Coventry City vs Luton Town FC (8th Dec 2020)

Match Report | Coventry City 0-0 Luton Town

Another point on the board as the Hatters share a goalless draw...

The Hatters produced a battling performance in this evening's goalless draw against Coventry City in the Sky Bet Championship.

It was far from a classic on a chilly night at St Andrews Stadium, with both sides producing just a singular shot on target each throughout the 90 minutes.

Manager Nathan Jones made four changes following the 2-0 defeat to Swansea City on Saturday, including club captain Sonny Bradley returning to the starting line-up after he missed the last two matches due to the tragic loss of his father Ray.

The Hatters were looking to build on a positive weekend performance despite the loss, but struggled to impose themselves in the game early on, as Coventry had the more clear-cut chance during the opening stages.

Tyler Walker struck the post from a tight angle after Callum O’Hare found him in space on the left-hand-side.

The Hatters upped the tempo during the last ten minutes of the first-half, and had a flurry of chances to show for their improvements.

First, Jordan Clark crossed deep for Luke Berry, who headed into James Collins’ path, but the top scorer’s header is over the bar.

Next Berry flung himself towards Harry Cornick’s dangerous cross but couldn't quite make contact and moments later Collins was also unable to direct a header on target.

Chances were few and far between for both sides during the second period, with neither troubling the opposition goalkeeper

Late in the game, both Dan Potts and coach Paul Hart were shown a yellow card by referee Andy Woolmer for a challenge made on Biamou in front of the technical area, despite replays showing the left-back had looked to have won the ball cleanly.

There was late hope as Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu produced a good cross in the dying embers and it flicks off Leo Ostigard’s head and inches wide of the post.

But it wasn't to be as the Hatters settled for another point on the board as attention now turns to Saturday's home match against Preston North End at Kenilworth Road in front of 2,000 home supporters.

Town: Shea, Lockyer, Rea, Bradley (C), Potts; Berry (Dewsbury-Hall 71), Mpanzu, Morrell; Cornick (Nombe 85), Clark, Collins.

Subs not used: Isted, Tunnicliffe, Lee, Moncur, Galloway, LuaLua, Beckwith.

Yellows: Berry, Potts

Coventry: Wilson, Ostigard, McFadzean, Hyam; Dabo, Hamer, Kelly (C), McCallum; Walker (Bakayoko 89), O'Hare (Shipley 78), Biamou.

Subs not used: Camp, Allen, Jobello, Sheaf, Pask, Giles, DaCosta.

Yellows: O’Hare, Kelly

Referee: Andy Woolmer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-biMvYW_c0 – Mick Harford post match interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKYIdpOdlZs – match highlights

Mick Harford's verdict on Coventry City draw

Mick Harford gave his thoughts post-match following the goalless draw...

Hatters Assistant Manager Mick Harford was pleased with a fifth league clean sheet of the season but admits the team must improve in the final third after this evening’s 0-0 draw with Coventry City.

Both sides failed to create any real openings throughout the 90 minutes but Harford, the coaching staff and the players will take the positives from the performance at St Andrews Stadium.

“A point gained, Harford started. “Another one to the tally. Obviously a clean sheet which is a massive bonus and I thought overall we defended magnificently. I think throughout as a team, we defended very well.

“The game started really scrappy, free-kicks here, there and everywhere. I thought we grew into the first half and controlled the game towards the end of the first half.

"Second half more or less mirrored the first half, created the better chances but as you say, come away from home and keep a clean sheet, we are delighted but we just need to improve in the final third, in terms of creating chances and getting in better positions."

Coventry and Luton alike mustered a shot on target each as Nathan Jones’ assistant agreed there wasn’t a lot in terms of attacking chances.

“James’ half-volley in the first half where he never really got over the ball and there were some great balls fizzed across the six-yard line and no one was on the end of it.

“It was just one of those nights, we got in good positions, but things just petered out and we gave the ball away cheaply. Overall, to come away from home to what I believe is a Coventry City team evolving in the Championship, like ourselves, it’s a tough game so overall we’re delighted with a point.”

Hatters held to a dour stalemate at Coventry

Championship: Coventry City 0 Luton Town 0

Luton ground out a hard-fought point in what was an instantly forgettable and dour clash at Coventry City this evening.

After back-to-back defeats on the road, the clean sheet will be welcomed by Town manager Nathan Jones, but bar a 10-minute spell prior to the break, his side never really looked like scoring, as they failed to find the net away from Kenilworth Road for a third successive match.

The Hatters made four changes to the side from the 2-0 defeat at Swansea, with Sonny Bradley in for the first time following the death of his father recently.

Also in came Harry Cornick, Joe Morrell and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, with Matty Pearson suspended, George Moncur and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall dropping to the bench, James Bree missing out completely.

Town lined up with the back three that boss Nathan Jones had wanted to start with at Swansea, while Harry Cornick and James Collins were more of a traditional front two.

Cornick couldn't quite sort his feet out as a half-chance went begging, but Town comfortably avoided conceding the early goal they had in both previous away games at Swansea and Cardiff, to give themselves a chance of gaining a foothold.

Home midfielder Callum O'Hare tried his luck from 20 yards, seeing an effort deflect behind, as the Sky Blues forced two corners in quick succession.

Town then gave the ball away midway through the half when trying to play their way out of defence, striker Tyler Walker released in the area, crashing an effort against the outside of the post and behind.

O'Hare then put another effort over after escaping the attentions of Luton's back-line, as did Luke Berry for Town from outside the box.

The Hatters had their best chance on 35 minutes, Jordan Clark's cross nodded down by Berry as James Collins could only half volley high into the stands from 10 yards.

Town then started to dominate proceedings, with a number of crosses from the right hand side causing trouble and Mpanzu beginning to dictate things in the middle of the park.

Cornick stood up an inviting ball which saw Collins mistime his jump, unable to direct an effort on target, while the recalled attacker went for goal himself from 25 yards, Ben Wilson gathering easily.

From a deep Berry free kick, Dan Potts went over claiming he was pushed, only to see nothing given by official Andy Woolmer, with the resulting corner deflecting narrowly behind for another.

After the break, City settled quicker, Hamer's long range shot confidently gathered by Shea, with Max Biamou then glancing Frankaty Dabo's the wrong side of the post.

Clark's ambitious volley was never going to test Wilson on the hour mark, as although Town had the odd foray forward, they never seriously looked like creating anything of a clear-cut nature.

In the final seconds of normal time, Mpanzu, who was the most impressive attacking threat on the night, sent in an excellent cross that just flicked off the head of a home defender and dropped past the post for what was almost an undeserved winner.

Five minutes of stoppage time followed, but there could have been double or triple that and neither side would have scored as it was no surprise to anyone at St Andrew's that the spoils were ultimately shared.

Sky Blues: Ben Wilson, Leo Ostigard, Kyle McFadzean, Liam Kelly ©, Max Biamou, Callum O'Hare (Jordan Shipley 77), Dom Hyam, Tyler Walker (Amadou Bakayoko 89), Sam McCallum, Fankaty Dabo, Gustavo Hamer.

Subs not used: Lee Camp, Jamie Allen, Wesley Jobello, Ben Sheaf, Josh Pask, Ryan Giles,, Julien Dacosta.

Hatters: James Shea, Dan Potts, Glen Rea, Tom Lockyer, Sonny Bradley ©, Luke Berry (Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall 71), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Joe Morrell, Harry Cornick (Sam Nombe 85), Jordan Clark, James Collins.

Subs not used: Harry Isted, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Elliot Lee, George Moncur, Brendan Galloway, Kazenga LuaLua, Sam Beckwith.

Booked: Berry 28, O'Hare 37, Hamer 41, Kelly 46, Potts 80.

Referee: Andy Woolmer.

Harford** happy to pick up another point on the road at Sky Blues**

Town keep a fifth shut-out of the season at St Andrew's

Luton assistant boss Mick Harford felt it was definitely a point gained for the Hatters during tonight’s drab goalless draw at Coventry City.

A poor encounter saw neither goalkeeper overly stretched in the contest played at St Andrew’s, but the result was enough to end a run of back-to-back defeats on the road for Town and move them on to 23 points for the season.

Speaking afterwards, Harford said: “It’s a point gained, another one to the tally, obviously a clean sheet too which is a massive bonus.

“I thought overall we defended magnificently, everything they threw at us we defended, some really good individual performances, and as a team I thought we defended very well.

“The game started really scrappy, free kicks here, there and everywhere.

"I thought we grew into the first half and controlled the game towards the end of the first half.

“The second half more or less mirrored the first half, as it was a bit scrappy, we got control and created the better chances, but to come away from home, keep a clean sheet, we’re delighted.”

Town’s shut out was their fifth of the season so far, something Harford was impressed by after Luton's troubles defensively at the start of last term.

He added: “It’s also nice to come away from home and keep a clean sheet.

“Defensively we were resolute, we were solid, we were strong, we made the right decisions, we didn't look like conceding in all fairness.

“We approach every game trying to win the game, but we have to be cautious in this league because you can get hurt by any team if you’re not there from the off, you're not switched on.

“Teams in this league can hurt you, and I thought tonight defensively we were solid and strong, and we’re hard to break down when we play like that at times.”