Of course a trip to Luton would not be the same without some sort of outside issue! Usually it is the weather in the form of either incessant rain or snow that causes the problem but on this occasion it was the local traffic conditions. The closure of the M1 motorway between Junctions 11 and 12 meant that a number of Bar players were still running to the ground just after the scheduled start time and more importantly goalkeeper Ryan Maidment was stuck trapped in the middle of the traffic jam and in the end failed to make it!

With no goalkeeping kit available, as an emergency measure – and at the time it was assumed that he would play this role for just a few minutes – Miles Tomkins donned a green bib to play as a kicking back. This turned out to be an unplanned tactical masterstroke as Tomkins was able to in effect play as a sweeper behind an already determined Bar back line, meaning that although Luton were to have plenty of the ball in the Bar half, they hardly got a shot away in anger during the entire 70 minutes. It also meant that the defence was never outnumbered as it had been during the second half against Hertford, meaning there was usually a Bar stick available to clear the danger.

Bar got off to a slow start but gradually began to dominate with Scott Alexander, Nathan Stiffin and the Pace brothers regularly winning the ball in the centre of the pitch to gradually increase the pressure on the Luton goal. Simon Kelly was to prove a constant threat as the most forward player and he got away the first shot on goal after 8 minutes which was saved by the keeper.

It wasn’t long however before the Bar nerves were settled. With 9 minutes gone Scott Alexander was played in by an excellent pass from out wide from Stephen Demery. Although Alexander’s effort was well saved by the keeper coming quickly off his line, Luton were not able to clear the ball away. Nathan Stiffin regained possession, fed the ball to Scott Alexander, who played the ball to Simon Kelly who hit an exquisite reverse stick shot from just inside the D into the top corner of the net.

Kelly was to repeat the dose after 25 minutes. A move that started right from the back when Miles Tomkins cleared the defensive lines, eventually saw Nathan Stiffin claim the assist as he put Kelly away to loop the ball over the keeper to give Bar a deserved 2-0 lead.

Bar could easily have had the match out of sight before half time. Simon Kelly was usually involved – having a reverse stick effort from a short corner on 11 minutes well saved before seeing another shot go just wide of the upright 5 minutes later. Nathan Stiffin was denied by the keeper rushing off his line after 29 minutes after Oliver Pace had put him through on goal.

Meanwhile at the back Bar were keeping things tight and making sure the alarms were kept to a minimum. Skipper Richard Hughes (playing in the most bizarre pair of odd socks) and Tim Bye were showing their experience in the middle to make a number of crucial challenges, including key interventions from a Luton short corner. Meanwhile the youngsters wide out were also putting in an excellent shift, with Kieran Burger, Jake Metson and Stephen Demery always involved and chasing up and down the pitch. Keeping things together in the middle was Paul Brady – a key experienced head who has seen it all before and helped ensure the side maintained its shape! There was only one worrying moment for kicking back Miles Tomkins after 18 minutes, when a shot just drifted wide of the post.

Naturally the skipper was delighted with the position at half time but warned everyone that they would need to keep things going as Luton were bound to press forward more in the second half and would surely try to get some more shots away in realising that Bar were playing without a keeper! Miles Tomkins stressed the need to get the ball out wide as he could see that the strengths of the Luton side were done the middle.

Although Simon Kelly almost set up a third goal after 37 minutes when his lofted effort could not quite be turned in by Oliver Pace, Bar made another slow start to the half, allowing Luton to press forward and win a couple of short corners. Fortunately Jake Metson was on hand at the far post after 40 minutes to clear away the danger after Bar were left with only 3 defenders to defend a short corner after Paul Brady had broken from the line too early.

Just when it was looking likely to be a long second half, Bar put the game away in spectacular fashion with 3 goals inside 5 minutes. Having played most of the early stages of the half in defence, Bar broke out on 43 minutes with Oliver Pace putting Scott Alexander away on goal, before he unselfishly drew the keeper and slipped the ball to an unmarked Simon Kelly who seemed to take an eternity before putting the ball away to complete his hat trick.

Kelly made it 4-0 after 46 minutes – this time from a penalty flick. Bar had won a short corner and after Kelly’s initial shot was blocked by the keeper, Oliver Pace’s follow up was illegally stopped on the line by a defender. The flick was not struck well, but the keeper was heading the other way so had no chance to make the save. Then just two minutes later Bar had taken an unassailable 5-0 lead as Nathan Stiffin beat the keeper from close range after latching on to a ball from Damian Pace.

Luton continued to press for a goal but it seemed that every time the ball got into a dangerous position close to the Bar goal, either Richard Hughes or Tim Bye were there with a crucial challenge and if the ball did get any further, Miles Tomkins was usually able to get the ball away to safety, although he rarely had to be in a position to make an actual save.

Simon Kelly was still looking to score more goals. After 56 minutes he was denied by an excellent save by the keeper and then two minutes later he could easily have turned provider as he played a tremendous lofted pass to put Nathan Stiffin away but a defender just got in a crucial touch when a goal looked certain. On 62 minutes Kelly was again denied by the keeper but this was just a brief reprieve for Luton as from the restart Nathan Stiffin put the ball into the D for Damian Pace to smack the ball into the corner to make it 6-0.

The only thing left was for the defence – and notably kicking back Miles Tomkins - to keep the sort of clean sheet that regular 1s keeper Ben Balmforth would have been proud of! Luton won two more short corners with time running out, but once again they failed to get a proper shot away and the ball was put away to safety. The final whistle went shortly afterwards, meaning that the skipper could pull out the champagne and party poppers to celebrate the completion of a promotion winning campaign.

Luton Town 3s 0 Potters Bar 3s 6 (HT: 0-2)

Team: R Hughes (Capt), M Tomkins (KB), T Bye, S Demery, K Burger, J Metson, O Pace, S Kelly, D Pace, N Stiffin, P Brady, S Alexander,

Goals: Simon Kelly (9, 25, 43 & 46), Nathan Stiffin (48), Damian Pace (63)