Luton Report

A decent performance, where we generally had the best of the game without necessarily promising to score too often. Two changes with Ricketts coming in for Healy, I assume to give some extra physical presence upfront and Bennett replacing the injured Sullivan.

We started fairly well, Bakke and Derry were lively in midfield, and we managed to work a few decent positions, though generally the crosses flew across the box without anyone managing to get on the end of them. One twisting run from Blake produced a blocked shot and another near post header flashed wide.

Luton were generally tidy but with a big bloke and an ineffectual Warren Feeney upfront they didn’t really have the pace to threaten Butler and Gregan over much, though there was still a worrying trend of backing off at times allowing their midfielders to run at our defence. Despite looking comfortable, we nearly gave away a self-inflicted goal, Kelly’s dawdled over a clearance that was blocked and the ball was pulled back from the byeline and bundled against the post and then out of play by the onrushing striker.

Our clearest chance of the game came towards the end of the half, nice play by Derry and Blake said up Ricketts running onto the ball left hand side of the area with just the keeper to beat. He sidefooted it confidently wide of the post. Should have at least worked the keeper, probably should have scored.

We’d generally shaded the half but didn’t have much to show for it. Second half started in much the same way but we seemed to lose momentum after about 60 minutes and were put under a fair bit of pressure for a while, which seemed to stem from a tiring Bakke in midfield. The ball bobbed around our box a fair bit but we seemed to win most of the important headers at the back.

Derry, Lewis and Blake played some decent football around the area, without quite unlocking the Luton defence, but at least they were trying something different. Blackwell then swapped Blake for Healy, who promptly hit the roof of the stand after cutting inside and trying to curl one into the far corner. To huge cheers, Richardson replaced the anonymous Wright, and this helped to give us a bit more impetus. Finally Glyfi came on for an injured Ricketts with an knackered Bakke being shoved upfront.

Either team could have won it at the end, Luton brought on a giant upfront and Lewis peppered the Luton area with a few more crosses but no-one really looked like getting on the end of one and a draw was probably fair enough in the end.

 Scores

 Some positive signs, with some glimpses of decent football emerging. Hopefully the return of Hulse will give us the cutting edge we were missing today.

Matt