Exeter City vs Luton Town FC (1st Nov 2014)

Full report: Exeter City 1-1 Luton Town

The Hatters had to settle for a point at Exeter but extended their unbeaten run League 2 to 10 games.

Scott Griffiths headed the Hatters in front after just two minutes – a lead they held on for 70 minutes when the Town left-back fouled the hosts’ Christian Ribierio and substitute Tom Nichols levelled the score.

Both sides came close to adding to the score in an entertaining game, with Ricky Miller and Jonathan Smith not far from nicking the three points for the Hatters late on.

It all started with John Still making two changes to the team that beat Northampton last weekend – Paul Benson and Jake Howells in for Alex Lawless and Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu – the Town started brilliantly, taking the lead just after two minutes.

A tidy passing move in the opening minute led to a corner, and from Andy Drury’s left-wing inswinging corner Griffiths, on his 68th appearance for the Town, nodded home unchallenged to send the 1,043 Hatters fans in the away end wild.

In front, the Town sensed a second almost immediately and Howells’ direct free-kick from inside the D clipped the top of the Grecians’ wall.

After weathering the early Hatters storm the home side gradually worked their way into the game. And after a flurry of dangerous moments in the Town penalty area, Mark Tyler came to the rescue with a fine piece of goalkeeping on 18 minutes to keep it 1-0. David Wheeler’s flick-on from the edge of the box found strike-partner Graham Cummins but the forward’s low shot was well-saved by the sprawling Tyler.

Exeter remained patient in their play as they looked for a way past the Town defence, and home skipper Scot Bennett sent a curling shot from the edge of the box wide of the target on 35 minutes.

As half-time approached the game swung from one end to the other. Drury curled a shot into the arms of home goalkeeper Christy Pym on 36 minutes before Stephen McNulty bravely threw himself in front of a goal-bound drive from Bennett three minutes before the interval.

The Town had the first chance of the first half and they would end the first 45 minutes with the last. Drury was again instrumental, sending an inviting cross-field right-wing cross searching out Benson but the striker’s first-time shot rolled agonisingly across goal and wide.

After five minutes of exclusive Exeter possession at the start of the second half, Mark Cullen twice went close in as many minutes on 52 minutes, firstly blasting a left-footed effort over the crossbar before the Town’s leading goalscorer then tested Pym with a drive from the edge of the box.

Howells then shot wide on his right-foot after nutmegging his marker 20 yards from goal but on 58 minutes the Town had Tyler to thank for another fine save, this time from Cummins’ header. The Hatters then were relieved to see Bennett hook the loose ball over the bar from inside the six-yard box.

The chances continued to fall both sides’ way. Drury saw a free-kick pawed over by Pym just past the hour before home substitute Liam Sercombe wasn’t far away with a rasping shot from 25 yards that had Tyler scrambling across his goal.

Tyler then caught a Wheeler header before Still made his first change of the afternoon, introducing Luke Guttridge for Howells.

But still Exeter pressed and after a series of close calls the home side levelled via the penalty spot. Right-back Ribeiro darted into the penalty area and tumbled under pressure from Griffiths’ challenge and referee Whitehouse pointed to the spot. Substitute Nichols – only on a matter of minutes – stepped up and with his first touch rolled home the equaliser.

The Grecians sensed a winner. Tyler stopped a deflected shot as the hosts poured forward but after Ricky Miller’s introduction with 10 minutes to go the Town came back to life. Miller drew a decent stop from Pym from a snap-shot before Jonathan Smith’s left-foot effort from the edge of the box was also saved by the home stopper.

Both sides pushed for a late winner but a breathless and entertaining match ended all square – and with results going against the Town they dropped to second in the League 2 table…but stay unbeaten in 10 league games.

TOWN: Tyler; Harriman, Griffiths (sub Lacey 73), McNulty, Wilkinson; Doyle, Smith, Drury; Howells (sub Guttridge 63), Cullen (sub Miller 80), Benson. Subs not used: Justham, Rooney, Whalley, Stevenson.

Attendance: 5,400, including 1,043 backing the Town.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/exeter-gallery-011-2055890.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq6wctBKIiQ&list=UUQoDXQ4Z2Ie3fTPrpjfT97w

League Two: Exeter City 1 Luton Town 1

Full back Scott Griffiths proved the hero and villain for Hatters as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Exeter City this afternoon.

The defender bagged his first goal of the season to put Luton in front after just two minutes, before conceding a late penalty that ensured the Grecians claimed a deserved point after an enterprising second half display.

Chasing an eighth straight league victory, Hatters made two changes as Jake Howells returned, while Paul Benson started too, as the forward made his 50th appearance for the club.

Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu and Alex Lawless dropped out of the side after picking up slight injuries against Northampton Town last weekend.

The visitors took the lead with their first attack as Andy Drury’s corner saw the unlikeliest of sources, Griffiths, leap highest to nod into the bottom corner.

Howells then came close from a free kick just outside the box as the wall did its job, while Jonathan Smith tried an audacious lob to catch the back-pedalling Christy Pym out, but his aim was off.

As he has done so often this season, Town keeper Mark Tyler then produced a vital save on 18 minutes, when Graham Cummins escaped Steve McNulty’s attentions, latching on to David Wheeler’s header.

However, Tyler had his angles just right and made an excellent stop low down to preserve the lead.

With Exeter happy to knock the ball around patiently in search of an opening, they eventually opted to try their luck from distance as Scot Bennett and Danny Butterfield were wide.

Howells fluffed a superb opening on the counter as with faced with just Matt Oakley and Smith steaming through the middle, he opted to try and go alone, only to lose the ball.

After spending so much time without possession, Luton almost had a second on the break as Drury sent over a delightful dink and Benson’s volley beat Pym but also the far post.

If the first half was played at almost a pedestrian pace at times, the second period got going from the start as Exeter continued to dominate possession, with Luton left to attack on the break.

That they did though as Howells chipped in Cullen, who rifled over, with Town’s top scorer then having another sighter as his angled drive was parried by Pym away from the lurking Benson.

For all of City’s pretty passing, Luton continued to create the better opportunities, Howells nutmegging his man and then dragged wide when he might have gone on, while Pym flipped Drury’s free kick over.

Tyler came to Luton’s rescue once more, parrying Cummins’ downward header as Bennett wastefully fired over from close range.

Having weathered the storm, Exeter came close as sub Liam Sercombe arrowed a drive goalwards which flew just wide, with Tyler a spectator.

Sercombe was having quite an impact as he danced through a number of challenges to tee up Cummins to shoot over, before Bennett came close with an effort he knew little about, as Wilkinson’s header rebounded off him and just past Tyler’s post.

Griffiths then turned from hero to zero on 72 minutes as he needlessly slid in on the impressive Ribeiro to give away a clear penalty.

Home sub Tom Nichols stepped up and with his first touch, showed great composure to sidefoot past Tyler and into the bottom corner.

The goalscorer was close again shortly afterwards, sliding an effort narrowly wide, with Bennett’s backheel going the wrong side of the post.

With 10 minutes to go, Hatters swapped Cullen for Ricky Miller and he should have netted with his first touch, shooting low at Pym, who then saved from Smith too.

Neither side could force a winner though as Hatters saw their run of seven straight wins ended, but stretched their unbeaten sequence to 10 games, although they dropped off the top spot due to Wycombe’s 2-1 win at Oxford United.

Grecians: Christy Pym, Danny Butterfield, Craig Woodman, Scot Bennett (C), Christian Ribeiro, Matt Oakley, Jimmy Keohane (Liam Sercombe 55), Arron Davies (David Noble 55), Matt Grimes, David Wheeler, Graham Cummins (Tom Nichols 71).

Subs not used: James Hamon, Connor Riley-Lowe, Jordan Tillson, Matt Jay.

Hatters: Mark Tyler, Michael Harriman, Scott Griffiths (Alex Lacey 73), Steve McNulty (C), Luke Wilkinson, Nathan Doyle, Jonathan Smith, Andy Drury, Jake Howells (Luke Guttridge 63), Paul Benson, Mark Cullen (Ricky Miller 81).

Subs not used: Elliot Justham, Luke Rooney, Shaun Whalley, Jim Stevenson.

Booked: Butterfield 84, Doyle 85.

Attendance: 5,400 (1,043 Hatters)

Referee: Dean Whitestone.

Hatters MOM: Steve McNulty - captain was a rock at the back once more.

Hatters boss John Still admitted he had been about to substitute defender Scott Griffiths moments before he conceded a penalty against Exeter City in the 1-1 draw yesterday.

Griffiths, who had put Luton in front early on with his first goal of the season, rashly lunged in on Christian Ribeiro to give referee Dean Whitestone little option but to award a spotkick with 18 minutes remaining.

The change was made immediately afterwards, as Still said: “(Alex) Lacey was coming on for Scott just as they scored.

“Scott, for whatever reason, had run out of petrol and was struggling a little bit so we had everything done to change.

“Don’t dive in though, and the one time we dived in it was a penalty. Scotty has more experience than that, he should do better.

“We couldn’t make the change, but that’s not blaming him, because he perhaps wasn’t right, but he should have stayed on his feet.

“I know he wasn’t feeling great, which is why we were making the change, but if he stayed on his feet we’d have dealt with the cross because we dealt with their crosses.

“But overall away from home, the sides they’ve beaten here, I’m delighted to get something from the game here.”

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Mark Tyler added: “The gaffer says to stand up in the box but I don’t think Scotty has touched him, he’s hung a leg so he’s going to go over it.

“If he’d have stood up and let him run past him the back four had shuffled across. I’m a bit gutted we let one in but it’s a hard place to come to as they’re on a decent run like us.”