Luton’s recent unbeaten run came to an abrupt end as they suffered a heavy 5-0 reverse at Barnsley.

The Hatters had been unbeaten in their previous 3 outings without conceding a goal, but Barnsley would jump above the Bedfordshire club in the table as Reyes Cleary, Patrick Kelly, Luca Connell, a Gideon Kodua own goal and Davis Keilor-Dunn gave the hosts a commanding victory.

Defeat in Yorkshire means that Luton now sit 12th in the League One table, with Jack Wilshere’s side 4 points off the play-offs after 16 games.

Luton had won on each of their previous 3 visits to Oakwell, but nearly fell behind within 3 minutes as Vimal Yoganathan hit the crossbar. A busy start would then see Isaiah Jones have a shot saved before Barnsley opened the scoring with 7 minutes on the clock.

Keilor-Dunn’s pass released Cleary, and when through, the Barnsley man managed to chip Josh Keeley to put the ball into the Luton net.

Nahki Wells would round the Barnsley keeper only to be thwarted by last-gasp defending before Yoganathan hit the goal frame again with a shot that this time struck the post.

Ten minutes before half time, Barnsley made it 2-0 as Cleary crossed in for Kelly to tap the ball home from close range.

The Tykes then grabbed their third goal of the first half in the final minute of regular time in the first 45 as Connell swept in a perfectly placed free-kick.

A miserable day for Luton would get worse after the hour mark, with Kodua credited with the final touch as under pressure from Tennai Watson, the West Ham loanee ended up being the unlucky man as the ball ricocheted past Keeley into the back of the Hatters’ net.

Keillor-Dunn wrapped up the rout with a fifth goal with 15 minutes to go as he received Cleary’s pass and duly converted.

Luton have a quick turnaround before they go again and seek to move on from the contest, with the Hatters facing Huddersfield on Tuesday night.

Two men have been sentenced to a combined total of 19 years after they were convicted of a string of offences in Milton Keynes and Northampton.

Shahime Finch, 26, of Linden Road, Reading, was found guilty by a unanimous jury verdict of three counts of robbery following a trial at Reading Crown Court, which concluded on 9 September this year.

Muhammad Munir, 26, also of Linden Road, Reading, was found guilty by unanimous jury verdict of one count of intentional strangulation, three counts of robbery and four counts of sexual assault on a female at the same trial. He was acquitted of one further count of intentional strangulation.

Returning to the same court on Tuesday (18/11), Munir was jailed for a total of 11 years and Finch eight years.

The charges relate to two incidents that happened on the evening of 18 January 2025.

Finch and Munir travelled from Reading to Milton Keynes, where they forced entry into an Air BnB in Milburn Avenue. Two women aged in their thirties were staying at the house.

The offenders demanded cash from them both, and Finch produced a screwdriver. One of the women was dragged into a bedroom by her hair by Munir, while Finch searched the property.

Munir then located a knife and threatened the victim at knifepoint, following which the girls handed the men over £160 in cash.

Munir and Finch then left and travelled to Northampton, where they forced their way into another Air BnB, where two women in their twenties were staying.

This time, Munir strangled one of the women who had answered the door, before dragging her down the stairs by her hair and again demanded money.

The two victims were then taken to a bedroom and stripped and Munir sexually assaulted them both using weapons.

Finch searched the property, but the victims managed to escape the property and ran out into the road wrapped in bedsheets to cry for help.

Around £1,500 was stolen from the address as well as two iPhones before Munir and Finch fled the property.

Following an investigation, Munir was arrested on 19 January and again on 12 February, before being charged on 13 February.

Finch was arrested on 7 February and charged the following day.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Samantha Le Jeune said, “This was an extremely challenging and harrowing case. The defendants inflicted enormous terror on their victims, and conducted absolutely abhorrent offences against all of them.

“I would like to thank the victims for their serious courage, strength and resolve throughout this investigation and subsequent trial.

“Violence against Women and Girls is abhorrent, and Thames Valley Police will not tolerate such wicked offending.

“I am pleased that both Munir and Finch have now been held accountable for their actions and will serve lengthy prison sentences as a result.

“If you are a victim, please contact us. You will be listened to and supported, and we will do we can to bring offenders to justice.

“You can call us on 101 or report online, and if you are in immediate danger, call us on 999.”

MK Dons picked up a point as they came from 2 goals and a man down to draw away at Tranmere Rovers.

Two goals by Charlie Whitaker had given the home side a 2-0 lead at half-time. But an eventful 4 minute sequence saw Jon Mellish grab a goal back for the Dons, Jonathan Leko get sent off and Kane Thompson-Sommers grab an equaliser.

A draw on the Wirral sees MK Dons slip a place to 4th, although they remain at the top end of a tight League 2 table where the top half is separated by just 6 points.

The Dons had been forced into a reshuffle for the trip to Prenton Park, with Rushian Hepburn-Murphy and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing both out with injuries sustained the previous week and Callum Paterson missing through suspension.

While adjusting to their changes, MK Dons fell behind within the opening 10 minutes. Marvin Ekpiteta’s pass out was intercepted, and Jayden Joseph fed Whitaker to slot past Craig MacGillivray.

Just before the half-hour mark, the Dons would concede a second. Aaron McGowan’s long pass down the Tranmere right played in Whitaker, who controlled and then lofted a neat finish into the back of the net.

The Dons had improved after this, but would take time to create chances that troubled home keeper Joe Murphy.

This trend continued in the second half, even after the Dons welcomed back Aaron Collins and Gethin Jones as subs after periods with injury.

With 12 minutes left on the clock, the Dons would claw it back to 2-1. Liam Kelly’s corner was only partially cleared and substitute Mellish duly thrashed a strike through the crowd and into the goal.

On the restart, however, it looked as though the Dons’ hopes had taken a major hit when they were reduced to 10 men. The referee deemed Leko’s collision with home defender Nathan Smith as primarily on the Dons attacker, earning Leko a second booking and with it dismissal from the field of play.

Undeterred, the Dons would duly grab an equaliser through 2 goals in 4 minutes. Jones and Dan Crowley combined to feed Thompson-Sommers, and the substitute duly found the bottom corner. It was the second away match in a row where the Dons had come from 2-0 down to 2-2, having done so in their last League Two away day at Barnet.

The Dons even came close to a late winner, with Murphy denying Jones and Alex Gilbey firing over on the rebound.

Having taken a point, the Dons now prepare for three home games in a row, starting with next weekend’s match against Fleetwood Town.

Milton Keynes City Council have announced plans to modernise and expand its city centre library. 

Proposals for the Central Library located in Central Milton Keynes include updates that are being made to the first floor to create a more flexible space.

More public computers will join new, adaptable book storage that can be moved around to accommodate different events, activities and community groups. A dedicated study area opens next month with seating, desk space and charging capacity for up to 40 people alongside access to the local history collection, parish records and resources like Ancestry.com.

The city council has already moved the children’s library to a larger space on the ground floor, making it more accessible to families, and replaced the library’s lift, as well as major upgrades to its roof.  

Since the children’s library move in September, attendance at ‘storytime’ and musical sessions has increased by 50%.

Central Library is one of ten libraries run by the city council with support from local volunteers and welcomes more than 4,000 residents each week.  As well as a massive collection of traditional books, manga and graphic novels, plus free to use computers, the library offers a wide range of free events, activities and regular clubs that help develop key skills and reduce social isolation.  This includes Lego and Duplo club, Conversation Club (for residents developing their English skills), Knit and Natter groups and one-to-one computer help.

The city council will make a formal decision on 25 November to spend £647,000 on the next phase of works on Central Library. Funding comes from a combination of money received from developers, known as Section 106, and government funding specifically allocated to libraries.

Deputy Leader of Milton Keynes City Council, Cllr Lauren Townsend, said, “Our Central Library isn’t just one of the most iconic buildings in the city, it’s a popular location for residents to meet up, attend clubs and groups and to learn. We know that so many people value the resources on offer, including free computer access, which is why we’re looking to expand on that. We’re already seeing the positive impact of recent changes and this next phase of work will enable us to ensure the building continues to be a versatile space for our popular services.”