Cup joy as high-scoring Hatters teams taste success

Luton Town
Luton Town. Photo by Liam Smith

Luton Town Ladies have been drawn against Women’s Super League side Portsmouth in the third round of the FA Cup after a 15-14 penalty shootout victory over neighbours Stevenage, while the men’s under-21s won 13-2 among a series of academy victories. 

In women’s FA Cup action it took an astonishing 32 spot-kicks for Town to progress in the cup, with keeper Sarah Hudson proving the hero with two saves.

The Ladies had to come back from 1-0 down in normal time via an Amber Leighton rocket.

A late Luton penalty claim fell on deaf ears, so the contest went to penalties. 

Ten each were converted until Luton’s Tanya Blacksley saw hers saved, but Hudson responded to save Stevenage’s 11th kick, which would have seen Boro progress to the next round. Her next came on the 32nd penalty, sparking joyous scenes. 

The Ladies will travel to Westleigh Park on Sunday (2pm) aiming to provide a cup upset against Pompey. 

It wasn’t the only big scoreline this week as the men’s under-21s thumped Notts County 13-2 in a behind closed doors friendly, with Joshua Phillips bagged a double hat-trick, Oliver Lynch grabbing a hat-trick and Jamie Odegah and Dylan Stitt firing a brace each. 

Stitt’s contribution came days after he and Tate Xavier-Jones scored for the Under-18s as they beat Cambridge United 2-1 in the Youth Alliance. The Under-18s have also been drawn at home to Crewe Alexandra in the FA Youth Cup third round next week, which will be played at Kenilworth Road on Friday 13th December (7pm).

And the Under-17s thrashed Northampton in the Professional Development League Cup, with Matthew Takawira hitting a hat-trick, Excel Ed-Okungbowa bagging a brace and Harry Fox netting the other. 

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