Luton set up Third Round clash with Kidderminster.
Luton Town 3-0 Hinckley United
The FA Carlsberg Trophy
Second Round Proper replay
7.45pm, Monday 23 January 2012
Kenilworth Road Stadium, Luton Town FC
Winning clubs receive £6000 from The FA's prize fund
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Luton Town set up a last-16 FA Carlsberg Trophy tie at Kidderminster Harriers after disposing of Hinckley United 3-0 in a Second Round replay at Kenilworth Road.
The Hatters missed out on a place in the Wembley Final last year when they were edged out by Mansfield Town in the Semi-Finals, but they will be hopeful of going one better and returning to a venue they last visited in 2009.
On that occasion, they celebrated an emotional Football League Trophy success over Scunthorpe United in the same season that they were relegated from the Football League.
It also marked 21 years since Steve Foster lifted the League Cup beneath the old stadium’s famous twin towers. Luton’s demise from the Championship to the Conference was as rapid as it was sad but, underpinned by an excellent youth set-up and guided by manager Gary Brabin, they are again eyeing a return to the League.
It was that youthfulness that played an integral part in their win over Conference North Hinckley with Alex Lacey, a recent product of a Centre of Excellence that has spawned England internationals Matthew Upson and Jack Wilshere, a key component in the hosts’ 14th-minute opener as he met a corner and defender Daniel Bragoli diverted the ball into his own net.
Hatters goalkeeper Mark Tyler was called upon to make an excellent stop with his legs to keep out Craig Farrell’s effort before later anticipating Andre Gray’s heavy touch to make another important one-on-one intervention and maintain his side’s lead.
That set the scene for Amari Morgan-Smith to double Luton's advantage a minute before the break as the powerful forward outmuscled a defender on the right and drilled the ball into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.
Gray was denied again by Tyler and visiting skipper Sam Belcher also flashed a well-struck shot into the loyal army of Knitters fans behind the goal, but Luton’s victory was sealed midway through the second half. John Paul Kissock, so often at the heart of Town’s incisive midfield play, was brought down in the centre circle but referee Rob Whitton played an excellent advantage and Colby McAdams released Stuart Fleetwood for a clinical finish from just inside the penalty area.
And Luton boss Brabin took the time to hail his goalkeeper after Tyler kept Hinckley at bay.
"I wouldn't say it was comfortable. The scoreline suggests so but it's taken three or four fantastic saves from Mark tonight to keep them out," said Brabin.
"I thought at times our defending was really poor but given the amount of chances both teams created it could have easily been six or seven-all.
"The difference was our finishing and Mark Tyler."
Brabin was full of praise for his leading man, Morgan-Smith, too.
"We need to be careful with Amari, we need to manage him right," he said. "We decided to give him 45 minutes tonight and he's really enjoyed it and got a goal. There were patches of the real Amari there."
Luton Town
Mark Tyler, Curtis Osano, Ed Asafu-Adjaye, Alex Lacey, JJ O’Donnell, Jerry Nash, Colby McAdams (Charlie Smith 74), John Paul Kissock, Robbie Wilmott, Amari Morgan-Smith (Jake Woolley 46), Stuart Fleetwood (Brett Longden 81)
Substitutes not used Lewis Kidd, Leeroy Maguraushe
Hinckley United
Denham Hinds, Sam Belcher, Mark Dudley, Daniel Bragoli, Paul Lister, Calum Flanagan, Lloyd Kerry, Jake Holt (James Hicks 84), Craig Farrell, Andre Gray (Liam Canovan 70), Danny Newton (Tom Byrne 63)
Substitute not used Rob Oddy
Referee Rob Whitton
Assistant Referees Constantine Hatzidakis & David Avent
Fourth Official Mark Tweed
