PREVIEW Luton Town v Oxford United

A full guide to the last game of the season

3 May 2019

Oxford United finish the season with a trip to promoted Luton Town on Saturday

TEAM NEWS
The U's are without the suspended Ahmed Kashi while loanees Jordan Graham and Samir Carruthers are not involved having been told they can return to the parent clubs last week.

Karl Robinson's big decision is whether to stick with youngster Nico Jones in defence after his debut last week or recall Rob Dickie alongside Curtis Nelson. Jamie Mackie and Jerome Sinclair compete to start up front while another youngster, winger Kyran Lofthouse, is likely to be on the bench again.

It's a last game for coach Shaun Derry before he leaves for pastures new - see Shaun, Karl Robinson and Jamie Hanson previewing the game in iFollow right now.

THE OPPOSITION
Boss Mick Harford hands the reins over to his successor tomorrow with Graeme Jones taking over from Tuesday. Luton legend Harford admits that he will be emotional when he comes out of the tunnel before kick off on Saturday.

“The coaching staff have been taking the mickey out me, saying we’re fed up of hearing ‘there’s only one Mickey Harford’ and all that, the songs and the chants.

“But even thinking about it now sends a shiver down my spine, and I have a real good affinity with the football fans at Luton Town Football Club. I know they’ll get behind me, they’ll get behind the team on Saturday, and also when the incoming manager comes in, they’ll give him massive support and that’s good to know for everyone at the football club."

Former U's striker Danny Hylton misses out through injury.

The Gaffer

Karl on Luton

U18s and Women also end season

TICKETS

This game is All Ticket and please note that it kicks off at 5.30pm and the last ticket for the away end was sold on Thursday morning.

Tickets are for collection only as Luton do not duplicate any lost or stolen tickets and can be collected from the Oxford United Ticket office before 3pm on Friday or at the away turnstiles on Saturday.

LONDON ROAD TRAVEL

Departs: Stadium 3.00 pm prompt.

Under 14s must be accompanied by an adult and no alcohol is permitted on the coaches.

FOLLOW IT LIVE
You can hear the whole game live in the UK and see it abroad in iFollow

OUFCOfficial will be tweeting throughout the game and the official report goes live with a full gallery right here on the final whistle.

THE PLAYLIST
Want to get in the mood for the game? Then search for Oxford United Official on Spotify where we bring you a new playlist for every away journey, plus the dressing room playlist. The Playlist, usually compiled with the help of John Mousinho, is available on Saturday morning and is always flexible: let us know on Twitter if you have any more to add to help get the Yellow Army in the mood one last time...

Luton Videos

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Match Reports

REPORT Luton Town 3 Oxford United 1

Luton crowned League Champions. Full time report.

4 May 2019

It started at promoted Barnsley and ended at Champions Luton.

In between there have been highs and lows and some sparkling football, but today Oxford United were unable to ruin the party as Luton reached the Championship thanks to two goals from George Moncur and one from Elliot Lee. There were spills and thrills and a Luke Garbutt goal made it a nervous last game for the Hatters, but for once no late drama and United left to refelct on an excellent 12th place finish which they would certainly have settled for at Christmas.

The U's were up against it from just the third minute when Moncur fired the Hatters ahead. It looked a soft goal; a low but well-struck free kick round the wall and into the bottom right corner with Simon Eastwood guarding the other half of the net.

United hadn’t been in the Luton half at that stage but came back strongly and almost drew level when James Henry slipped Jamie Mackie in on goal after 11 minutes only for keeper James Shea to get down well to his right to push the United skipper’s low drive away.

Marcus Browne also tested the keeper with a decent effort on 32 but in between those chances Luton had gone close to extending their lead on three separate occasions. Moncur missed with a free kick from similar range to the opener and Eastwood made two saves - one excellent and one good - from James Collins within three 29th-minute seconds.

There was a routine save from Lee seven minutes into the second half but it was a short reprieve as within 40 seconds Lee had his revenge and Luton were almost Champions. Neat passing, ball worked across the face of the box and Lee's rising effort flew beyond Eastwood for 2-0 and party time.

The champagne was temporarily back in the fridge on the hour though when Browne hit the post and Garbutt gobbled up the rebound to score a well-taken goal and give the home fans something to cheer as well as change the soundtrack briefly from 'Champions' to 'Going Up'!

The game was wide open at that stage and Eastwood made two more outstanding saves before Browne forced Shea into a good block at the other end. However on 73 minutes the corks and straw hats were flying when Moncur snapped up a rebound and planted the ball beyond Eastwood to decide not just the game but also the destination of the League 1 Trophy, presented on the pitch after the game.

Fair play to Luton: the best team in the division and deserved winners on the day as well. But United battled hard and never gave up and will look back not so much on today but more over the last three months when they have been fantastic.

Enjoy the summer everyone. See you next season...

Att:10,089

Away:1,025

Report by Chris Williams, pictures by Steve Daniels and Darrell Fisher, stats by OPTA

Match Reports

Ticket News

Luton Tickets SOLD OUT

Yellow Army fill the away end at Kenilworth Road

2 May 2019

All tickets for our final league game of the season at Kenilworth Road on Saturday have now been sold.

This game is All Ticket and please note that it kicks off at 5.30pm and the last ticket for the away end was sold on Thursday morning.

LONDON ROAD TRAVEL

Departs: Stadium 3.00 pm prompt.

Adult member	£14
Adult non member	£16
Under 18 member	£12
Under 18 non member	£14

Call 01865 337533 or visit oufctickets.co.uk to book

Under 14s must be accompanied by an adult and no alcohol is permitted on the coaches.

iFollow

Unfortunately the game will not be shown live on iFollow in the UK despite it being outside the '3pm Saturday' timeslot during which games are not allowed to be shown in this country. Both clubs received confirmation this morning from the EFL that the final round of games cannot be streamed, even if, as seems likely, the game is a sell out.

Full iFollow commentary from our friends at BBC Oxford will be available in the UK and overseas fans will be able to see the game as usual.

Ticket News

Standings

The Gaffer

U18s and Women also end season

Luton Videos

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