Blackpool vs Luton Town FC (22nd Sep 2018)

BLACKPOOL 0 LUTON TOWN 0

The Hatters picked up a good point at Blackpool this afternoon as it was only a brilliant performance from Tangerines keeper Mark Howard that denied Nathan Jones' side from picking up all three.

Town's Elliot Lee, Jorge Grant and James Collins all went close to finding a winning goal at Bloomfield Road, but it wasn't to be as a near 1,400 travelling supporters roared the Hatters on.

The visitors came under a bit of pressure early on when Liam Feeney was slipped through by former Hatter Mark Cullen with five minutes on the clock, but Dan Potts slid in excellently to take the ball away from the winger to stop the attack.

Cullen tried to take advantage of their early pressure and wasn't too far away just three minutes later as he was unable to divert Ollie Turton's decent low cross past Shea, instead clipping it wide of the near post.

The Hatters started making inroads and with 15 minutes gone Howard spared defender Ben Heneghan's blushes – the keeper doing well to keep out the ex-Motherwell man's deflected block going into the back of his own net, after Jack Stacey had put in a terrific low ball after cutting in from the by-line.

Jorge Grant looked sharp and teed up Andrew Shinnie to shoot from the edge of the box after 21 minutes, but it was a comfortable save for Howard.

Grant then gave the Hatters the best opportunity of the first half exchanges as he pinched the ball in midfield, with him and Elliot Lee going through against one Blackpool defender, he gave the ball to Lee who saw his curling effort expertly palmed away by Howard.

Feeney – who helped Cardiff City to promotion to the Premier League last season – went close to breaking the deadlock with half an hour gone when he saw his effort from 22 yards well tipped over by James Shea.

James Collins went close to grabbing his first goal in League One for the Hatters just 70 seconds into the second half when he nodded down Grant's ball before doing well to get a shot away under pressure, but it was a comfortable save for Howard.

Grant again was creating the hosts trouble shortly after – this time he chipped it over a defender before hammering it from just inside the box on his left foot from a bit of an angle, but Howard palmed it down before gathering.

With the hour mark just past, Collins did well to win a corner out on the far side, Grant whipped it in, Dan Potts rose highest and the ball looked destined to beat Howard, Collins got a touch on it though and sent the ball wide for a goal-kick.

The Hatters edged closer to finding the lead in the 73rd minute when Mpanzu powered forward, outmuscling Jay Spearing to get the ball through to Lee, the striker looked to fire it into the bottom left corner, but his deflected strike was saved by Howard who dived to his right when the ball looked destined to beat the stopper.

With two minutes to go, Lee went desperately close to smashing in a late winner as he cut onto his right foot, before dancing along the edge of the box and letting fly from 20 yards, but Howard again denied the Hatters the goal their play deserved as he dived to his right to palm it away.

The result means the Hatters have now kept two consecutive clean sheets, as they slipped down a place into 12th in the third tier.

BLACKPOOL XI: Howard, Heneghan, Delfouneso (Nottingham 70), Spearing ©, Cullen (Gnanduillet 80), Thompson, Tilt, O'Sullivan, Turton, Feeney, Bola.

ON THE BENCH: Boney, O'Connor, Dodoo, Nottingham, McLaughlin, Gnanduillet, Guy.

YELLOW: Heneghan

TOWN XI: Shea, Stacey, Pearson, Bradley, Potts, Rea (C), Mpanzu, Grant (Cornick 74), Shinnie, Lee, Collins

ON THE BENCH: Isted, Justin, Cornick, Senior, Jarvis, Read, Sheehan.

ATTENDANCE: 4,124 AWAY: 1,382

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbf6lvq5Xok

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBlF7MRbbpg

Hatters held in Seasiders stalemate

League One: Blackpool 0 Luton Town 0

Luton Town were held to a goalless draw at in-form Blackpool this afternoon although the visitors were once again left frustrated at what might have been.

There were plenty of positives to take for the Hatters, a first clean sheet away from Kenilworth Road, plus not conceding during the first half on the road as well, while they also looked by far the better team against a side unbeaten since the opening day, creating easily the better of the chances.

But it will be the fact that none of those opportunities, particularly during the first half, were taken that will leave the 1,300 visiting fans present at Bloomfield Road slightly disappointed, as they dispersed at the final whistle, knowing they really should have been cheering an away win.

Boss Nathan Jones kept faith with the same side that beat Bristol Rovers 1-0 last weekend, although injuries in the squad meant there were spots for youngsters Arthur Read and Jack Senior on the bench.

The visitors made a controlled start to proceedings, as Blackpool, coming into the game having won two on the bounce, barely threatened, Mark Cullen backheelng their best chance wide.

Luton fashioned some moments of real promise, the best on 15 minutes seeing Jack Stacey's low cross diverted goalwards by defender Ben Heneghan, keeper Mark Howard adjusting his legs well to save.

The home stopper had an easier stop five minutes later, Andrew Shinnie's effort straight at him, but he excellent on 22 minutes, excellently palming away Elliot Lee's effort after Jorge Grant had robbed his man deep in opposition territory.

Visiting stopper James Shea was extended for the first time on the half hour mark, flipping Liam Feeney's effort from outside the box over the top, his only real test throughout the whole 90 minutes.

As Town kept pressing forward, Grant's cross was just over the head of Lee, with Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu's follow up smuggled away by the home defence.

The visitors remained dominant, Grant rising well at the far post to put a header across goal that was cleared away, with Lee's curler simple for Howard.

In the second period, Luton continued to play on the front foot, Grant dinking the ball away from his opponent and shooting into the gloves of Howard.

The hosts finally had a degree of pressure courtesy of Nathan Delfouneso's deliveries from the left, one just beyond Cullen, the other glanced wide under pressure by Jordan Thompson.

With the second half never quite living up to the first, a good break by Marc Bola saw Cullen's shot deflect behind for a corner, before Town countered themselves, Mpanzu doing the ground work for Lee to shoot low, Howard saving.

Blackpool created possibly their best chance on 75 minutes, a long throw finding Thompson at the far post who could only ungainly hook over on his right foot.

Town still had chances in the latter stages, Collins unfortunately tripping himself up in the box as he shaped to shoot, the ball trickling behind.

On his left, Thompson was a different player, testing Shea from 18 yards, while Lee thought he had won it with three minutes to go, unloading an effort from the edge of the box which Howard had to parry at full stretch, to ensure the spoils were shared.

Seasiders: Mark Howard, Ben Heneghan, Nathan Delfouneso (Michael Nottingham 70), Jay Spearing (C), Mark Cullen (Armand Gnanduillet 80), Jordan Thompson, Curtis Tilt, John O'Sullivan (Callum Guy.46), Ollie Turton, Liam Feeney, Marc Bola.

Subs not used: Myles Boney, Paudie O'Connor, Joe Dodoo, Ryan McLaughlin

Hatters: James Shea, Jack Stacey, Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley, Dan Potts, Glen Rea (C), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Jorge Grant (Harry Cornick 74), Andrew Shinnie (James Justin 90), Elliot Lee, James Collins.

Subs not used: Harry Isted, Alan Sheehan, Aaron Jarvis, Arthur Read, Jack Senior.

Booked: Heneghan 15.

Referee: Seb Stockbridge.

Attendance: 4,124 (1,382 Luton).

Luton boss rues a lack of 'killer edge' during 'outstanding' Blackpool display

Hatters boss Nathan Jones was left to rue his side’s lack of a killer edge’ in front of goal as they were held to a stalemate at Blackpool this afternoon.

The Luton chief couldn’t hide his pride at was what at times a fantastic performance from the visitors, particularly in the first half, as they were easily the better side.

But Seasiders keeper Mark Howard denied Elliot Lee twice, plus Jorge Grant, while a host other opportunities went begging as Jones said: “I thought first half we were sublime at times, I thought we were outstanding, the way we moved the ball.

“Let's not forget, these are the form team in the league as well, they’re a good side, cause you problems, but I thought we were outstanding first half, we’re just that far from being an outstanding side from start to finish.

“If we’d got a little bit of cutting edge first half and got the goal, who knows what would have happened?

“Second half we were not quite as dominant, but we still had chances to have won the game.

“The first half performance was wonderful though, I was very very proud of them and we’re just missing that little bit of killer edge at times. If we get that, we’ll be some side.”

Jones was relieved with a first clean sheet of the campaign on the road though, as he added: “We defended well from back to front and then with how we moved the ball, the structure we’ve got, the interplay, just was superb, it was, I was proud of them, that’s what we work on and I was proud of them.

“Considering the level of opposition we played today with threats all over, I thought we were brilliant, I really did. We deserve far more, but if we don’t take chances and don’t have that cutting edge, we work so hard on it, then we leave ourselves open, but praise the lord today we kept a clean sheet.

“That’s two on the bounce for us, we’re doing well in that level defensively and I was just pleased with the overall performance. It’s a real shame as we deserved far, far more.”