Bury vs Luton Town FC (6th Dec 2014)

Report: Bury 1-1 Luton Town

An injury-time equaliser denied the Hatters a victory and a guaranteed place in the third round of the FA Cup.

Leading thanks to Mark Cullen’s scrambled goal five minutes after half-time, the hosts earned a replay when substitute Daniel Nardiello fired home in the 90th-minute.

The Town began showing two changes to the side that beat Mansfield last week with Luke Wilkinson returning from suspension and Charlie Walker given his first start in Luton colours. Injured duo Shaun Whalley and Paul Benson were the players who made way.

Bury, who came into the game having lost their previous four matches, started brightly inside the first five minutes but Walker’s maiden start in professional football proved to be an incident-packed one in the first 15 minutes. The striker received treatment for a facial injury before he went mighty close to breaking the deadlock on 11 minutes when he raced through on goal to reach Jonathan Smith’s pass. However after beating home goalkeeper Rob Lainton to the ball, Walker’s lob bounced just wide.

Back came Bury, but the home side were finding it tough to penetrate the Hatters back-three with Tom Soares and Hallam Hope all off-target in their attempts on goal from the edge of the box.

But the Town were playing the better football and on 34 minutes the Hatters created a fine chance after patient move that ended with Mark Cullen inches away from reaching Walker’s teasing low cross from the right-hand side of the penalty area.

Mark Tyler was called into action for the first time on 36 minutes when he gathered another Hope effort, grabbing the ball at the second attempt with Danny Rose sniffing for the loose ball.

The half ended with Bury forcing a series of corners that came to nothing before the Town almost fashioned a chance with the final act of the opening 45 minutes only for the counter-attack to end with Andy Drury’s cross to end up in hands of Lainton.

Bury began the second half with gusto, winning an early corner before Danny Mayor cut inside from the left and fired a shot over Tyler’s crossbar.

But on 50 minutes it was the Town that took the lead with a goal that the Bury defence will not want to see again. Scott Griffiths forced his way up the byeline and there seemed no danger when the left-wing-back’s cross rolled towards goal. However home goalkeeper Lainton and a defensive colleague left the ball for each other on the goal-line and Cullen nipped in to bundle the ball over the line. It was Cullen’s ninth goal of the season.

The hosts tried in vain to level almost immediately but Nicky Adams’ free-kick hit the Town wall before Hope fired way over the crossbar after latching onto a super throughball from Mayor.

John Still made his first change, introducing Ricky Miller for Walker on the hour and the Town substitute almost set-up another goal for Cullen, only for the goalscorer’s shot to be held by Lainton at the goakeeper’s near post.

As Bury continued to search for an equaliser but when the Shakers did get in behind the Town defence, Tyler was there, and the Hatters’ number one was on hand to keep out a first-time shot from Rose following a left-wing cross from Chris Hussey.

The hosts were piling on the pressure and Michael Harriman came close to finding the net with an own goal with 11 minutes left. The QPR loanee relieved to see the ball drop the other side of the post.

With six minutes to go the Hatters won their first corner of the game a minute later the Town came close to sealing victory when Miller’s shot came back off the post and into Lainton’s arms after good work from Jonathan Smith.

Bury’s corner count with four minutes left read 16-1 and from the 16th flag-kick Tyler needed to be alert to palm over Chris Hussey’s right-wing corner.

However, the pressure continued and Bury from their 17th and final corner of the game, with goalkeeper Lainton in the mix, the Shakers levelled. The Town couldn’t clear their lines and Nardiello thundered home to send the home fans wild.

Bury went in search of a late winner but after four added minutes both sides had to settle for a replay at Kenilworth Road in 10 days’ time.

TOWN: Tyler; McNulty, Franks, Wilkinson; Harriman, Griffiths (sub Howells 76); Smith, Doyle, Drury; Walker (sub Miller 59), Cullen.

Subs: Robinson, Stevenson, Rooney, Lacey, Justham.

Attendance: 2,790 which includes 434 backing the Hatters.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-bury-1-1-town-2127690.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_p_1Yup-UQ

FA Cup second round: Bury 1 Luton Town 1

Luton Town’s name is in the hat for the FA Cup third round on Monday, but they will need a replay to progress after conceding a stoppage time equaliser at Bury this afternoon.

Hatters had led through Mark Cullen’s opportunistic opener after 50 minutes, but the Shakers forced 17 corners in total and it was from their final one that sub Daniel Nardiello fired a leveller.

Earlier, striker Charlie Walker had been handed his first start for the injured Paul Benson, partnering Cullen as Town boss John Still switched to a 3-5-2 formation.

Luke Wilkinson returned from suspension alongside Steve McNulty and Fraser Franks, as Shaun Whalley missed out due to a knock picked up in last weekend’s 3-0 win over Mansfield.

A fairly tepid first half saw chances at a premium for both sides, with Bury’s Danny Mayor cutting in and firing well over.

Walker, who this time last year was scoring twice for Peacehaven in a 3-1 Ryman One South win at Whitstable, had to head off briefly to receive treatment for a blow to the face.

He raced back on to beat Shakers keeper Robert Lainton to Jonathan Smith’s long ball forward only to see his chip fall agonisingly wide, before going to be patched up further.

Hallam Hope and Andy Drury exchanged wayward efforts with the recovered Walker’s cross was just beyond the reach of Cullen.

Bury finally mounted a spell of pressure, as Hope shot into the side-netting and had another drive saved at the second attempt by Mark Tyler.

The hosts’ attacks were all fairly easily repelled by a Luton defence magnificently marshalled by Steve McNulty once more, with Hope, on loan from Everton, the only one to really threaten.

He exchanged passes in the box to fire off target, while Wilkinson then did brilliantly to clear from under his bar from the tricky Danny Mayor’s cross.

After the break, the Shakers’ poor shooting continued as Mayor was wide, while Mark Cullen opted for a spectacular volley and saw it sail over.

The deadlock was then broken in the scrappiest of fashions on 50 minutes as Griffiths showed great determination the left flank.

He sent over a cross at the second time of asking that Lainton, who had looked edgy all afternoon, fumbled at his near post allowing Cullen to slide the ball over the line for his ninth of the campaign.

Bury should have levelled moments later as a defence-splitting pass saw Hope clear but he lobbed horribly over with just Tyler to beat.

Cullen’s low shot was easy for Lainton, before the Shakers upped their momentum as Luton had to defend with real resolution as the corner count continued to rise.

The Shakers forced an opening on 75 minutes, Danny Rose volleying into the gloves of Tyler after finally escaping his markers.

Luton’s keeper then had to punch clear a corner after Michael Harriman almost headed into his own net, while Bury’s profligate finishing looked like it might haunt them when Craig Jones’ skied another very presentable chance from close range.

Howell tested Lainton once more, as the keeper was then beaten all ends up by sub Ricky Miller’s low shot but it cannoned against the inside off the post and into his grateful arms.

Chris Hussey almost saw a corner go straight in as Tyler back-pedalled to tip over, while Jones headed over another delivery into the stands.

However, just when it looked like Luton had done enough, Miller gave away a needless free kick that Bury then won another corner from.

A bout of pinball followed in the area and Nardiello did the rest to ensure a replay at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday week.

Shakers: Robert Lainton, Craig Jones, Jimmy McNulty (C, Chris Hussey 71), Andrew Tutte, Hallam Hope (Daniel Nardiello 83), Nicky Adams (Ryan Lowe 61), Danny Rose, Danny Mayor, Tom Soares, Nathan Cameron, Pablo Mills.

Subs not used: Shwan Jalal, Chris Sedgwick, Keil O’Brien, Scott Burgess.

Hatters: Mark Tyler, Fraser Franks, Steve McNulty (C), Luke Wilkinson, Michael Harriman, Jonathan Smith, Nathan Doyle, Andy Drury, Scott Griffiths (Jake Howells 76), Mark Cullen, Charlie Walker (Ricky Miller 59).

Subs not used: Elliot Justham, Luke Rooney, Alex Lacey, Matt Robinson, Jim Stevenson.

Referee: Nigel Miller.

Booked: Soares 24, Mills 62, Howells 76.

Attendance: 2,790 (434 Luton).

Hatters MOM: Steve McNulty. Imperious display from Town’s leader.

Still reveals Hatters were battling sickness during Bury clash

Hatters boss John Still revealed that a number of his players were suffering with sickness during their FA Cup second round 1-1 draw at Bury yesterday.

The manager confirmed the problems occurred after his side’s pre-match meal as he said: “I’ve got to say this, I don’t ever make excuses but four or five players were really struggling after their pre-match meal with sickness.

“At half time it was a problem. We didn’t know what way to turn.

“(Mark Tyler), because he was in goal, could do it, but Doyley (Nathan Doyle) was really struggling.

“Scott didn’t feel great either but it is what it is.

“Until we investigate that further with the fizz (physio Simon Parsell) and Dave Richardson, I don’t really know. We’ll have to see but it’s over now.

“The boys have battled hard away from home on a difficult pitch because of how cold it is and I think we’ve done really well.”

Striker Charlie Walker admitted he had been ill too, but wasn’t sure if it down to the concussion suffered during a first half challenge.

He said: “I did throw up but the doctor wasn’t sure if it was the knocks. A few of the lads threw up before so we’re not really sure what it was.

“Regardless of who is throwing up you still want to come and win. It still hurts when you don’t.

Meanwhile, Mark Cullen praised his side’s character for overcoming the problem and remaining in the hat for the third round.

He added: “Even at half time there were a few being sick. It’s not ideal but it shows the character of the lads because you wouldn’t have been able to tell, if you were watching the game, that five or six of the lads were struggling with illness.

“It shows we’ve got good heart and we put in a good performance.”