Lincoln City vs Luton Town FC (4th Jan 2014)

Hatters draw a blank but equal record

Lincoln 0 Town 0

The Hatters equalled a club record 19 games unbeaten as they ground out a goalless draw at Lincoln to stretch their lead at the top of the table to five points.

The Town were unchanged with new loan signing Kane Ferdinand among the substitutes following his arrival from Peterborough.

Lincoln, missing four players through suspension, started the brighter. Mamadou Fofana blazed a shot over the crossbar in the opening minute as the Imps pressed for an early goal.

It was end-to-end stuff as both sides traded the ball on a boggy pitch only passed fit after two morning inspections.

To their credit the Town were playing some eye-catching football and a fine move on 17 minutes led to Paul Benson being fouled on the edge of the penalty area but Luke Guttridge’s on-target free-kick was deflected over by the Lincoln wall.

The Imps had scored twice against the Hatters by utilising their huge long throw-ins from both flanks in the meeting earlier in the campaign and the home side were once again threatening from the same tactics.

However, the Town defence continued to hold firm in the face of several long throws hurled in the box and, on one occasion, the Hatters broke after defending one and came close when Benson headed wide.

As the half wore on the Hatters began to get on top. Scott Griffiths came close to breaking the deadlock on 33 minutes when he raced upfield, played a one-two with Jake Howells and sent a well-hit left-foot drive narrowly over the crossbar.

Still the Town pressed. Guttridge’s left-wing corner was headed over by Benson but Lincoln came close to taking the lead on 38 minutes when centre-half Nat Brown headed inches wide following a left-wing corner.

The Hatters spurned a great chance to take the lead two minutes before the break, however, when Alex Lawless’ mazy run into the penalty area enabled Ronnie Henry to cross for Andre Gray but, with the goal gaping the leading goalscorer scuffed his shot. Lincoln failed to clear the danger, though, which led to a Howells shot blocked – with Town penalty appeals waved away – before Benson headed straight at home stopper Paul Farman.

Moments before the break Benson’s clever touch enabled Guttridge to get a shot away which was blocked and both sides went in at half-time with the score blank.

The second half begun with a shot from Guttridge that took a deflection into the arms of Farman but the midfielder picked up an injury in doing so and Ferdinand came on for his debut in his place.

Tyler needed to be alert on 51 minutes when he clung onto a header from Brown which bounced awkwardly off of the mud in the six-yard box. A minute later Griffiths then did brilliantly to clear with Mitch Austin waiting for a tap-in as Lincoln caught the Town cold at the back.

Lincoln were enjoying a good spell as the Town struggled to create a clear-cut chance and Lincoln threatened again on 53 minutes when Conner Robinson fired just over the crossbar from distance.

Howells headed over for the Hatters from eight yards at the other end on the hour following Henry’s right-wing cross but the home side were enjoying the better of the ball.

The Town rode the Lincoln pressure and all of a sudden found a second wind after the hour mark. Lawless’ throughball was perfect for Benson to pull the trigger but the in-form striker’s first touch let him down and the chance was gone.

With 20 minutes ago the Town engineered another decent move, this time Griffiths’ left-wing cross was kept in by Lawless and his cut-back found Gray whose shot in the box was blocked by two Lincoln defenders.

Back came Lincoln, Sam-Yorke firing a well-hit volley just over the bar from the edge of the box with 15 minutes left on the clock.

It was end to stuff with seven minutes left. Lawless’ run and pass found Benson whose touch let him down in the box before Lincoln broke and Joe Davis’ fine clearance denied the hosts a chance to test Tyler. From that the Town almost threatened once more, Lawless’ cut-back for Gray but his shot was charged down.

With two minutes left Gray fashioned a chance on his own, rolling his marker to race into the box and his low shot clipped the boot of home goalkeeper Farman and behind for a corner.

The Hatters huffed and puffed for a late winner but couldn’t quite get the breaks they needed and in the end it finished in stalemate.

TOWN: Tyler; Henry, Griffiths, McNulty, Davis; Robinson, Lawless, Guttridge, Howells; Gray, Benson.

Subs not used: Ferdinand, Cullen, Mawson, Wall, Justham.

Attendance 2,928 including 974 shouting for the Hatters

John Still on Lincoln point:

“It was a battle again, but we’ve competed terrifically in difficult conditions.

“I think that the festive period, that’s the end of it and it’s been fantastic for us.

“I was absolutely delighted with the commitment, the work rate was terrific again, we just needed something to fall for us but it never did.

“They’ve come off the back of a decent result against Grimsby, and it’s going to be tough. They launch the ball in the box, we’ve got to defend that, we defended it great, so overall, well done us.

“We just found that little bit extra. The 6-0 win against Kidderminster, 5-0 against Alfreton, 4-2 against Gateshead, sometimes they don’t win you the league.

“It’s 0-0 at Lincoln in difficult conditions that can win you the league, and we’ve shown fantastic spirit and not a little skill and attitude.

“They’re sometimes the things that you need just to work hard and get something from a game, I’m delighted to get something from.”

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/lincoln-040114-1274722.aspx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiUWhCOIkL4

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liam2010/sets/72157639406397626/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFcNK7BRyGs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FzTh0G8Eog

Skrill Premier: Lincoln City 0 (0) Luton Town 0 (0)

Jaded Hatters fought hard as they battled to a goalless draw against Lincoln City at Sincil Bank this afternoon as they equalled the club record of 19 league games unbeaten, writes Mark Wood.

Luton’s midweek exertions against Barnet looked to have caught up with them on the day, but they still created the better chances as they dug deep to secure a draw and stretch their lead at the top of the Skrill Premier to five points, although Cambridge United now have three games in hand.

The draw may have ended a run of seven-straight wins, but it did see the Hatters equal their record run of consecutive league games unbeaten set in 1968 and 1969.

Town named an unchanged team from the side that had battled to a 2-1 victory over Barnet on New Year’s Day, while Lincoln’s two new Cambridge loan men, Mitch Austin and Delano Sam-Yorke went straight into their side.

Sam-Yorke made a bright start as he robbed Scott Griffiths but, having moved the ball across the box, Mamadou Fofana could only fire well over.

At the other end Andre Gray threatened as he was muscled over by Nat Brown in front of the away supporters, but their appeals for a penalty were ignored. Mark Tyler then had to be alert to beat Sam-Yorke to a through ball that had held up on the sodden pitch.

Joe Davis put in a terrific header to clear away a dangerous cross on 13 minutes, before Griffiths’ half-volley from just outside the box from a half-cleared free-kick was easy for Paul Farman.

An awful challenge by Luke Foster on Paul Benson on the edge of the box saw the City man enter the referee’s notebook on 18 minutes, but Luke Guttridge’s goal-bound effort was headed away by Brown, before the creative midfielder rolled an effort tamely at the keeper from Davis’ astute pass.

Great play by Gray released Jake Howells midway through the half and Town went close from the resulting corner, but Paul Benson could only head Guttridge’s delivery wide.

Town started to get on top and almost took the lead on 33 minutes when Howells and Griffiths combined and the left-back burst into the box, but saw his shot fly just over the bar.

The visitors went close again eight minutes before the break when Benson could only head Guttridge’s corner over the bar when he should have hit the target.

Lincoln finally started to come back into the match, with Brown’s header flashing wide from a corner and Fofana shooting well over.

Confusion in the Luton defence then saw three Town players each leave the clearance to one another as Sam-Yorke drilled over.

But it was the Hatters who ended the half the stronger as Benson could only pop his header over the bar from Howells’ cross three minutes before the break.

City’s defence was then forced to hurriedly defend as Alex Lawless wove his way into the box. Guttridge seized on the loose ball but Gray could only mishit Ronnie Henry’s low cross in the box before Howells had huge shouts for handball turned down after his effort seemed to thump off Tom Miller’s arm.

Town weren’t done yet either, but Benson could only direct Griffiths’ cross at Farman as the half finished goalless.

An early Guttridge effort in the second half was deflected harmlessly at Farman, but he was injured in the process as he was eventually replaced by new Peterborough loan man Kane Ferdinand.

Griffiths was booked for a silly tug on Austin as he looked to break away and from the subsequent free-kick Brown’s header bounced up in the mud and Tyler did well to hold on.

The Imps were looking far more lively in the second half as Griffiths had to put in a goal-saving tackle on Austin as he prepared to slide home after good work down the left.

Conner Robinson rifled over as Lincoln’s pressure started to mount and Gray was booked for kicking the ball away.

Town were looking jaded after their heroics on Wednesday, but the impressive Davis put in a crunching challenge on Austin as Luton were forced on to the back foot.

Having weathered the storm, both sides started to slip more as the pitch cut up. A rare moment of quality by Lawless almost saw him slip Benson through on 69 minutes but his first touch wasn’t good as he left the ball behind in the mud.

A cracking Sam-Yorke volley flashed just over with 15 minutes to go, while Town almost snatched a winner with eight minutes to go when Ferdinand threaded Gray through, but he took too long and saw his shot blocked.

Still searching for a winner Gray skirted in behind the City defence with two minutes to go but his near-post effort was turned behind by the keeper.

It was the Hatters who finished the stronger as they still managed to play some patient stuff despite the increasingly treacherous conditions.

Gray whistled a late effort wide and, although the Hatters finished powerfiully, they were unable to force a winner.

Imps (4-5-1): Paul Farman, Tom Miller, Luke Foster, Nat Brown (C), Sean Newton, Todd Jordan, Mamadou Fofana, Jon Nolan (Dan Gray 90+2), Mitch Austin (Nick Wright 73), Conner Robinson, Delano Sam-Yorke. Substitutes not used: Waide Fairhurst, Danny Rowe, David Preece.

Hatters (4-3-3): Mark Tyler, Ronnie Henry (C), Steve McNulty, Joe Davis, Scott Griffiths, Luke Guttridge (Kane Ferdinand 50), Matt Robinson, Alex Lawless, Jake Howells, Paul Benson, Andre Gray. Substitutes not used: Alex Wall, Mark Cullen, Elliot Justham, Alfie Mawson.

Booked: Foster 18; Griffiths 50; Gray 53; Henry 82.

Referee: Ross Joyce. Assistant Referees: Robin Cox and Andrew Tonks. Fourth Official: Alan Marshall.

Attendance: 2,928 (Luton 974).

Star Hatter: Joe Davis. Young defender relished the conditions and excelled on the day