Cambridge United 3-1 Luton Town match report: Elias Kachunga scores twice alongside Glenn McConnell’s first senior goal secures Vertu Trophy victory over League One visitors

Elias Kachunga’s first two goals of the season helped Cambridge United to begin their Vertu Trophy campaign with a 3-1 win over League One outfit Luton Town this evening.

It was an all-round positive outing for the U’s, who also saw academy graduate Glenn McConnell net his first senior goal for the club alongside scholar Lohan McDougald being handed a debut in the closing stages.

Visiting Luton, who parted company with manager Matt Bloomfield yesterday, broke the deadlock in the 15th minute. Cambridge were unable to clear a corner and when the ball fell to Mads Anderson, the Danish defender turned it in from close range.

Both sides then had chances, with Lasse Nordas breaking through for Luton in the 28th minute, only to see his route to goal blocked by Cambridge’s debut-making goalkeeper Ben Hughes.

The away side’s Millenic Ali also fired over when unmarked, while at the other end Cambridge’s captain for the night Kachunga took too long to pull the trigger and that allowed Luton goalkeeper James Shea the opportunity to come out and make the stop.

However, there was no hesitancy from McConnell as he drew the U’s level from distance with a dipping effort that beat Shea in the 33rd minute.

And McConnell was also heavily involved when United went in front for the first time just two minutes after the restart. After linking up well with left-back Ben Purrington, the playmaker picked out Kachunga and he applied the finishing touch.

McConnell had the opportunity to double his tally in the 63rd minute after being put in the clear by Korey Smith’s lofted pass, but he shot straight at Shea. Adam Mayor – on at half-time in place of Ben Knight – was quickest to the rebound and he beat Shea with a driven shot, but a sliding Kal Naismith got back on the line to keep his side in the contest.

But there was no denying Kachunga from scoring a second goal of the night 10 minutes from time. It was route one football – with a helping hand from the charitable Luton defence – as Hughes’ goal kick bounced straight through for the German attacker, who from inside the box lifted the ball over a helpless Shea.

And that triggered the big moment for McDougald, who was given the final few minutes by head coach Neil Harris in place of the sponsors’ Man of the Match McConnell. The Huntington-born attacking midfielder joined the club as an Under-13 from Godmanchester Rovers.

Cambridge United: Hughes, Bennett, Jobe, Ibsen Rossi, Purrington, Smith (Mpanzu 64’), Hoddle, Knight (Mayor 46’), McConnell (McDougald 86’), Brophy (Kouassi 64’), Kachunga

Luton Town: Shea, Bramall (Richards 60’), Mengi, Anderson (Fanne 60’), Lonwijk, Naismith, Nelson (Yates 60’), Clark (Gbode 86’), Morris (Kodua 73’), Alli, Nordas

Attendance: 1,767