Luton Town 3 Northampton 2

Last updated : 15 February 2003 By Footymad Previewer

Former Premiership midfielder Paul Hughes bagged a brace as Luton Town beat neighbours Northampton 3-2.

Hughes, who played under Glenn Hoddle at Chelsea and Southampton joined Luton captain Kevin Nicholls on the scoresheet.

Daryl Burgess had earlier headed the Cobblers in front and Richard Johnson equalised with a controversial penalty on 76 minutes before Hughes volleyed in a late winning goal.

Relegation-threatened Northampton have now won just one game in 15 and Terry Fenwick is still searching for his first victory since taking over as manager at Sixfields.

Fenwick's side went in front after 23 minutes when Burgess escaped the attentions of Emmerson Boyce to head in Johnson’s free kick from the left.

Luton levelled the scores three minutes later when Hughes scored his first goal of the season.

The Hatters midfielder sent a low volley across goal crashing in off the post after Chris Coyne headed it i to his firing range.

Nicholls gave Luton the lead on 59 minutes with an excellently struck free kick that he earned after a surging run was ended by Paul Trollope on the edge of the penalty box.

The ex-England youth international picked himself up to curl a perfect shot in to Glyn Thompson's top right-hand corner.

Luton appeared to be cruising until on-loan Wimbledon defender Christopher Willmott was unfortunate to be penalised when he handballed Jerry Gill's hopeful punt in to the box.

Australian international Johnson stepped up to take the free kick and home keeper Carl Emberson could only help his effort into the top corner.

The Hatters bounced back and Hughes won the match on 84 minutes adjusting his body to send another low volley into the bottom corner from eight yards, after Tony Thorpe's aerial challenge from a Dean Crowe right-wing cross.

Luton manager Joe Kinnear said: "We deserved to win because of our work rate and the opportunities we created."