Luton Town FC vs Cheltenham Town (13th Sep 2014)

Luton Town 1 Cullen (8) Cheltenham Town 0

**• Mark Cullen's eighth-minute header the difference **
**• Town's first FL win at home in 2,002 days **
**• Goalkeeper Mark Tyler named man-of-the-match **
• Hatters three points off the Play-Off places

THE Town recorded their first home win back in the Football League thanks to Mark Cullen’s first-half header.

The striker found space in the Cheltenham penalty area to nod Scott Griffiths’ teasing left-wing cross in the eighth minute to send the Hatters on their way.

The Town came close to adding to their tally but the visitors, who arrived at Kenilworth Road unbeaten at the start of the day, were kept at bay in the second period with Mark Tyler producing a string of fine saves in a man-of-the-match performance to ensure the Hatters picked up their first victory since the opening day at Carlisle.

It all started with John Still making four changes to the side that lost to Plymouth last week. A debut was given to Curtley Williams at right-back; striker Ross Lafayette made his first start; Jonathan Smith returned to action for the first time since breaking his leg on Boxing Day; and Luke Wilkinson came back into the starting XI as one of three centre halves.

The Town started brightly and Lafayette came close to opening the scoring in the sixth minute, bringing Stephen McNulty’s long ball forward out of the sky with a great first touch before turning his man and blasting a shot goalwards that was blocked.

However, it didn’t take the Hatters long to celebrate, as two minutes later Cullen put the Town in front. Luke Guttridge and Griffiths worked the ball neatly on the left-hand touchline that saw the left-back swing in a perfect cross into the Cheltenham penalty area and Cullen was on hand to expertly head home unmarked past visiting goalkeeper Trevor Carson. It was his first Luton goal since the winner on the opening day at Carlisle.

With their tails up the Town sensed blood early on. Alex Lacey headed a Guttridge corner wide on 10 minutes in a whirlwind start from Still’s troops.

Tyler made his first telling contribution three minutes later, though, diving down to his right to stop Joe Hanks’ ambitious long-range effort.

And Cheltenham came even closer to levelling the score on 18 minutes, but this time the Town had McNulty to thank for a brave block when getting his body in the firing line of John Marquis’ goal-bound shot.

Both sides traded chances as the first half swung from one end to the other. Lafayette saw a shot on the turn blocked on 26 minutes before Guttridge came mighty close to making it 2-0 when his drive from the edge of the box whistled inches wide of the post with Carson beaten.

Back came Cheltenham: Marquis’ eye-of-an-needle low effort from just inside the 18-yard bounced through Town legs and deflected just wide on 34 minutes, and Tyler needed to be alert a minute later to turn over a Hanks corner that nearly curled Keith Keane-esque and straight into the net.

Hanks fired a free-kick over the bar for the Robins before Guttridge did the same for the Town as the first 45 minutes came to close.

Cheltenham introduced their top goalscorer of last season, Byron Harrison, at the start of the second half – and his presence aided the Robins in their quest for an equaliser.

Troy Brown headed wide three minutes after the restart before Harrison guided a shot wide a minute later.

As the Robins pushed for a leveller, McNulty got away with an air-kick in the penalty box after Koby Arthur’s cross caused confusion, but Tyler was first to the ball before Harrison.

The Town continued to be put under pressure from the visitors – Harrison picked the wrong option when looking for a pass in the penalty area before Arthur drilled a shot wide on 53 minutes.

Two minutes later, to combat Cheltenham’s dominance, Still brought off Lacey for Jim Stevenson – the scorer of a hat-trick in the dev squad in the week – as the Town changed shape and went with four across the back.

Within minutes of his arrival Stevenson and the majority of the 7,700 crowd thought the midfielder had doubled the Town’s lead shortly before the hour. Cheltenham failed to clear a right-wing corner and Stevenson tucked home from close range. However, amid the celebrations, it wasn’t until several seconds later that the assistant referee raised his flag for offside.

It was a late call, but with the score still at 1-0 the game remained on a knife-edge as the game continued to swing from end to end. Jason Taylor blazed over for the visitors from a good position on 62 minutes before Guttridge’s acrobatic volley at the back post at the other end flew over two minutes later.

The lively Arthur wormed his way into the box for Cheltenham on 65 minutes with Wilkinson on hand to whack clear the ball as it bounced goalwards, before the same player fired into the side netting for the Robins on 68 minutes.

As Cheltenham continued to press Tyler came to the rescue on 72 minutes when he grabbed Omari Sterling-James’ shot from inside the box.

But despite the Robins’ pressure, the Town still were playing some lovely football and Pelly Ruddock Mpaznu linked up magnificently with substitute Andy Drury on 82 minutes until the move broke down.

As the noise inside Kenilworth Road increased as the final whistle approached, Tyler stepped up to keep his side ahead. Firstly he beat away Marquis’ thumping free-kick from 20 yards with four minutes left, and then denied Arthur with a similar save in the third minute of added time.

However, after five additional minutes were up, referee Andy D’Urso blew for full-time to signal huge roars from the Kenilworth Road crowd. The celebrations of a first home win in the Football League since a 1-0 victory over Macclesfield in March 2009 could begin.

Town: Tyler; Lacey (sub Stevenson 55), McNulty, Wilkinson; Griffiths (sub Drury 78), Williams; Smith, Ruddock Mpanzu, Guttridge (sub Howells 71); Cullen, Lafayette. Subs not used: Wall, Rooney, Walker, Justham.

Attendance: 7,793, including 221 from Cheltenham.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rQmLbu-1u4

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-luton-1-0-cheltenham-1911915.aspx

Mark Wood writes:

League Two: Luton Town 1 (1) Cheltenham Town 0 (0)
Tenacious Town recorded their first home victory of the season with a tremendous 1-0 home win over high-flying Cheltenham at Kenilworth Road this afternoon, writes Mark Wood.
Mark Cullen's flashing header on eight minutes proved decisive on the day as sub Jim Stevenson also had a goal ruled out in a game Town should have won far more comfortably.
There were a number of terrific performances for the Hatters with Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu leading the way and keeper Mark Tyler producing three fantastic stops in the second half to preserve a clean sheet and help the Hatters to a much-needed second win of the season.
Town made four changes from the week before as Jonathan Smith started for the first time after his long lay-off due to a double leg break, alongside Luke Wilkinson, Ross Lafayette and debutant Curtley Williams in a changed 3-5-2 formation.
Paul Connolly missed out with a slight injury as Andy Drury, Jake Howells and Luke Rooney dropped to the bench.
Lafayette, making his first start for the Hatters, did brilliantly to bring down Steve McNulty's high ball forward on six minutes and forced a fine block from the covering defender.
Moments later Luton almost took the lead when Scott Griffiths fired in a great cross and Cullen's looping header was cleared off the line by Steve Elliott.
But Town did take a deserved lead on eight minutes through the same combination as this time Cullen buried Griffiths' pinpoint delivery into the far bottom corner with a classy headed finish.
Youngster Alex Lacey was annoyed with himself as he was unable to head a good chance back across goal, while at the other end Joe Hanks' long-ranger was easy for Tyler.
Skipper McNulty did superbly to block John Marquis' first-time effort from inside the box as a number of yellow cards followed in a niggly first half.
Target man Lafayette was making a nuisance of himself and the ball fell to him in the box on 26 minutes, but his low shot was blocked behind.
Cullen and Luke Guttridge combined superbly on the half hour with the midfielder firing just wide with the keeper beaten, while a good low effort from Marquis was deflected just wide by Lacey.
Hanks and Guttridge then exchanged harmless free-kicks over the bar as the Hatters deservedly led at the interval.
The Robins introduced Byron Harrison for Elliott at the break and piled on the pressure at the start of the second half. Koby Arthur lashed just wide seven minutes in, before Luton had a goal controversially ruled out just before the hour.
Cullen flicked on the corner at the near post and Griffiths touched the ball on to sub Jim Stevenson who turned home with probably his first touch. After initially awarding the goal referee Andy D'Urso was called back by his assistant as the strike was ruled out correctly, as later replays showed.
A sharp half-volley from Guttridge went well over as the game began to open up, with a number of Luton players tiring.
Arthur threatened in behind as Wilkinson cleared well, before the ball ran to Jason Taylor on the edge of the box on 65 minutes as he forced a fine save from Tyler.
A flowing break from the Hatters should have seen them double their lead two minutes later as Stevenson unselfishly played in the overlapping Cullen inside the box, only for the striker's first touch to let him down.
The impressive Williams for once failed to track his man as he was caught out by a crossfield pass on 72 minutes, but sub Omari Sterling-James could only prod harmlessly at Tyler when left one-on-one with the keeper.
Williams then slipped, but Arthur could only drag a great chance just wide as an entertaining and open game remained on a knife-edge until the end.
Late sub Drury impressed in the closing stages as he first skipped into the box only to drag his effort wide, before combining superbly with the outstanding Mpanzu with some lovely skill, only to be denied.
Town then needed some late heroics from keeper Tyler to preserve a clean sheet and net all three points in the process.
Smith, who showed tremendous energy and enthusiasm on his Lazarus-like return, was slightly unfortunate to give away a free-kick on the edge of the box and Tyler did brilliantly to parry away Marquis' piledriver.
Five minutes of stoppage time were added in a nervy finish and official man of the match Tyler produced another great save to deny Arthur three minutes in as Town held out for a deserved victory.
It was just the result the Hatters needed as they make the long trip to York City on Tuesday night.
Hatters: Mark Tyler, Jonathan Smith, Steve McNulty (C), Alex Lacey (Jim Stevenson 55), Scott Griffiths, Mark Cullen, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu (Andy Drury 78), Ross Lafayette, Luke Guttridge (Jake Howells 71), Curtley Williams, Luke Wilkinson. Substitutes not used: Alex Wall, Luke Rooney, Elliot Justham, Charlie Walker.
Robins: Trevor Carson, Craig Braham-Barrett, Matt Taylor (C), Troy Brown, Steve Elliott (Byron Harrison 46), Jordan Wynter (Terry Gornell 90+3), Matt Richards, Joe Hanks (Omari Sterling-James 63), Koby Arthur, Jason Taylor, John Marquis. Substitutes not used: Andy Haworth, Jack Deaman, Paul Black, Harry Reynolds.
Booked: M Taylor 18 Brown 25; Guttridge 43; J Taylor 44; Smith 85; Marquis 90+4.
Referee: Andy D'Urso.
Assistant Referees: Adam Crysell and Craig Hicks.
Fourth Official: Dave Bushell.
Attendance: 7,793 (Robins 221).
Star Hatter: Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu - Outstanding all over the pitch as he channelled his pace and power to tremendous effect.