Luton Town FC vs Burton Albion (11th Apr 2015)

Spirited Town performance not enough as Brewers triumph

The Town dropped behind in the race for a place in the Play-Offs as league leaders Burton Albion condemned the Hatters to a fourth straight home defeat.

Despite enjoying the majority of the play and ball the Town fell to Matty Palmer’s deflected goal 11 minutes from time to give Burton their second smash-and-grab win over the Hatters this term.

The result was harsh on the Town who more than matched a Brewers side who are destined to play in League 1 next season following this win.

With the Hatters celebrating 130 years since the club was formed, the class of 2015 were unlucky not to go in at half-time in front after going close with a number of decent chances.

The first of those came in the ninth minute when Paul Benson volleyed over after Burton skipper John Mousinho’s wayward back-header presented the striker with the opportunity.

Three minutes later the Town came mighty close to breaking the deadlock when Michael Harriman hammered a first-time shot from the edge of the area that flew off the outside of the post.

As the Hatters continued to boss the opening exchanges, Elliot Lee – one of the three changes to the team that won at Tranmere on Easter Monday – shot wide after Benson had nodded down Nathan Doyle’s pass.

Burton were offering little in the way of attack, with the Hatters restricting the leaders to shots from distance which were either off target or comfortable for goalkeeper Elliot Justham.

But on 19 minutes the Town came close once more. Cameron McGeehan bulldozered his way through on the edge of the penalty area and Alex Lawless sent a curling first-time, left-foot shot wide of the post.

As half-time approached the Town upped the ante, and Lee came close to breaking the deadlock on 39 minutes only for his back-post header to drop wide after being found by Jake Howells’ inswinging free-kick.

The visitors’ threat in the first period had come mostly from outside the penalty area but on 55 minutes the Brewers came close to going ahead when the unmarked Adam McGurk nodded a header straight at Justham from 12 yards.

Two minutes later, however, the Town came close themselves, Lee and Howells combined excellently on the edge of the area to play Scott Griffiths through, but the defender’s left-foot shot zoomed inches over the crossbar.

John Still introduced Nathan Oduwa, Mark Cullen and Luke Guttridge in the final half-hour, with Cullen off target with a chance before Oduwa’s low cross from the byeline saw Benson’s near-post shot deflected behind for a corner.

But just as the Town were hunting a winner they fell behind. There was a hint of offside as the Brewers crept in behind the Hatters defence, but after the ball was played back into his path Palmer hammered a firm shot that took a deflection and whizzed past Justham into the roof of the net.

Hurt from going, behind Cullen almost restored parity two minutes later when he latched on to McGeehan’s pass to thump a difficult chance on his left-foot over the crossbar from 10 yards.

Four minutes were added at the end of the 90 but despite huffing and puffing in search of a late leveller, it never came and the Town’s birthday ended in defeat against the Brewers who toasted victory to keep them top of the league and course for promotion.

As for the Hatters, they have four games left and three points to make up on the top seven, starting at Dagenham on Tuesday night.

Town: Justham; Harriman, Griffiths, McNulty, Wilkinson, Doyle, Lawless (sub Oduwa 67), McGeehan, Howells (sub Guttridge 76); Benson, Lee (sub Cullen 61). Subs not used: Hall, Kinsella, Lacey, King.

Attendance: 8,680, including 500 from Burton.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-luton-v-burton-albion-2393894.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMw4TrOxO_c

League Two: Luton Town 0 Burton Albion 1

Luton Town suffered a fourth successive home defeat as they went down to league leaders Burton Albion this afternoon.

The loss was hard to take for the Hatters as they had just about edged a tight contest against a Brewers side who looked more than happy with a point in their race with Shrewsbury for the title.

However, Luton missed chances through the returning Elliot Lee, Paul Benson, Scott Griffiths and sub Luke Guttridge, with Burton making them pay in the 79th minute, Matty Palmer’s effort deflecting off Nathan Doyle to cruelly beat Elliot Justham.

The most frustrating aspect was it had been the best Hatters had played in those four matches, but yet again they lost by a single goal to a well-drilled Brewers side, who did nothing extravagant, merely the basics very well indeed.

Results elsewhere went against John Still’s side too, especially as they had been back in the play-off places at the interval.

But both Stevenage and Plymouth overturned deficits to triumph, leaving Luton now three points behind Argyle, with a massively inferior goal difference and just four games remaining.

The hosts had made three changes to the side that had won at Tranmere, as Lee, Jake Howells and Alex Lawless came back in for Jonathan Smith, whose partner is due to give birth, Ryan Hall and Mark Cullen.

The visitors had a good opportunity early on as Adam McGurk was left unmarked in the area only to head Lucas Akins’ cross wide.

Town had a huge opportunity on eight minutes though when a long ball forward from Elliot Justham was headed up rather than out by John Mousinho.

It dropped for Paul Benson, who had just keeper Jon McLaughlin to beat, but on the volley, he lifted wastefully into the crowd.

Benson then combined with Lee as the ball broke for Michael Harriman and with the crowd baying, opted to shoot first time, his effort narrowly flying past the post.

The front two of Benson and Lee showed further signs of promise as after marvellous work by Nathan Doyle, Benson nodded down for Lee to shoot over.

Town’s impressive start continued too as when the ball broke to Lawless, he opened up his body to curl just beyond the far corner.

Burton offered precious little going forward in the first 30 minutes, Phil Edwards, who scored against Town at the Pirelli Stadium, sending a left footer that Justham clasped easily, with the keeper then holding on to Akins’ low drive.

In the closing stages of the first period, Town fashioned another excellent opening as Howells’ free kick reached Lee at the far post but he couldn’t find the target from close range.

Harriman had to be alert to cut out a promising attack forward as Stuart Beavon looked to tee up a team-mate, with the striker outwitting Luke Wilkinson, to test Justham from 20 yards.

Although the scores were goalless at the break, there remained an air of optimism around Kenilworth Road, with supporters witnessing a far more promising display than last time out, even though they had been 2-0 ahead against Exeter.

After the break, McGurk was unmarked again, but headed into Justham’s gloves, while Howells broke away on the left for one of the first times and his low cross was met by Benson’s toe, eventually deflected behind for a corner.

Just before the hour mark, Luton fashioned their clearest opportunity of the match as a neat move on the left saw the onrushing Griffiths racing into the box.

He shifted the ball on to his preferred left foot, but with only McLaughlin to beat, fizzed into the Brewers fans behind the goal.

Town rang the changes as Cullen drilled over from Benson’s neat flick, while Nathan Oduwa was also introduced and reached the byline, with Burton getting back to clear the danger.

Steve McNulty was booked for persistent fouling and from the free kick, Justham easily dealt with McGurk’s effort.

Brewers sub Abdenasser El Khayati wriggled clear to set up a shooting opportunity that he fluffed before Luton wasted another great chance when Oduwa’s cross reached the lurking Guttridge who scuffed wide.

That miss was to prove costly too as soon afterwards, Burton had a rare foray forward with Town’s defence and supporters screaming for an offside flag.

It never came though and Palmer found a yard of space to beat Justham and puncture the optimism that had been growing.

Luton could still have rescued a point late on though, but Cullen on the stretch, lofted over the top as Hatters lost yet again in front of their own fans.

Hatters: Elliot Justham, Michael Harriman, Scott Griffiths, Steve McNulty (C), Luke Wilkinson, Alex Lawless (Nathan Oduwa 68), Nathan Doyle, Cameron McGeehan, Jake Howells (Luke Guttridge 76), Paul Benson, Elliot Lee (Mark Cullen 60).

Subs not used: Alex Lacey, Craig King, Ryan Hall, Lewis Kinsella.

Rovers: Jon McLaughlin, Phil Edwards, Shane Cansdell-Sherriff, John Mousinho (C), Robbie Weir, Stuart Beavon (Denny Johnstone 57), Lucas Akins (Abdenasser El Khayati 68) Damien McCrory, Tom Naylor, Adam McGurk (Kevin Stewart 88), Matty Palmer.

Subs not used: Marcus Harness, Kelvin Maynard, Scott Shearer.

Referee: Andrew Madley.

Booked: McNulty 71.

Attendance: 8,680 (500 Burton).

Hatters MOM: Michael Harriman - full back was both a bundle of energy both going forward and defensively.

Luton returned to losing ways as they had their 130th birthday bash well and truly party-pooped by a smash-and-grab Burton side edging towards their own end of season celebrations.

It was the Brewers' first ever trip to Kenilworth Road and the Hatters would gladly wait another 47,481 days for a return visit after Matty Palmer pinched a 79th minute winner they scarcely deserved.

It will be 12 months at least because Albion are going up. Luton chances of promotion? Slim and none.

Over the last ten years, an average of 71 points has been required to reach the play-offs in the basement division. Town are ten away from that target with just 12 on offer and a growing need for other clubs to do them a favour.

Despite that Easter Monday win at Tranmere – which ended seven straight harrowing defeats – form is not on their side. What looked like a glimmer of hope in their play-off push – though they failed to create a single clear-cut chance other than their winning penalty at Prenton Park – seems today to be little more than an anomaly. Well, even a blind squirrel will find the occasional nut.

Memories are short in football, but not so brief to suggest that current form is anywhere close to the club's lowest ebb. Record punishments and a non-league exile will take that wooden spoon for generations to come and hopefully never be repeated.

During that dark period, anyone of a Hatters persuasion would have gladly done their best Luis Suarez impression on the hand that offered them a place in League Two, but that was last season.

So, to mimic john Still's own one-man question and answer style - have Luton made progress under his stewardship? Undoubtedly.

But will it be a failure if they fail to make the play-offs? Absolutely.

They are three points off the top seven but from the position they were in just two short months ago, to imagine Luton's season enduring a damp squib finale in the first week of May can only be considered a colossal cock-up.

For 30 minutes against Albion though, Luton were back to their old selves. Still's decision to play Nathan Doyle and Paul Benson back into fitness began paying dividends among of host of promising performances, yet the old lack of killer instinct would cost them dear.

Boss Still said: "We had three great chances, they had one deflected shot, what can we do about that?

"We've played well, had chances, haven't won, but that's football. I'm really pleased with how we played and disappointed not to have got something from the game."

Benson had a chance to opening the scoring early on but put too much on a lob after John Mousinho's headed clearance found its way into his path.

Michael Harriman thundered against the stanchion moments later while Cameron McGeehan bulldozed through the Burton backline before Alex Lawless sent a curler just past the post.

Just as close was Elliot Lee – back in the side after missing three with injury – who headed over from an inswinging Jake Howells free-kick.

Albion managed only a trio of efforts from outside of Town's penalty box in the last 15 muinutes, each easily gathered by Elliot Justham and, just as they had been at the Pirelli Stadium in November, they had been second best.

Early in the second half and in the move of the match, Lee and Scott Griffiths combined only for the left-back to blast over the bar. What a different tale it could have been had their roles been reversed.

Mark Cullen, the replacement for the West Ham loanee, and the freshly introduced Luke Guttridge both squandered chances and inevitably Town were punished.

Out of nowhere, Palmer found the top corner with a shot deflected off the leg of Doyle to confirm a fourth straight home defeat for Luton and blow the candles out on their birthday cake.

Luton: Justham, McNulty, Lawless (Oduwa, 67), Benson, Howells (Guttridge, 76), Griffiths, Harriman, Doyle, Wilkinson, Lee (Cullen, 60), McGeehan Unused subs: Lacey, Hall, Kinsella, King

Burton: McLaughlin, Edwards, Cansdell-Sherriff, Mousinho, Weir, Beavon (Johnstone, 57), Akins (El Khayati, 69), McCrory, Nayor, McGurk (Stewart, 88), Palmer Unused subs: Slade, Harness, Maynard, Shearer,

Referee: Andrew Madley Attendance: 8,680 (500)

JOHN STILL

"I thought we played really well, we had three great chances, they had one deflected shot, what can we do about that?

"Elliots had a good chance, Scotts had a great chance, Gutts, if theres one player you want the ball to fall to in the box in that area, because hes two-footed, it`s him.

"We wanted to come out and attack and I think we did. I actually thought we ground them down as the movement for Scott`s chance was a fantastic move.

"As a full back do we expect him to hit the target? Probably, but he`s a full back. We would expect Gutts to hit the target without a shadow of a doubt and we would have thought Cully could do a bit better too.

"Elliot at the back post, could he have done better? Maybe, hes not the tallest so I wouldnt want to over criticize that.

"Weve played well, had chances, havent won, but that`s football."