with Lowe firing one strike wide when well-placed and another denied by Luton keeper Keeley, before Kyle Wootton missed the target from close range.

But having kept Stockport from opening the scoring, Luton struck the opening goal of the game just after the half-hour mark. Bramall’s cross was not cleared by Stockport and ended up falling the way of Richards, who was able to bundle the ball home for his first Luton goal.

Luton would then make it 2 goals in 4 minutes. A foul on Jones on the edge of the box gave the visitors a free-kick and Bramall’s perfectly placed free-kick beat Stockport keeper Ben Hinchcliffe to make it 2-0.

Both sides came close to adding a further goal after the break, with Stockport’s Wootton missing the target from close range before Hinchcliffe made the stop to deny Luton’s Nahki Wells.

Stockport were awarded a penalty ten minutes after half-time after a foul by Jones on Odin Bailey, but the hosts failed to convert it into a goal back as Keeley made the save to deny Lowe from 12 yards.

The visitors then made it 3-0 with just over 20 minutes to go, as Richards fed Jones, and the Luton right-back charged forward before firing into the back of the Stockport net.

Stockport’s miserable day got worse when Owen Dodgson was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Gideon Kodua, meaning the hosts had to spend the final phase of the game a player down.

Luton will aim to continue their momentum next weekend, as the Hatters welcome Rotherham United to Kenilworth Road next Saturday.