Crawley Town vs Luton Town FC (17th Oct 2015)

PUBLISHED 17:37 17th October 2015 by Ross Lawson

CRAWLEY TOWN 2-1 LUTON TOWN

Second half goals from Rhys Murphy and Matt Harrold consigned the Hatters to a 2-1 defeat from their trip to Crawley.

Cameron McGeehan had given the Town the lead thanks to a first-half header, but a rejuvenated home side delivered a sucker-punch display to sink the visitors.

McGeehan’s goal capped off a strong first period, but Luton were perhaps guilty of not making their chances count with little goal-mouth threat after the interval.

The defeat ended the Town’s five-game unbeaten run, as well as their promising away run which had seen victories in the previous two outings on the road.

John Still made three changes from last week’s victory over York, Stephen McNulty, Luke Guttridge and Josh McQuoid missing out to give starts for debutant Sean Long, Jack Marriott and Nathan Doyle.

The Hatters started as the better team, although goal-scoring opportunities were few and far between in the opening stages, as Craig Mackail-Smith in particular was limited to long-range attempts.

It left Mark Tyler enduring a quiet half, but the Town keeper was almost left red-faced when spilling a cross under pressure from Murphy, while the referee had also indicated a foul on the Hatters stalwart.

Marriott, in his first league start for the Hatters, was the latest to try from range, firing narrowly over Darryl Flahavan’s crossbar, but Crawley still harboured a threat with Murphy nodding over from Gwion Edwards’ left-wing cross.

Edwards continued to test out the Luton debutant, while Long was positive in attack himself, setting up Mackail-Smith on the half-hour mark for the striker to shoot a few inches wide after turning his marker close to the penalty spot.

The Town got their reward just moments later though, as Long again burst down the right-hand flank to send in a looping cross to the back-post. The Crawley defence seemed to have it covered, but McGeehan was on hand to nod home in spite of the efforts of Sonny Bradley on the line.

The goal continued the superb scoring record for the midfielder, netting his seventh in all competitions this season, and he came close to adding to his tally before the half was up, nodding wide from an Olly Lee corner before fizzing a 35-yard thunderbolt inches wide of a scrambling Flahavan’s left-hand upright.

Edwards, after being fouled by Long in a challenge which earned him a booking, posed more goal-mouth threat, snatching a shot wide when well-placed in the Town area, but the Hatters went into the break holding the advantage.

It took the Town time to get going in the second half, however, with the second half a rather stop-start affair thanks to the referee’s whistle, although Crawley grew in confidence as the game ticked over the hour mark in stark contrast to the first 45 minutes.

And they got their reward a few minutes later. Edwards, switched to the right flank for the second half, gained a yard on Dan Potts to whip in a cross for Murphy to head past a helpless Tyler among little pressure in the Town area.

The Hatters looked to gain an abrupt response, with Paddy McCourt introduced and causing an almost immediate impact as his right-wing cross found Marriott in the area. The striker was assumedly unaware of the acres of space he was given, electing to strike first time when a touch was possible, lashing over from 10 yards as the Town continued to disappoint in another frustrating afternoon.

That proved to be Marriott’s last moment of action, as John Still threw on McQuoid for the final 20 minutes with the game becoming increasingly frantic in Sussex.

Despite the endeavour, chances were at a premium until Crawley got their second goal. A Luke Wilkinson back header was half-dealt with by defensive-partner Scott Cuthbert, but the resulting knock-down from Murphy was rifled in from Harrold with just nine minutes remaining at the CheckATrade.com stadium.

The further setback slightly rejuvenated a Luton side who had looked a shadow of their first-half display, as the Hatters looked to keep their strong league form going.

Wilkinson had his header saved before Tyler was once again called into action, keeping out the long-range effort of ex-Hatter Luke Rooney, who came on as a second half substitute.

The lack of chances thwarted Town though, as the game went into five added minutes without the visitors really threatening since going behind. And there were to be no last-gasp heroics for the Hatters, giving Crawley all three points as the failure to win at the Broadfield Stadium continued.

The Hatters now head back to Kenilworth Road for their next two outings, with Leyton Orient visiting on Tuesday before table-toppers Plymouth making the visit north next Saturday afternoon.

Town: Tyler; Potts, Long, Cuthbert (captain), Wilkinson; Smith, Doyle, McGeehan, Lee (sub McCourt 66); Mackail-Smith, Marriott (sub McQuoid 71).

Attendance: 3,335 with a fantastic 1,412 supporting the Hatters.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-crawley-2-1-town-2748176.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3AirKzkDrQ

League Two: Crawley Town 2 Luton Town 1

Luton Town paid the price for a desperately poor second half as they saw their five game unbeaten red ended by Crawley Town this afternoon.

It had looked like the visitors would go on to comfortably extend their sequence to six after Cameron McGeehan’s seventh goal of the campaign put them ahead in a first half they were always in control of.

However, for reasons unknown, they just weren’t at the races in the second period as goals from Rhys Murphy and Matt Harrold saw the re-vitalised Red Devils secure a second successive home victory.

Luton boss John Still made three changes for the clash as loan signing Sean Long was handed an instant debut at right back after joining from Reading on Friday. Nathan Doyle was back in too, while Jack Marriott earned his full league debut for the Hatters.

Out went Steve McNulty due to family reasons, with Luke Guttridge not involved, while Josh McQuoid dropped to the bench and Danny Green missed out completely.

The visitors looked composed and threatening in the early stages with Olly Lee always trying to winkle out an opening and from one of his deliveries, both Jonathan Smith and Luke Wilkinson misdirected their efforts.

New signing Long appeared willing to get forward at every opportunity, sending over one dangerous cross that required clearing.

Mackail-Smith linked up well with Marriott soon afterwards as Luton looked the more likely, unleashing a rising drive from 20 yards that flew narrowly over.

It took the hosts 23 minutes to create anything of note, their stand-out player Gwion Edwards twisting and teasing Long before crossing for Murphy to glance his header over.

Mackail-Smith had another sighter, spinning in the box to shoot over, with an unmarked Lee screaming for the ball.

Hatters had the lead on 31 minute though when the ball was played out to Long by the touch-line and his deep cross was met by McGeehan whose header looped over Flahavan with captain Sonny Bradley unable to keep it out.

The advantage was almost instantly doubled as Jonathan Smith’s goalbound volley deflected behind off a defender and from the corner, McGeehan’s header was off target.

Smith tried his luck once more but having grabbed the lead, Luton came under some pressure prior to the break as Roarie Deacon’s effort drew an important block from Luke Wilkinson.

Long was then cautioned for an ill-advised sliding challenge on Edwards, who should have levelled the clash on 40 minutes, dragging wide after Bradley knocked down at the back post.

McGeehan was inches away from a second when Bradley headed a clearance straight into his path, sending a low skimmer just wide with Flahavan’s desperate dive in vain.

In the second half, Crawley had the better of proceedings early on, looking to attack down both flanks as Potts crucially diverted a free kick behind, with Josh Yerworth heading the resulting set-piece behind.

Referee Gavin Ward then appeared determined to take centre stage, needlessly breaking up the play, handing out three bookings in the space of as many minutes.

Crawley’s fans yelled for a penalty as Jimmy Smith’s header hit Jonathan Smith in the area, but such was the close proximity of the effort, nothing was given.

Hatters finally paid the price for being second best on for long periods on 67 minutes as a deep cross ran clear and with Potts not over quick enough to block the cross, Rhys Murphy had the freedom of the area to nod past Tyler.

The equaliser saw both sides make changes as Hatters brought Paddy McCourt on for Lee, with former Hatters Luke Rooney on too.

Marriott scooped an instinctive volley over the bar when he might have taken a tough, while Murphy, looking for his second, sent an effort over the stands.

A Red Devils’ winner always appeared the most likely outcome though and it was to prove the case with minute minute to go.

Once more, Luton’s centre halves, who were definitely lacking McNulty’s calming presence, failed to deal with a ball over the top.

It dropped nicely for Harrold and he took aim from 18 yards, slamming low beyond Tyler into the bottom corner.

Looking to salvage something from the game, Luton started to look ragged, particularly trying to get the ball forward, Wilkinson’s header from a corner that was easy for Flahavan the only time Hatters’ 1,412 away following sensed an equaliser.

The result saw Luton drop to 12th in the table, six points off a top three berth, although they do have an immediate chance to cut that gap, when out of form Leyton Orient visit Kenilworth Road on Tuesday night.

Red Devils: Darryl Flahavan, Simon Walton, Sonny Bradley (C), Gwion Edwards, Jimmy Smith, Lewis Young, Matt Harrold (Ross Jenkins 90), Roarie Deacon (Luke Rooney 68), Mitch Hancox, Josh Yerworth, Rhys Murphy.

Subs not used: Lee Barnard, Callum Preston, Shamir Fenelon, Jon Ashton, Liam Donnelly.

Hatters: Mark Tyler, Sean Long, Dan Potts, Scott Cuthbert (C), Luke Wilkinson, Jonathan Smith, Olly Lee (Paddy McCourt 68), Nathan Doyle, Cameron McGeehan, Jack Marriott (Josh McQuoid 73), Craig Mackail-Smith.

Subs not used: Ryan Hall, Elliot Justham, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Alex Lawless, Mark O’Brien.

Attendance: 3,335 (1,412 Luton).

Referee: Gavin Ward. Booked: Long 40, Lee 54, Jimmy Smith 56, Doyle 56, McGeehan 90.

Still blasts ‘abysmal’ Hatters

Hatters boss John Still blasted his side’s second half display as they were defeated 2-1 by Crawley Town yesterday.

Cameron McGeehan’s seventh goal of the campaign put the visitors in front as they controlled the opening period.

However, Luton never got going after that and once Rhys Murphy levelled, there was a horrid inevitability about Matt Harrold’s late winner.

Still said: “First half I thought we were really good, I thought we played really well, I was really pleased.

“Second half I thought was probably the worst 45 minutes of the season. Regardless of the results we’ve had earlier, we didn’t pass it well enough, we didn’t defend well enough.

“Jack (Marriott) had a chance to make it 2-0 and it wasn’t good up until then, but it actually got a little bit worse.

“The passing was abysmal and it was good in the first half and it’s been good, but it wasn’t good. We never really got it going in the second half at all.

“I thought we invited pressure because we fouled too much and gave away too many free kicks. They’re a big side, they want to get the ball in the box, I said to them before the game and said to them at half time, no free kicks, no free kicks, but we gave away too many free kicks.

“Every time they came forward and got a free kick, they regained the ball and we found it hard to get out and when we did get a touch on the ball, didn’t pass it well enough.

“We were slow out of the blocks in the second half, when we did get on the ball, we weren’t finding the right passes. We were going long when we should have been going short and were playing short when we should have been playing longer and we never had the cohesion about us for that 45 minutes.”

When asked he felt there was such a difference between both halves, Still couldn’t put his finger on a reason why.

He continued: “I don’t know, because nothing changed for us, everything was the same.

“We kept the same formation and we felt comfortable. We said at half time, it was Kevin Dearden actually, the only way they’re going to come back into this if we get sloppy with our passing and give them an incentive and give away too many restarts and we did both.

“It’s really really weird, as the coaching staff and myself have said this has been the best weeks training we’ve had.

“We have moved the ball absolutely unbelievably in training, it’s been brilliant, it’s been great to watch and we produced that performance, so there you are.”

Meanwhile, Still held a longer than usual huddle afterwards, telling his players in no uncertain times his feelings on their performance.

On what was said, the boss added: “It was longer because we think we made it really, really clear at half time what could trip us up and it disappointed me.

“Everyone fouls, that’s football, but we gave away too many fouls and invited pressure and we said to them it’s only our sloppy passing that will allow them to get the ball back.

“It was crisp in the first half, very crisp and the disappointing thing for me was that I didn’t think they took heed of that.

“Players are players and some players are not going to play well, but we probably had nine players second half that never played to the level that we would expect them to.”

Crawley Town 2 Luton Town 1

Luton traded in their sparkling away form for an abysmal capitulation reminiscent of their early season failings as they gift-wrapped and tied a ribbon around a present to generously mark Crawley's 119th anniversary.

That they did so from such a comfortable first half position was even more baffling as goal machine Cameron McGeehan gave the Hatters a 31st minute lead against the Sussex side who, in their old age, looked every bit a team that had completely forgotten where the goal was at home in the first two months of the campaign. Trust Town to jog their memory.

Woeful defending saw Rhys Murphy nod the hosts them level on 67 minutes and then Matt Harrold drilled in nine minutes from time.

Quite how it got to that miserable stage will need some forensic examination to prevent a return to the bad old days of August because at half time, Luton, though hardly scintillating themselves, were in relative cruise control and should perhaps have notched more than a solitary strike.

They got nowhere near adding to that tally after the interval, save for a golden Jack Marriott chance. Instead, it was a slow, inevitable death played out over 45 dreadful second half minutes, as Luton's defence – minus captain Steve McNulty, absent due to "family reasons" – were spooked into submission.

"Our defending wasn't good enough and our passing wasn't good enough. It wasn't like they've had a little bit of luck with a deflection," said manager John Still.

He made three changes with Nathan Doyle starting along with, Marriott – handed his full Football League debut – and Sean Long making his bow after signing on a month's loan from Reading on Friday.

The Republic of Ireland Under-21 made a decent impression in a first half devoid of much quality, providing the cross for opener which, without Luton piling on the pressure was deserved on the balance of chances.

Craig Mackail-Smith had the first of them, lashing just over the bar. On the half hour mark, he did the hard work with a neat swivel in the Crawley penalty area, but missed the target.

A minute later and the Hatters were ahead when McGeehan headed Long's cross back over debutant keeper Darryl Flahavan's head with captain Sonny Bradley unable to clear off the line. It was his seventh of the season and he could have notched his eighth moments later but nodded wide from a corner.

High on the confidence that a goal in each of his last three outings brought, the former Norwich starlet, almost caught out Flahavan after clearance fell to him 35 yards out and he sent a snap-shot skimming off the turf, but just wide.

At that stage Luton's defence had a cigar on. Gwoin Edwards was the Reds' primary threat by virtue of the fact that he was the only home player whose first instinct was not to pump the ball long. A cross headed over by Murphy was all they could bring to their own party in the opening half.

As an unsolicited tactic it worked to lull Luton into a malaise after the break and the two combined to level in the 67th minute. Unmarked Murphy couldn't miss from close range and, as poor as it was to concede, it should have been only a temporary blip.

Three minutes later Marriott but crashed a volley hurriedly over the bar when he had time to pluck a cross out of the sky and pick his spot.

"It actually got a little bit worse after that," said manager John Still, who was referring to his side's second half endeavours, but could quite aptly describe the sinking feeling that was to follow.

The Crawley second arrived with an air of predictability in the 81st minute, even if it needed a fine low finish from Harrold from 20 yards.

Luton had no response and that needs to change. Quickly

Crawley: Flahavan, Young, Yorwerth, Bradley, Hancox, Deacon (Rooney, 67), Smith, Walton, Edwards, Harrold (Jenkins, 91), Murphy Unused subs: Barnard, Preston, Fenelon, Ashton, Donnelly

Luton: Tyler, Potts, Smith, Cuthbert, McGeehan, Marriott (McQuoid, 71), Lee (McCourt, 67), Long, Mackail-Smith, Doyle, Wilkinson Unused subs: Lawless, Hall, Justham, Ruddock Mpanzu, O'Brien

Referee: Gavin Ward

Attendance: 3,335 (1,412)

Luton manager John Still confessed that his side's second half sinking feeling to lose 2-1 at Crawley was the worst he'd seen all season.

The Hatters were 1-0 ahead at half time thanks to Cameron McGeehan's seventh of the season and were looking comfortable against an impotent Reds side, but that all changed after the break.

Rhys Murphy drew the hosts level in the 67th minute as the visiting defence watched him head in from close range and then Matt Harrold lashed in the winner nine minute from time.

"The second half was probably the worst 45 minutes of the season, regardless of the results we've had earlier this season," said Still, adding: "We didn't pass it well enough, we didn't defend well enough.

"We were slow out of the blocks in the second half. I thought we invited pressure from the free-kicks that we gave and when we did get on the ball we weren't finding the right passes."

Luton had been flying on their travels, smashing seven in their last two League Two games on the road, but this was the kind of nervy, error-strewn capitulation which riddled their early season form.

Asked how his side slipped to that from a position of first half control, Still said: "I really don't know because nothing changed from us. Everything was the same, we kept the same formation and we felt comfortable."

Still did admitted that he'd even warned his side at the break about the dangers of complacency.

"I think we made it really clear at half time what could trip us up," he said, adding: "It disappointed me. Everyone fails but there were too many needless fouls and it invited pressure. We said to them that it was only our sloppy passing that would allow them to get the goal back.

"It was crisp in the first half and the disappointing thing for me was that I don't think they took heed of that. I probably had nine players in the second half that never played to the level that we would expect them to."

He added: "The crux of it was that we defended poorly and we never passed it well enough."

Still made three changes with Sean Long handed his debut at right back after signing on loan from Reading this week.

He said: "Steve O'Donnell has been out with an ankle injury. He's trained most of this week and will train next week, but we are light in that area anyway so we brought Sean in and, to be honest, I thought he was a plus."

Captain Steve McNulty was a major omission from the heart of the backline and Still said: "Steve McNulty is back in Liverpool at the moment for family reasons so we'll deal with that after."