Luton Town FC vs Cambridge United (26th Aug 2013)

Luton Town 0-0 Cambridge United

Successive stalemates for Hatters

The Town were held to their second successive goalless draw as their Bank Holiday Monday game with Cambridge ended in stalemate.

Forty-eight hours after a 0-0 draw at Forest Green, Hatters boss John Still kept faith with the same side that played in the Coltswolds.

But it was the visitors, managed by former Town boss Richard Money, that started the brighter. Indeed the Hatters had to thank a fine stop from goalkeeper Mark Tyler to prevent the U’s from going ahead in the fifth minute when he stopped Richard Tait’s poked effort from inside the six yard box with his legs.

Moments later Andre Gray responded for the Town as Still’s side created their first chance of the afternoon when he thumped a first-time shot inches wide of the post having been freed by Mark Cullen.

However, the opening exchanges were dominated by Cambridge and Nathan Arnold shot wide when well placed on seven minutes before the visiting winger was denied by another smart stop from Tyler sent when clean through on goal having broken the Town offside trap on 10 minutes.

Back came the Town, and former United midfielder Luke Guttridge came within a whisker of putting the Hatters ahead when he sent a low shot millimetres wide of the post with a low shot on 11 minutes.

It was end-to-end stuff and Arnold saw a goal-bound shot blocked by Town skipper Ronnie Henry on 14 minutes.

Cambridge continued to push the Hatters back but the hosts should have done better on 16 minutes when Gray and Shaun Whalley attacked in tandem against two Cambridge defenders following a visitors corner, but the latter failed to pick out the former when the time came to play the final ball.

As the game continued to swing from end to end Tyler dealt with a routine cross-cum-shot from Harrison Dunk before Chris Maxwell, the Cambridge goalkeeper, comfortably saved Gray’s header following a left-wing cross from Whalley.

Under pressure from the visitors, Still changed things just after the half-hour mark, introducing Jake Howells for Cullen.

All of a sudden the Town had fresh impetus and Howells shot just wide within moments of coming on as the Hatters ended the first half on top.

Jon Shaw was visibly struggling in the latter stages of the first half and he made way at the break for Dave Martin. And the winger was straight into the action two minutes after the restart when his right-wing cross was half-cleared by the visitors and Jonathan Smith blasted a shot way over the crossbar from distance.

Clear-cut chances were at a real premium but the Town engineered a move of real quality on 54 minutes when Guttridge swept out a fine first-time pass to Howells down the left and from his cross Gray headed wide from inside the six yard box.

Cambridge, though, spurned a great opportunity to take the lead on 72 minutes when a mistake from Alex Lacey sent substitute Sam Delano-Yorke away but a combination of Tyler and Scott Griffiths snuffed out the danger.

As the game entered the final 15 minutes Cambridge sensed the points were there for the taking and on 79 minutes the Hatters had Howells to thank for a goal-line clearance when Tom Champion’s header from a left-wing corner flew goalwards.

With Gray isolated in attack without Shaw and Cullen for company, the Hatters were struggling to make an impact in the final third and it was Cambridge who continued to press forward to break the deadlock.

However they failed to test Tyler once more, and it was the Town who had the final two efforts. Howells swiped a right-foot shot wide from the edge of the box with five minutes left before Smith sent a sweetly-hit drive into the arms of Maxwell on 87 minutes but, despite four added minute, it remained goalless and the points were shared.

Town: Tyler; Henry, Griffiths, Lacey, McNulty; Guttridge, Smith, Whalley, Gray; Cullen (sub Howells 31), Shaw (sub Martin 46). Subs not used: Parry, Robinson, Justham.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/cambridge-gallery-26-08-13-1015623.aspx

Boss satisfied despite drawing blank

It’s only that cutting edge in attack that John Still believes the Town need to find after they secured another point and another clean sheet in a goalless draw at Cambridge.

“Defensively we’re comfortable now,” Still told Hatters Player afterwards. “I thought our attacking play started well but it’s in that final that it’s not as good as I’d like.

“But it’s been difficult, Jon Shaw’s been brilliant for us, but he’s been struggling with a hernia and his movement has been restricted. He’ll have an operation now, but I’m delighted we’ve been able to bring in Paul Benson because he will give us a focal point in attack.

“That’s the plan anyway, but we’ll keeping cracking away. We’ve picked up our performance levels once again.

“We’re competing now – all we need is to find that final edge to our play. I think we’ve started well, and while the last two games have been good tests, I actually think the Macclesfield game was the toughest we’ve had yet.

“They’re all tough games but what we’ve learned so far is that we can now take the game to the other team with pace and power and keep it solid at the back. It’s just that play in the final third we’ve got to work on now.”

Skrill Premier: Luton Town 0 (0) Cambridge United 0 (0)

Another battling and dogged performance from Luton saw them extend their unbeaten league run to four with a goalless home draw against table-topping Cambridge United at Kenilworth Road today, writes Mark Wood.

Both sides had chances to win it, especially in the first half, with Town stopper Mark Tyler pulling off several crucially important stops to help earn Luton a point.

Town kept the same side that had battled to a goalless draw at Forest Green Rovers on Saturday as a noisy Kenilworth Road welcomed both teams, with former Hatters manager Richard Money barracked by some home supporters.

But it was the visitors that threatened first in an open start when the ball was pulled back from the byline on five minutes and found the onrushing Richard Tait but Tyler saved well at his feet.

At the other end Jon Shaw and Mark Cullen combined well as Andre Gray thrashed wide from an acute angle.

It was the visitors though who were looking the more dangerous as Steve McNulty’s defensive block header fell straight to Nathan Arnold who could only find the side netting.

And the U’s were given a massive slice of luck when the offside-looking Arnold was waved on as he raced clean through on goal only for Tyler to recover brilliantly and save at his feet as the striker tried to go round him.

It was a breathless start in sweltering conditions as Town were inches away from taking the lead themselves on 11 minutes when Shaun Whalley teased a cross into Shaw and he laid the ball off to Luke Guttridge who dragged just wide of the far post.

You couldn’t take your eyes away from the game for fear of missing something as Arnold had a fierce drive well blocked by Ronnie Henry and Whalley was just unable to find Gray as the pair made a lightning break from a corner.

Ex-Hatter Greg Taylor was booked for a foul on Gray, before Harrison Dunk’s cross-shot was straight at Tyler and Gray could only head Whalley’s cross at Chris Maxwell.

Welsh U21 Jake Howells was brought on for Cullen on 31 minutes to give the Hatters more balance and he almost had an instant impact as his drive was almost spilled by Maxwell.

Jonathan Smith saw his drive deflected behind for a corner on 35 minutes before seeing his flick header cleared away from the line, while at the other end Scott Griffiths put in a superbly-timed tackle to deny Arnold on the break.

Great interplay between Shaw and the powerful Gray then ended in the target man just being unable to reach the England C international’s cross.

David Martin replaced the injured Shaw at the interval and the U’s brought on Delano Sam-Yorke for Adam Cunnington as both teams replaced their target men.

The substitute made a bright start, cutting in and sending in a cross that was half cleared to Smith on the edge of the area who lofted over.

Luton were struggling to retain possession but boasted plenty of pace to trouble the U’s, however when Howells did get the ball in on 55 minutes Gray could only head wide.

Ex-Town star Michael Spillane replaced Arnold on 62 minutes for the visitors while McNulty’s flick header from a Whalley corner drew shouts for handball.

But Luton almost committed defensive suicide on 72 minutes when Lacey’s underhit pass allowed Sam-Yorke a clear run on goal. But Tyler stood up well and a combination him, Griffiths and Lacey helped to scramble the ball away when the striker should have put the visitors ahead.

McNulty then did well to block Mitch Austin’s drive as the substitute had two bites at the cherry before the U’s went even closer on 79 minutes when they whipped a corner in and Griffiths cleared Tom Champion’s header off the line.

With the game wide open Town looked tired in the closing stages as their defending became increasingly desperate.

Luton though almost grabbed a winner with five minutes left when Gray made a nuisance of himself in the box and Whalley teed up Howells but his right-footed effort skewed wide.

Smith looped an ambitious long-range drive into the keeper’s midriff two minutes later and Guttridge lashed well over as four minutes were added, but there were to be no more chances as both sides settled for a point.

Hatters (4-3-3): Mark Tyler, Jonathan Smith, Steve McNulty, Jon Shaw (David Martin 46), Scott Griffiths, Mark Cullen (Jake Howells 31), Luke Guttridge, Shaun Whalley, Ronnie Henry (C), Andre Gray, Alex Lacey. Substitutes not used: Andy Parry, Elliot Justham, Matt Robinson.

U’s (4-4-2): Chris Maxwell, Greg Taylor, Josh Coulson, Ian Miller (C), Ryan Donaldson, Tom Champion, Adam Cunnington (Delano Sam-Yorke 46), Harrison Dunk (Mitch Austin 65), Richard Tait, Luke Berry, Nathan Arnold (Michael Spillane 62). Substitutes not used: Will Norris, Liam Hughes.

Booked: Taylor 17; Guttridge 29.

Referee: W Barratt. Assistant Referees: L Sheridan and O Jackson. Fourth Official: J Burridge.

Attendance: 7.517 (963 Cambridge).

Star Hatter: Mark Tyler. Important saves helped the Hatters hold on for a point.