Bristol Rovers vs Luton Town FC (2nd Jan 2016)

PUBLISHED 17:03 2nd January 2016 Town slip on first game of the New Year

BRISTOL ROVERS 2-0 LUTON TOWN

The Hatters start to 2016 ended in defeat as two second-half goals from Rory Gaffney gave Bristol Rovers all three points.

After a goalless first half the Pirates took the lead on the hour when Gaffney rifled home inside the penalty area and, 13 minutes later, the home striker completed his double after Mark Tyler had spilled his initial shot.

It all began with Town caretaker boss Andy Awford making two changes to the side that drew 0-0 at Portsmouth on Monday. In came Cameron McGeehan and Craig Mackail-Smith for Jack Marriott and Josh McQuoid, who dropped to the bench.

Hosts Rovers made three changes following their win over Orient on Monday and it was Darrell Clarke’s side that began on the front foot – and it was much the case for the majority of the first 45 minutes.

Despite their dominance however, the Pirates only tested Tyler once in the first half when the Town stopper did brilliantly to tip away ex-Luton man Lee Mansell’s drive from 10 yards five minutes before the break.

The hosts also had two goals ruled out in a first half in which the Hatters struggled to create a note-worthy chance. Paul Benson headed the Town’s best chance wide of the target in the 18th minute following Ryan Hall’s cross from the right.

But in the truth the first half belonged to Rovers, but the Hatters defence held firm with Scott Cuthbert, Alex Lawless and Magnus Okuonghae all blocking well to snuff out the home side’s threat.

Five minutes after the break the Pirates spurned a good chance to take the lead when Gaffey fired over the crossbar from inside the penalty area and the Town could breathe again.

Back came the Town, Benson and Hall combined to tee-up Cameron McGeehan to shoot over from 25 yards on 57 minutes before Hall cut inside from the right to drill a shot into the side-netting a minute later.

But that glimpse of attacking threat from the Town was forgotten on the hour when the hosts took the lead. Howells cleared a free Tom Lockyer header off the line following a left-wing corner but Gaffney was on hand to hammer home the loose ball from 12 yards giving Tyler no chance.

Awford sent on Paddy McCourt for Howells with a quarter of the game left but Tyler needed to save to prevent the hosts going 2-0 up when saving from Stuart Sinclair’s low shot on 68 minutes.

However Tyler was at fault when Rovers doubled their lead on 73 minutes. Gaffney fluffed a simple chance when unmarked in the box but the Town keeper couldn’t gather and the home forward pounced to stab home his and the Pirates’ second goal.

The Town introduced Josh McQuoid and Jack Marriott in a bid to mount a late comeback but the Hatters failed to test Mildenhall and the home side could celebrate another victory – their fifth win in six matches.

Town: Tyler; O'Donnell, Howells (sub McCourt 68), Cuthbert, Okuonghae; Smith, Lawless, McGeehan, Hall; Mackail-Smith (sub Marriott 82), Benson (sub McQuoid 74).

Subs not used: Justham, Lee, Long, Wilkinson.

Attendance: 9,131, including 707 backing the Hatters.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-bristol-rovers-2-0-town-2880706.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntjGs54rFeA

League Two: Bristol Rovers 2 Luton Town 0

Luton Town’s hunt for a permanent manager took on an even greater significance after yet another thoroughly inept defeat, this time at the hands of Bristol Rovers.

With well over two weeks passing since John Still left the club, results and performances are showing no real signs of picking up any time soon, as Luton have now taken just four points from a possible 12 since his departure, with the side lacking any real clear direction that a full time boss would undoubtedly instil.

If Hatters’ supporters had thought a change in year would herald a change in fortune, they were left seriously misguided, witnessing a turgid display, in which their side once more failed to a muster single shot on target.

Luton’s lack of potency is fast becoming a worrying theme of caretaker boss Andy Awford’s caretaker reign, as home stopper Steve Mildenhall was untested, making it a pathetic single attempt in three games now.

Awford, who had the reins for the fourth game since John Still’s departure, made two changes to the side who drew 0-0 at Portsmouth, with Craig Mackail-Smith and Cameron McGeehan coming in for Jack Marriott and Josh McQuoid.

However, rather than try to take the game to the opposition and blast their way out of the recent slump, Luton yet again set up with a defensive mindset from the first whistle, looking like they were intent on containment as opposed to anything more adventurous.

Town were thankful to a fine early block from captain Scott Cuthbert after Stuart Sinclair beat the offside trap as the Luton back-line looked less than secure once more, although they did win a host of corners, thanks to the incessant scampering from Mackail-Smith.

The third delivery finally caused the Pirates a modicum of concern too, Paul Benson’s diving header flying wide of the far post.

With Hatters’ defence giving their supporters a number of nervy moments, Rovers had the ball in the net on 27 minutes, only to see it disallowed for a quite blatant block on Cuthbert by Rory Gaffney in the build-up.

Town were then indebted to keeper Mark Tyler for a superb stop five minutes before the break as a quickfire counter saw Gaffney backheel for Mansell, but the keeper reacted excellently to tip over.

Luton had their moments in the first period, as they took up some promising positions, but that was all they were as Mildenhall was to enjoy a comfortable opening 45.

After the interval, Gaffney wasted a glorious opportunity just 14 yards out, when picked out by Daniel Leadbitter’s pinpoint low cross, he skied over the bar.

Luton still couldn’t send anything clear-cut at the hosts goal, McGeehan’s hopeful long-ranger not coming down in time, although Hall was closer, his left-footer into the side-netting, meaning Mildenhall had to at least muddy his kit.

Just as Luton looked to be building something resembling a head of steam, the hosts were in front on the hour mark as a corner met by the unmarked Tom Lockyer and cleared off the line by Howells.

However, the lurking Gaffney was left all alone to whack the loose ball home as a livid Tyler remonstrated with his defence.

Awford brought on Paddy McCourt for Howells to move to a 3-5-2 formation, but still the Pirates attacked, Sinclair’s effort straight at Tyler.

The Northern Irishman looked to at least be having an impact, demanding possession and trying to prompt Town’s attackers, releasing Alex Lawless with a fine pass, but as is now the norm, Town’s final ball was left wanting

In fact, Rovers went on to sew up the points up with 17 minutes to go after a howler from Tyler.

The hosts’ attacked down the left, as the cross found Gaffney all alone once more. His first effort was tamely straight at the keeper, who somehow spilled it allowing Rovers’ on-loan front man to tap home.

Luton enjoyed some possession in advanced positions late on, but never once looked like even nabbing a consolation, as Steve O’Donnell hacked badly wide, summing up their lacklustre afternoon.

Rovers: Steve Mildenhall, Daniel Leadbitter, Lee Brown, Tom Lockyer, Tom Parkes, Lee Mansell (C), Ollie Clarke, Matty Taylor (Jermaine Easter 87), James Clarke, Stuart Sinclair, Rory Gaffney (Ellis Harrison 90).

Subs not used: Kieran Preston, Mark McChrystal, Chris Lines, Cristian Montano, Billy Bodin.

Hatters: Mark Tyler, Stephen O’Donnell, Jake Howells (Paddy McCourt 67), Magnus Okuonghae, Scott Cuthbert, Alex Lawless, Jonathan Smith, Cameron McGeehan, Ryan Hall, Paul Benson (Josh McQuoid 75), Craig Mackail-Smith (Jack Marriott 82).

Subs not used: Elliot Justham, Olly Lee, Sean Long, Luke Wilkinson.

Booked: Hall 10, Cuthbert 15, Howells 43, Taylor 65, McCourt 86.

Attendance: 9,131 (707 Hatters).

Referee: Lee Swabey.

An angry Hatters caretaker boss Andy Awford was ‘livid’ with his players after they fell to a 2-0 defeat at Bristol Rovers this afternoon.

With an hour gone, although not looking like scoring themselves, Hatters remained firmly in the game, until conceding twice in 12 minutes.

The first came from a corner, as Tom Lockyer’s header was cleared off the line by Jake Howells only for the unmarked Rory Gaffney to blast home.

Then, with 72 minutes gone, keeper Mark Tyler’s error saw Gaffney make it 2-0, and Awford didn’t mince his words in the post match press conference, saying: “I’m livid with them today as we shouldn’t have lost that game, the way we conceded the goals are very disappointing.

“It goes without saying when you get beat you’re never happy, but the manner in which we lost the two goals leaves that sour taste.

“We haven’t done the basics well enough from a set-piece, we haven’t gone with a runner, for the second goal Mark spills it and its 2-0 before you know it and that’s a disappointing factor.”

On the manner the goals were conceded, Awford continued: “You can’t odds that, people are told who to mark at a set-pieces and a corner comes in, and it’s a free header.

“Jake (Howells) does his job on the post, which is why you have people on the post and then the guy who smashes it in the back of the net is in two or three yards of space.

“Mark’s then spilled one and I don’t care who’s stood in that dug out, if you don’t do your basics right, as a team out there, which they haven’t today in that respect, you don’t win football matches, it’s as simple as that.

“I look back to the Exeter goal that came from a set-piece, we’ve spoken about that and worked on that.

“I’ve only been it in a short time of course and you’re not going to change everything in one day but you’ve got to do better with the basics.

“Teams that win this league are the teams that make the least mistakes and we make far too many mistakes in my opinion in our box and that’s cost us dearly all season and it’s cost us again today.”

On just why Hatters are continually making error after error in defence this term, Awford added: “Concentration, focus, there’s a great group of lads there in terms of people, they’re a really good group to work with, they give you everything they’ve got, but they’ve switched off at a vital moment and you can’t odds that.

“As a manager you set your teams up, as a caretaker manager you set your teams up, and you have a gameplan.

“We wanted to bring Paddy McCourt on today when it was 0-0 to try and go on and win it, not to chase it. But we haven’t defended the box well enough from a set-piece and Mark’s spilled one.”

Bristol Rovers 2 Luton Town 0

If the Prime Minister's chums and the usual raft of celebrities can be gifted New Year's honours then there really should have been a space on the list for Luton Town fans.

All last year they travelled the length and breadth of the land for slim pickings and there looks little sign of change for 2016.

At Bristol Rovers, 707 supporters turned up to witness no shots on target (again), no goals, no manager, no direction and no hope. That deserves one of the Queen's meaningless medals, for services to suffering, if nothing else.

Town's first foray into this calendar year was effectively over in the 62nd minute when Rory Gaffney lashed in the first of a double. His second, 12 minutes later, courtesy of a horrendous Mark Tyler howler, merely confirmed the inevitable – that Luton, with six defeats in eight League Two games, are a team in dire straits.

With a two-week gap until they face Cambridge, their next boss needs to be appointed as soon as possible and, on this evidence, he could do with being a magician. Dynamo, David Blaine, Paul Daniels, anyone?

Caretaker boss Andy Awford hasn't applied and there certainly won't be any clamour for him to continue his temporary tenure, but this is not a problem of his making and a New Year's resolution certainly wasn't going to fix it either.

Sadly, unless something major does change with the arrival of a new manager, then Luton fans should strap themselves in for a 2016 of nerve-jangling defending, backwards passing, aimless long balls, chasing shadows, shanks, scuffs and trying to find positives in winning an occasional corner.

Set pieces were good as it got for Town until Paddy McCourt's second half introduction. Even then, his forward-thinking came when Bristol were cruising.

Conversely, Bristol twice hit the Hatters' net in the first half through Matty Taylor and Stuart Sinclair but found the linesman's flag raised for a foul and an offside.

They were unpopular decisions among the Gas faithful, sparked off by a yellow card for Luton captain Scott Cuthbert, 15 minutes in, when Taylor crumpled from a stray elbow.

The assistant's performance deteriorated from there as Gaffney was allowed to play on despite standing in a clearly offside position. On that occasion, Tyler came to Town's rescue with a fingertip save to deny Lee Mansell.

In the second half, Gaffney lashed wildly over the bar when well-placed, but he would soon make Town pay.

First, Ryan Hall ruffled the wrong side of the net as, for a few minutes, Luton looked lively on the break. But that illusion was quickly ruined when, from a corner, Jake Howells cleared off the line from Tom Lockyear's towering header but only to Gaffney who thumped home with interest.

Plan A scuppered, there was no alternative, despite McCourt's best efforts as a 68th minute substitution.

Still, you don't expect Tyler to gift the opposition goals, but that's what happened in the 72rd minute when Gaffney fluffed a first shot only to have the ball dropped at his feet. Game over.

If this was a new start for the New Year then, never mind a royal decree, Luton, and their fans, need miracles.

Bristol: Mildenhall, Leadbitter, Brown, Lockyer, Parkes, Mansell, O. Clarke, Taylor (Easter, 88), J. Clarke, Sinclair, Gaffney (Harrison, 90)

Unused subs: Preston, McChrystal, Lines, Montano, Bodin

Luton: Tyler, O'Donnell, Smith, Cuthbert, Lawless, McGeehan, Benson (McQuoid, 73), Hall, Okuonghae, Mackail-Smith (Marriott, 82), Howells (McCourt, 68)

Unused subs: Justham, Lee, Long, Wilkinson

Referee: Lee Swabey

Attendance: 9,131 (707)