Exeter City vs Luton Town FC (26th Nov 2016)

PUBLISHED 18:08 26th November 2016 Another** shut-out for the Town, but no Cup re-run**

EXETER CITY 0

LUTON TOWN 0

Att: 3,823 (634 Hatters)

The Hatters recorded a fourth clean sheet in five league games to strengthen the best defensive record in the division at St James Park this afternoon, but couldn’t repeat their potent performance of three weeks ago when they left Exeter with a comfortable FA Cup victory.

For only the second time this season, the Town were involved in a goalless draw – following the stalemate at Notts County a month ago – with Olly Lee and Alan Sheehan coming closest to breaking through the hosts’ defence in the second half.

They had to be grateful at the other end for the help of the woodwork and some fine defending, and goalkeeping from Christian Walton, to keep the Grecians out as Paul Tisdale’s side created some dangerous openings.

Town boss Nathan Jones made two changes to the side that lost at home to Portsmouth on Tuesday night. Captain Scott Cuthbert returned to the starting XI after missing last Saturday’s match at Morecambe through illness, and being on the bench in midweek.

And Jordan Cook – who came on after an hour against Pompey after missing the trip to Lancashire through suspension – was in from the start, with Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and Alex Gilliead dropping to the bench.

The Hatters enjoyed plenty of possession in the opening exchanges, with Lee playing in a more advanced role than normal at the tip of the midfield diamond behind top scorer Danny Hylton and Isaac Vassell, and Glen Rea pushed up from centre-half to the holding role in the engine room.

But the hosts looked dangerous on the break and they had the first attempt in the 18th minute when Jake Taylor whipped in a right wing cross and David Wheeler sent a glancing header goalward, but it was comfortably held by Walton.

The Town’s first effort came in the 21st minute, but Cameron McGeehan – making his 100th appearance in a Hatters shirt – couldn’t find the net when Sheehan rolled a short free-kick his way after Glen Rea had been fouled 25 yards out.

Just after the half-hour, Vassell attempted to inject some pace into the Town attack by going on a driving run into the Grecians’ area that almost got Hylton and McGeehan in when it was halted by last-ditch tackles.

Then McGeehan – after a long spell of patient possession around the halfway with himself, Rea and Cuthbert trading passes among themselves – latched onto a loose ball just outside the area, but his left-foot drive was deflected wide.

Jones’ side were starting to make advances, asserting their authority on the game as the half progressed – but it was Exeter who would go closest a minute before the break, when Pierce Sweeney crashed a right-foot volley just wide after Mullins had headed a deep cross clear.

In the final seconds, Hylton – who had been booed continuously by the locals with his two-goal FA Cup show fresh in their minds – got his head on a Sheehan free-kick, but couldn’t keep his effort down and the sides went in goalless at the interval.

Seven minutes after the break, City had the best chance of the game so far when Ollie Watkins slipped a ball through the heart of the Town defence for Reuben Reid to race on to. After checking back on the sliding Cuthbert, Reid pulled the trigger but found his shot blocked by a combination of James Justin and Walton.

Seconds later, Justin was fouled midway inside the City half and Sheehan once again delivered an inviting cross that Hylton met with his head, but couldn’t direct his attempt on target.

On 56 minutes came the Hatters’ best opening of the match. It started with some quick feet from Walton in his own box, Mullins played it down the line and Hylton laid it off on halfway for Lee, who set Vassell away on the left wing.

The ex-Truro City man, starting his third successive league game for the Hatters, drove to the byline and cut the ball back for Lee, who had continued his run from deep, by Exeter keeper Christy Pym saved well at his near post.

Pym was called into action again in the 63rd minute when Sheehan curled a free-kick over the wall, and it was destined for the top corner until the home stopper clawed it around the post for a corner.

This was much better from the Hatters, with Mpanzu introduced from the bench in place of Lee, but at the other end, Walton had to be alert to push a Lloyd James free-kick away in the 69th minute as it zipped across his six-yard box.

Then two minutes later, Watkins went closer than anyone to breaking the deadlock when his 20-yard shot skimmed the top of the Town crossbar.

Sheehan was fouled on the left on 75 minutes, but the Irishman picked himself up to whip in another dangerous delivery that Mullins headed back across the face of goal, but McGeehan couldn’t quite rise to meet inside the six-yard box and Pym managed to clear.

Reid soon went close again for the Grecians, but Walton got down low to save his snap shot as Justin closed him down 15 yards out.

Jones introduced Gilliead and Marriott in the search for a winner, but it wouldn’t come and in the end, most people left believing a point apiece was fair as the Hatters stayed fifth in the Sky Bet League Two table.

TOWN: Walton, Justin, Mullins, Cuthbert (c), Sheehan, Rea, McGeehan, Cook (Gilliead 72), Lee (Mpanzu 61), Hylton, Vassell (Marriott 83). Subs: O’Donnell, Smith, Mackail-Smith, King (GK)

Yellow: Cuthbert, Rea, Mpanzu

EXETER: Pym, Woodman, James, Watkins, Wheeler (Simpson 87), Moore-Taylor, McAlinden (Oakley 64), Taylor, Sweeney, Reid, Brown. Subs: Harley, Grant, Ampadu, Stacey, Olejnik (GK)

PUBLISHED 18:38 26th November 2016 The** assistant boss was happy with the performance**

Hatters assistant manager Paul Hart said he was pleased with a point after Town drew 0-0 on the road against Exeter City.

A point for Nathan Jones’ side maintained their place in fifth in League Two, as they made it four clean sheets in their last five matches.

The Hatters came closest to scoring when a burst into the box from Isaac Vassell cut the Exeter defence open. The striker played the ball back for Olly Lee, but the midfielder’s effort was clawed away by the Grecians’ keeper, Christy Pym.

Speaking after the match, Hart said: “A clean sheet again, that’s four in five and we possibly could have won it I felt. We are pleased with the performance, it was a tough game.

“We created enough for us I thought to score from. We are away from home, Exeter isn’t an easy place to come.

“I did think we ought to have had a penalty on Hylton, but overall I am delighted with the team’s performance.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xhE-pbMAHg

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/luton-town-exeter-city-league-two-3435693.aspx

League Two: Exeter City 0 Luton Town 0

Luton Town were held to an instantly forgettable goalless draw at struggling Exeter City this afternoon.

Sometimes you can leave a ground wondering just how neither side have broken the deadlock, unfortunately that wasn't the case this time on what was a desperately poor 90 minutes of football.

Hatters boss Nathan Jones made two changes as Scott Cuthbert came in alongside Johnny Mullins in the centre of defence, with Glen Rea moving back into his role as a holding midfielder.

The diamond remained though, Olly Lee surprisingly at the tip this time, with Jordan Cook recalled to the left hand side, Alex Gilliead and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu dropping to the bench.

Against a side whom Luton had seen off 3-1 in the FA Cup just three weeks ago, and who had yet to win at St James Park for 10 games, expectations were high that the visitors could get back to winning ways after their nine game unbeaten run was ended on Tuesday night.

However, there was little evidence of that on show in the opening 15 minutes, in which Danny Hylton, who won a dubious penalty earlier this month, was already well cast in his role as pantomime villain, every single touch jeered and the slightest mistake cheered.

Neither keeper was threatened seriously in that time, Christian Walton easily claiming David Wheeler's glancing header, while Cameron McGeehan's 30 yard free kick was well, well wide.

The midfielder, who was making his 100th appearance for the club, had another go from 25 yards, his left-footer deflecting behind, with the game soon degenerating into a tedious affair, until on 43 minutes, Pierce Sweeney volleyed narrowly wide of Walton's posts.

The second period eventually brought about the odd talking point, Hylton's efforts to win a penalty waved away by referee Chris Kavanagh, while Reuben Reid finally escaped the attentions of Cuthbert, only for Justin to produce a superb last-ditch block as the striker looked destined to open the scoring.

Hylton had a decent opportunity from Sheehan's whipped free kick on 55 minutes, flicking over and Luton should really have been ahead moments later, Vassell storming past his marker on the byline.

He looked up and crossed for Lee, but from a matter of yards, he couldn't beat Pym, the City keeper repelling his effort.

The Grecians stopper was flying the the hour just after the hour mark, turning Alan Sheehan's free kick behind for a corner, which was enough to win the man of the match award from home sponsors.

Exeter then put on what could be described as a modicum of pressure as Walton had to be alert to turn Craig Woodman's dangerous set-piece behind.

It was City who then came closer than either side to breaking the deadlock, with Ollie Watkins' wonderful half volley from 25 yards clipping the top of the bar with Walton completely beaten.

Jones rang the changes, bringing Mpanzu, Gilliead and Jack Marriott on as the half progressed, but little changed for the visitors in terms of an attacking threat, Hylton well marshalled, although the striker did well to keep his frustrations locked away this time, his second game without a booking.

Watkins had another opening, this time much closer and much easier for Walton to save, as despite five minutes of injury time being added, Luton never seriously looked like snatching a last-gasp winner.

Although the result saw Luton edge a point clearer to top spot, frustratingly they failed to pull back significant ground on the likes of Plymouth and Portsmouth who suffered surprising defeats to Morecambe and Stevenage respectively, the Hatters staying fifth, with Carlisle now at the summit after leapfrogging Argyle.

City: Christy Pym, Craig Woodman, Lloyd James, David Wheeler (Robbie Simpson 87), Ollie Watkins, Jordan Moore-Taylor (C), Liam McAlinden (Matt Oakley 63), Jake Taylor, Pierce Sweeney (Ethan Ampadu 72), Reuben Reid, Troy Brown.

Subs not used: Bobby Olejnik, Ryan Harley, Joel Grant, Jack Stacey.

Hatters: Christian Walton, James Justin, Alan Sheehan, Johnny Mullins, Scott Cuthbert, Glen Rea, Olly Lee (Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu 60) Jordan Cook (Alex Gilliead 72), Cameron McGeehan, Danny Hylton, Isaac Vassell (Jack Marriott 81).

Subs not used: Craig King, Stephen O'Donnell, Jonathan Smith, Craig Mackail-Smith.

Attendance: 3,823 (634 Luton).

Booked: Cuthbert 57, Rea 65, Ruddock Mpanzu 67.

Referee: Chris Kavanagh.

Star man: Scott Cuthbert.

Hart pleased with a point in Exeter stalemate

Hatter assistant boss Paul Hart felt his side could be pleased with their point gained from a 0-0 draw at struggling Exeter City yesterday afternoon.

Although Luton became only the second team to leave St James Park without a victory in the league this term, with the Grecians losing seven from eight previous encounters, a run stretching to 10 if you include last term as well, Town’s number two wasn’t disappointed by the result.

He said: “I think we’re pleased with a point. It has been a really tough week, a clean sheet again and that’s four in five and we possibly could have won it, so we’re pleased with the performance.

“(It was) a tough game. Exeter are no mugs, we saw that when we played them two weeks ago. Overall, on the back of two extremely long trips and a very difficult game against Portsmouth we’re pleased with a clean sheet and pleased with a point.

“Results seem to have gone for us again so we’re bang in it.”

The visitors didn’t have many goalscoring opportunities throughout, with just two shots on target the entire match.

First, Olly Lee was denied by Christy Pym from close range after Isaac Vassell’s dynamic run and then Alan Sheehan saw his excellent free kick tipped to safety.

Hart continued: “We broke again, Isaac’s pace is frightening to anybody and with a little bit of luck, we get a goal.

“Those chances are sometimes few and far between and Exeter did defend very well, so not a host of chances, but enough for us to win it.

“The keeper made a great save (from Sheehan). It’s on target, he’s going at it and he saves it, a great save from him.

“We created enough for us, I thought, that we’d normally score from.

“We’re away from home, a difficult game and Exeter’s not an easy place to come. (We were) a hair’s breadth away.

“I did think we ought to have had a penalty on (Danny) Hylton in the second half but overall we’re delighted with the team and they way they’re performing.”

Hatter had made two changes to their side, with Scott Cuthbert and Jordan Cook coming back in, as Lee moved to the tip of the diamond, with Glen Rea returning to his role as a holding midfielder.

On the switch, Hart added: “We’re always keen to have people who head it, it allowed us to keep Glen in there to head it as he’s a good marker.

“Olly is probably the most skilful player we’ve got in the team so we felt it would give us another dimension to our play.

“It’s possible that we’ll use it again.”

The result did see Luton move within seven points to the top as previous leaders Plymouth lost again, overtaken by Carlisle.

However, Doncaster’s victory saw the gap to third extend to five points, as despite Portsmouth beaten at home by Stevenage, Hatters stayed fifth.

Hart added: “We’re still in it, we’re still around and we’ve still got a great chance.

“Christmas is a very important period and we feel with our squad, we’ll get the benefit after Christmas.”

Exeter City 0 Luton Town 0

NOT even the 100th Luton appearance of Cameron McGeehan or a boo-boy side-show for the return to Exeter of Danny Hylton could drag any entertainment out of a dire draw for the Hatters.

In the end the striker – who'd become public enemy number one with City fans as his double knocked them out of the FA Cup three weeks ago – barely got a look-in, let alone live up to their pantomime villain tag. He didn't fire, neither did Luton.

If you take into account the Portsmouth defeat on Tuesday – Town's first in ten League Two games – then they haven't sufficiently threatened a goal for more than two hours. It's not as if lowly City parked the bus at St James' Park and, really, that's good enough for where the Hatters aspire to be.

Results elsewhere in the division again fell kindly for them, as they have frequently done, so they remain in fifth place, but they can't continue to rely on the kindness of other clubs.

In truth the Grecians – who have not won on home soil for ten league games – had the better chances and, had it not been for the woodwork, Ollie Watkins would have won it for the hosts. After a first half that is not even worth recounting, that was the game's only sniff of quality.

There was none of the bluster or drama of their previous recent meeting in the FA Cup. There was not much of anything at all.

However, assistant manager Paul Hart, who faced the media afterwards, found something to take away. He said: "I think we're pleased with a point. It has been a really tough week; a clean sheet again and that's four in five and we possibly could have won it, we felt, so we're pleased with the performance."

In a bid to bounce back from a first reverse in two months, Luton boss Nathan Jones made two changes from the midweek defeat to Portsmouth with Jordan Cook on for Alex Gilliead and Scott Cuthbert replacing Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu. The latter worked, in that Town did supplied another shut-out, but the former did not. Nor did a personnel change which saw Olly Lee moved from a defensive midfield brief to an attacking one.

At least after the break, Luton managed two efforts on target, but that was scant reward in front of 634 supporters, many who'd made the 420-mile round trip to Devon.

Assistant Hart thought Hylton should have won a penalty in the early stages of the second period, but it didn't look like Jordan Moore-Taylor made any contact. Indeed, Referee Chris Kavanagh waved away the possibility even though there was no appeal from the striker. It was one of the few chances the home crowd had to boo the man that had brought about their cup exit earlier in the month.

Moments earlier, Town's top scorer had been beaten to a through-ball by keeper Christy Pym and that flurry of activity was his last of note.

It did liven things up a touch but rather than inspiring the visitors it was City that should have opened the scoring when Reuben Reid left Cuthbert flailing in the penalty area only to see James Justin and Walton throw their bodies in the way to deny the striker his 100th career goal.

Only a fabulously instinctive save from Pym prevented Lee from scoring after Isaac Vassell's searing burst to the byline and cutback, but the sense was that the ball was just not going to go in, whatever happened.

That was only accentuated when Alan Sheehan almost found the top corner with what is fast becoming his trademark a free-kick, but Pym pushed away.

His opposite number no chance with a ripping long range volley from Watkins, which thankfully battered back off the bar, though the England Under-21 shot-stopper did save from the forward as the contest eked to an unsatisfying conclusion, extended only by five added minutes in which, once again, nothing happened.

Sadly it was a fitting epitaph for a sorry afternoon.

Exeter: Pym, Woodman, James, Wheeler (Simpson, 87), Watkins, Moore-Taylor, McAlinden (Oakley, 64), Taylor, Sweeney (Ampadu, 71), Reid, Brown Unused subs: Olejnik, Harley, Grant, Stacey

Luton: Walton, Mullins, Cuthbert, McGeehan, Hylton, Cook, Rea, Lee (Mpanzu, 60), Vassell (Marriott, 82), Justin, Sheehan

Unused subs: King, O'Donnell, Smith, Mackail-Smith, Gilliead

Referee: Chris Kavanagh Attendance: 3,823 (634)

A "PROUD" Cameron McGeehan joined Luton's 100 club and declared his ambition to help the Hatters to rise through the Football League.

The 21-year-old midfielder, who originally came to Kenilworth Road on loan from Norwich in former boss John Still's 2014 Conference-winning side, reached the appearance milestone in the 0-0 League Two stalemate at Exeter.

Talking of his achievement, McGeehan said: "I'm very proud to play for a massive club like Luton. Since the first day I came here I've loved every minute. The fans have warmed to me and helped me a lot and I've met a lot of good players, good friends, good people behind the club; the staff, you guys [media].

"It has been great ever since John Still made a gamble on me as an 18-year-old. It has flown by and slowly we're building stuff here under the new manager. Hopefully we can push on now and I think the transition has come at the right time for the club and I'm glad to be part of it with Nathan Jones, moving to the future."

Never shy about his own ambition to reach the top of the game, McGeehan has previously spoken of his need to move away from academy football and transition into the professional game. While he's achieved that, his sights are now firmly on collective success.

"I believe in myself so it was just a case of trying to show everyone else that I am a player and that I can push on," he said of his switch to Luton, which became permanent in the summer of 2015.

"You want to get as high as you can and play at the highest level and the way to do it is to play games. To sign for a massive club like Luton is good for me. I was a bit lucky because they were in a precarious position and shouldn't be as low as they are. But it suited me, being a young player, coming in, playing in the Conference and being part of the team that got them out of the Conference and now, hopefully, [I'll be] part of the team that can get up through the leagues."

Though the Hatters drew a blank at Exeter, McGeehan is Town's second highest goalscorer this term with nine, adding to a club total of 29, which is some strike-rate for a man that arrived at Luton with more of a rearguard role.

He said: "I took a while to get going and came in as more of a defensive midfielder when we were in the Conference and did a different job. But I've built on that over the years and Nathan Jones and John Still before played me further forward and allowed me to show that side of my game. It's good for me and it's good for the team that I can score those goals. I'll look to score many more."