Luton Town 4 Brentford 1

Last updated : 24 February 2004 By Footymad Previewer

A superb second half hat-trick from Enoch Showunmi saw Luton continue their push into the play-off positions as they ran out comfortable 4-1 winners at Kenilworth Road.

After a scrappy opening to the game Luton began to take control and an earlier period of pressure culminated in their opening goal.

Having already seen Steve Robinson's goal bound shot superbly blocked it was the latter’s corner net at the far post by Emerson Boyce which was headed into the net passed the stranded Alan Julian in the Bees goal.

With the added bonus of the early goal the Hatters looked to double their lead. First Boyce headed another Robinson corner just passed the far post before Kevin Nicholls and Steven Howard both tested Julian with low driven efforts.

Brentford failed to give their travelling contingent much to cheer about though a 25-yard free-kick from captain Michael Dobson did force Morten Hyldgaard into a smart save turning the ball round for a corner.

However, that was all the visitors had to offer in the first half and Luton could and should have doubled their lead before the interval.

A free-flowing move saw Steve Robinson once again involved in the thick of the action this time his cross was headed back by Howard only for Boyce to miss a great chance mis-cueing his header with the goal at his mercy.

With only a one goal cushion Luton's lead was precarious, though, just as they started the first half brightly so they did with the second and, with only four minutes in, Enoch Showunmi got in on the action.

Picking the ball up on the half way line he superbly bowled passed Joel Kitamirike carried the ball 40 yards and coolly slotted the ball home.

The early goal seemed to end the game as a contest and the rhythm and pace died down.

However, with 25 minutes remaining Brentford were offered a glimmer of hope when they halved the deficit. Tommy Wright wriggled clear of two Luton players and, as the home side backed off, he fired home from the edge of the box.

However, that hope only lasted for two minutes as Enoch Showunmi once again took centre stage. First he dispossessed Dobson on touch line to race clear and apply another cool finish and, with 10 minutes remaining, he completed the scoring when Michael Leary teed him up and he gleefully rifled home his third.