Luton Town FC vs Barnsley (1st Jan 2019)

LUTON TOWN 0 BARNSLEY 0

A sold-out Kenilworth Road produced an electric atmosphere to celebrate New Year’s Day in possibly one of the most entertaining 0-0 draws this afternoon against Barnsley.

Both sides played superbly, trying to snatch the points in a match where a draw was a fair result.

It meant the Hatters remain unbeaten at home this season, and stay in second spot even though Sunderland and Portsmouth picked up wins. The last time the Hatters played out a stalemate at home was Nathan Jones’ first match in charge against Cambridge United in 2016.

Barnsley came to Kenilworth Road and played with a real intent to win the match, pressing high up the pitch and not allowing the Hatters to dictate the game as they usually do at home.

Fireworks rained down in a neighbouring garden behind the executive boxes, symbolising the beginning of 2019, although it did feel like a rather fitting celebration, dedicated to the Hatters’ fine work in Sky Bet League One this season.

It was another match unbeaten in the league, the run now stands at 13, and this afternoon’s point came against a team who played in the Championship last term.

The only disappointing aspect of this afternoon’s game was Harry Cornick sustaining an injury, hobbling off after two minutes on the field. It was his first touch of the ball in fact, as he rolled his ankle trying to take on a Barnsley defender.

Danny Hylton was the only change to the starting XI that grabbed that late equaliser away at Walsall on Saturday, coming in for Cornick, who dropped to the bench.

That meant James Shea was between the sticks, with a usual back four of Jack Stacey, Sonny Bradley, Matty Pearson and James Justin. Alan McCormack started for the second match running in his usual holding midfield role, with Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and Andrew Shinnie on either side of him.

Elliot Lee, as his number suggests, led the midfield in the number 10 role from which he has been so clinical from this season, followed by James Collins and Hylton, who made his first league start since his red card against Rochdale on the 3rd of November.

Former Hatters’ players Cauley Woodrow and Cameron McGeehan began the match for Barnsley, in what was both of their first appearances back at Kenilworth Road since their departures.

Town started brightly as Hylton found Collins in the box after just 38 seconds, but his pass ran too far and into the on-rushing arms of Adam Davies.

The Tykes had a solid 15-minute spell of possession, putting the home side through their paces, pressing high and keeping the pressure on the Hatters who struggled to keep the ball out of their own half.

Barnsley had their best chance when Woodrow picked it up just inside the Hatters’ half, poking it past McCormack and on to Mamadou Thiam, who looked lively down the left hand side. Thiam managed to get it back to Woodrow whose shot beat Shea but couldn’t find the net, going just past the post.

Moments later, the men in black were at it again, Kenny Dougall this time hitting one from outside the box, but it was never going to trouble Shea, sailing well over the bar.

The Hatters’ defensive line worked hard, soaking up an intense amount of pressure throughout this period. There were numerous blocks to keep the ball away from the goal as well as Shea, commanding his six-yard box, snatching multiple crosses in the air to keep it all square.

But the Hatters did have their own chances. Lee did well to turn in the box, beating three men around him as he fell in the area to win a corner despite shouts of a penalty. Justin lofted the resulting corner over to Bradley who headed down to McCormack. His volley into a crowded box found Hylton’s flailing leg which Davies had to be alert to, tipping it around the post.

Three minutes later, Collins’ delicate header into the path of Shinnie was met by a ferocious effort from the Scot, going well wide of the left post.

Alex Mowatt was then allowed to run at the defence, putting the ball into the path of Brad Potts, who put it just over the bar from around 25 yards.

The second half delivered more of the same, high-tempo football the previous 45 minutes had seen with Barnsley starting strong once more. Thiam hit a swirling shot that Shea had to get down to well. He held onto it too, which was important as the flight of the ball was incredibly awkward to deal with.

Somehow the ball stayed out of the Luton net again when Potts’ shot deflected off the top of McCormack’s head and inches over the bar. But it was Barnsley's keeper, Davies, who was busiest for the remainder of the game, as the Hatters began to battle their way into this tough encounter.

Hylton was unable to convert his header goalward after some neat work by Collins meant Stacey was able to pick out the number nine just outside the six-yard box. A little later, Justin’s free-kick made its way to Lee, who cleverly flicked on his header to Hylton. Although it was on target this time, it was caught easily by Davies.

A few minutes later a similar free-kick routine found its way once more to Hylton, who gave everything to try and convert, making an unorthodox backwards header attempt that flew the wrong side of the post.

But the visitors remained lively, Justin slipping while playing it back to Shea that looked as if it was heading into the path of Thiam who had snuck in behind the defence, but Shea sprinted out and made the ball his, clearing the danger.

Shinnie may have won goal of the season if his 74th minute strike had finished in the top corner. Having already won a strong challenge on McGeehan in the middle of the pitch, he took it around the defender and let fly from outside the area, missing narrowly over the bar. Lee copied his team-mate moments later, also having a pop from a similar distance that Davies kept out low to his right.

Mowatt almost won it for the visitors at the death with a thunderous shot from well outside the area that Shea leaped at. It looked to be heading in, but luckily it fell wide of the post as the points were shared in a thoroughly exciting match.

The Hatters now face Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on Saturday in the third round of the FA Cup. More than 4,000 Hatters fans will be making the trip, hoping that the side can go one better his season and make it to the fourth round.

TOWN: Shea, Justin, Bradley (C), Pearson, Stacey, McCormack, Shinnie, Mpanzu, Lee (Cornick 88) (Berry 90), Hylton, Collins. Sub not used: Isted, Grant, LuaLua, Jones, Sheehan

Yellows: Shinnie

BARNSLEY: Davies (C), Dougall (Bähre 64), Pinnock, Lindsay, McGeehan, Cavaré, Potts (Adeboyejo 89), Woodrow, Thiam (Brown 76), Mowatt, Williams. Subs not used: Greatorex, Hedges, Moncur, Jackson

Yellows: Pinnock

REFEREE: John Brooks

ATT: 9,926 (845 away)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3gNIbKa14c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEoxeSu3uJ8

NATHAN JONES ON THE DRAW WITH BARNSLEY

Town boss Nathan Jones felt it was a fair result against Barnsley today as the two sides played out a goalless draw.

The result sees the Hatters remain in second spot in Sky Bet League One, with Portsmouth moving five points clear at the top and Sunderland are now just two points behind with two games in hand.

Jones said: "I thought it was a really good game, a really good game of football. Two good sides – they're a very good side, as I have said I felt they're the best we have played this season up there.

"They're a side that are physical, they press, they work hard and they can push you off your stride if you're not at it and they restricted our passing game today, they really did. Especially early on they had that. On the balance of play I thought it was a fair result, overall I think we have had slightly more chances, but you'd expect that being the home side and I think it's a fair result and a good result.

"These are a good and we've got to remember where we came from, they were Championship last year, so this time last year we were two leagues apart, and now we are six points above them. we have come a long way."

Hatters held to a stalemate by Tykes

League One: Luton Town 0 Barnsley 0

Luton began 2019 with a goalless draw at home to fellow promotion-hopefuls Barnsley yesterday.

The visitors, who were the last team to beat Town back in October, showed just why they are right up there, becoming the first side to stop the Hatters scoring at Kenilworth Road this term.

They should have taken the lead on 10 minutes too when former Hatter Cauley Woodrow exchanged passes with Mamadou Thiam to go clean through, only to miss the target with the outside of his right boot.

Barnsley had easily the better of possession and territory in the opening exchanges, giving Luton's back-line some nervy moments.

James Shea gathered Cameron McGeehan's 20 yarder with ease, before Town started to wrest a degree of control back, Elliot Lee winning a corner that saw James Justin pick out Sonny Bradley.

His header back was volleyed goalwards by Alan McCormack, visiting keeper Adam Davies making a fine save low down to his right.

Town created another decent opportunity when James Collins spotted Andrew Shinnie's run, the midfielder slicing wide from 18 yards.

However, Barnsley weathered the pressure, Woodrow firing over the top from 30 yards, the striker's tame effort then easy for Shea.

Shinnie went it along from distance on his left, Davies making a routine stop, although after the break, the Hatters were on the back foot once more to begin with.

Thiam's 25 yard blast well gathered by Shea, who was then thankful for McCormack's head in deflecting Brad Potts' snapshot over.

Thiam wasn't far wide from range again, but Luton began to handle the Tykes midfield that bit better, as Justin swung in a free kick, Lee flicked on and Hylton's header was straight at Davies.

Woodrow continued his attempts to beat Shea from range, sending a curler into the Luton stopper's gloves, while Town's most likely source of a goal appeared a set-piece, Justin sending one into the box for Hylton to head over.

Shinnie almost broke the deadlock with an opportunity all of his own making, winning the ball back from McGeehan, waltzing past Pinnock and unloading from 25 yards, his attempt flying wide.

The Hatters then came the closest they had done, Lee advancing and his 20 yarder drew an excellent stop at his near post by Davies.

Late on, Alex Mowatt's long ranger had Shea diving to his left as it crashed into the hoardings,ensuring both sides had to make do with a point.

Hatters: James Shea, Jack Stacey, James Justin, Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley (C), Alan McCormack, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Andrew Shinnie (Kazenga LuaLua 90), Elliot Lee (Harry Cornick 88, Luke Berry 89), James Collins, Danny Hylton.

Subs not used: Harry Isted, Jorge Grant, Lloyd Jones, Alan Sheehan.

Tykes: Adam Davies (C), Kenny Dougall (Mike Bahre 64), Ethan Pinnock, Liam Lindsay, Cameron McGeehan, Dimitir Cavare, Brad Potts (Victor Adeboyejo 89), Cauley Woodrow, Mamadou Thiam (Jacob Brown 76), Alex Mowatt, Ben Williams.

Subs not used: Ryan Hedges, George Moncur, Adam Jackson, Jake Greatorex.

Booked: Pinnock 63, Shinnie 79.

Referee: John Brooks.

Attendance: 9,926 (845 Barnsley)

Jones reflects on a 'decent point' against Barnsley

Hatters boss Nathan Jones was left to reflect on what he felt was a ‘decent point’ picked up during the 0-0 draw with Barnsley at Kenilworth Road yesterday.

Although the hosts were held to a first shut out in front of their own fans this season, Jones thought it was a fair outcome against a side who, like Luton, have serious aspirations of promotion.

He said: “They’re such an intense, physical side, the physicality they have, they’re the best in the league at that, in terms of the press, in terms of what they do.

"They’re very, very physical, and they can stop you playing and get in your face and they did that.

“I thought we started really well, the first 10 minutes we were excellent and a bit more and we might have nicked something.

“They probably had the best chance in terms of Cauley Woodrow and then we grew into the half.

“They tired a little bit and second half we edged it in terms of possession, in terms of the amount of corners we had.

“They were having to make big fouls to stop us getting through and that’s what they do, we knew that, we told the referee that, as they go and press you and they either win the ball or they take everything, and they stop your play.

“So it’s difficult to get any real fluency, but it’s a decent point as they’re a very good side with a big budget, who are fancied, one of the favourites, but we’ve shown that we are a very good side here.”

The Luton chief conceded that Barnsley had the better of proceedings at times, although knew Town could have won it, had Adam Davies not saved from both Alan McCormack, Elliot Lee and Danny Hylton.

He added: “It’s (McCormack’s shot) a real good opportunity and we’ve had quite a few second half as well.

“Maybe if we’d nicked it, it would have been harsh, but I thought it was a good game, a real good game.

“They’re a very good side, I felt they’ve been the best we’ve played this season, especially up there.

“They’re a side that are physical, they press, they work hard, and they can knock you off your stride if you’re not at it.

“They restricted our passing game, they really did, especially early on, as they had that energy. “I thought on the balance of play it was probably a fair result.

“Overall we probably had slightly more chances, but you expect that being the home side and I think probably it’s a fair result and a good result as these are a good side.

“We’ve got to remember where we’ve come from. They were Championship last year, so this time last year we were two leagues apart, and now we’re six points above them, so we’ve come a long way.”