Luton Town FC vs Grimsby Town (28th Jan 2023)

Report | Luton Town 2-2 Grimsby Town

The Hatters will travel to Grimsby for a replay after being held to a 2-2 draw by the Sky Bet League Two side at Kenilworth Road.

The Mariners took a first-half lead through Gavan Holohan's header, but Elijah Adebayo's penalty and Jordan Clark's volley put the Town in front midway through the second half, only for Grimsby's Harry Clifton to net an immediate equaliser to forced a deserved rematch in Cleethorpes on Tuesday week.

Manager Rob Edwards handed Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu his 350th Luton Town appearance, with the midfielder - who signed permanently for the club on this day in 2014 - starting alongside Jordan Clark and Allan Campbell as the boss named a strong line-up for the visit of the Mariners.

Gabe Osho started for the third match in succession after being forced off against Wigan Athletic last weekend, whilst Dan Potts captained the side with Tom Lockyer in-between the pair.

Seventeen-year-old Zack Nelson was among the nine substitutes after impressing during the FA Youth Cup victory against QPR U18s ten days ago, while new signing Cody Drameh was ineligible for today's fixture having played for Leeds United in the competition already this season.

After the sprinklers had come on unexpectedly within seconds of the match kicking off, causing an early break, it was the visitors who had most of the territory in the opening exchanges, although Mpanzu had the first sight of goal, hammering an attempted volley into the ground and wide.

The Mariners survived a penalty appeal when Adebayo's cross from the left hit Gavan Holohan's right hand in the box, and Potts had a header ruled out for offside with 11 minutes on the clock.

Adebayo and Cornick linked up well just before the 20-minute mark, playing a one-two on the edge of the box before the former fired over the bar. Then Bell delivered a deep cross from the left that Adebayo tried to volley back across the face of goal, only for Crocombe to block behind.

Mpanzu hit a first-time 25-yarder well over the bar on the half-hour, before Bryn Morris had the game's first shot on target at the other end, testing Horvath with a drive from outside the box, but the USA international was equal to it.

The Hatters continued to probe, a succession of corners leading to Clark tricking his way past a defender - and not for the first time, after an earlier bit of ball juggling on the halfway line as he brought it forward in full flow - to volley a cross in that ended up landing invitingly for Cornick, who couldn't keep his volley down.

It was Horvath who was called into action again a couple of minutes before half-time, as Holohan nipped in front of Osho as the Town defender hesitated and hit a dipping volley from 30 yards that the Town keeper had to tip over his bar.

From the resulting corner, the Mariners' midfielder climbed highest through a pack of players and planted a free header into the corner of the net to give the visitors a half-time lead.

That advantage was wiped out within five minutes of the restart, however, as Osho had his legs taken away from under him as he beat Anthony Glennon just inside the area. Referee Tim Robinson pointed to the spot and Adebayo did the rest, sending Crocombe the wrong way as he netted his seventh goal of the season.

Grimsby's Alex Hunt curled a 20-yard free-kick over the bar in the 53rd minute, but Town were soon back on the attack, Adebayo driving towards the left byline and

Edwards made his first changes on the hour, replacing Campbell and Cornick with Cauley Woodrow and top scorer Carlton Morris.

The reward came in the 66th minute with Clark receiving Doughty's low cross around the penalty spot, flicking it up and volleying right-footed into the top corner, with Crocombe getting a hand to the ball but unable to keep it out.

The visitors were back on terms within a minute, as Clifton raced into the Town box and finished unerringly across Horvath and into the far corner of the net.

Crocombe somehow managed to claw a Morris header away as the Town striker met Ckark's lofted cross at the near post, before Holohan again created space for himself just outside the D at the other end, although this one was straight at Horvath.

Having already brought Onyedinma on for Potts, Edwards introduced Luke Berry in place of Mpanzu with eight minutes to go, but it was Osho who had to react smartly to clear Clifton's effort from almost on the line as the Mariners once again asked the questions.

Berry and Woodrow both stood inviting crosses up into the Grimsby six-yard box as the Hatters pushed for a winner, while Berry volleyed Doughty's deep cross at Crocombe before disappearing head first over the advertising boards and into the crowd.

But ultimately, neither side could make the crucial third breakthrough in seven minutes of time added on and will both enter tomorrow's fifth round draw as ball number 6, before renewing acquaintances at Blundell Park.

Goals:

LT - Adebayo (pen) 49, Clark 66

GT - Holohan 43, Clifton 67

Att: 8,552 (1,473 away)

Reaction | Rob Edwards on Grimsby draw

Manager Rob Edwards said his side ‘will learn’ from today’s Emirates FA Cup draw against Grimsby Town.

Having fought back from a goal down, Elijah Adebayo and Jordan Clark gave the Hatters a second-half advantage before Grimsby replied within sixty seconds to level the tie once more.

For the second round in succession, Edwards and his side will be forced to settle a cup match via a replay. After the match, the boss said: “For the neutral watching it was good but there will be mixed emotions amongst the fans of course, I think they will see that we gave everything and there was some good quality play in there.

“We pushed, we were positive, couple of really good goals and the way we won the ball back and regained it to get the penalty I was really pleased with.

“I thought Clicker’s goal was outstanding but a couple of mistakes from the goals we conceded in areas we have to keep working on. The second one was really frustrating because we just scored and we have to be like robots, we have to be ice cold in those moments and do our jobs really, really well.

Continuing, Edwards admitted: “I said three key things before the game and set pieces were one of them, so the first goal was very disappointing as well. That being said, the boys gave everything, we’re still in the hat and we have to go and do it again in a couple of weeks’ time.

“The lads are down in there but in football there is a game just around the corner to pick ourselves up again. We will be in tomorrow, we will look at it back and we will learn from it. I said to the lads that I don’t want to see anyone down, there is no point in anyone moping about, it is what it is, it’s happened, we’re still in the hat and it’s not the end of the world.

“There was some good play today as well and Grimsby gave absolutely everything, we knew it was going to be a difficult game, both teams went for it and I thought it was a good cup tie.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ6y8tWDjcA – match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EPgsxye5T8 – Rob Edwards interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSAi9yDsGwc – Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu interview

Hatters left frustrated at home once more as League Two Grimsby force FA Cup replay

FA Cup fourth round: Luton Town 2 Grimsby Town 2

Luton Town were taken to a replay for the second successive FA Cup game after failing to see off League Two Grimsby Town at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

Having trailed 1-0 at the break, the Hatters appeared to have one foot in the draw for the first round thanks to goals from Elijah Adebayo and Jordan Clark, only for Harry Clifton to level 60 seconds later, with neither side able to force a winner.

Town attacker Harry Cornick was named in the starting line-up, despite increasing speculation that he will leave Kenilworth Road during the transfer window, taking his place up front alongside Elijah Adebayo.

Boss Rob Edwards made two changes to the team who beat Wigan 2-0 last weekend, Alfie Doughty in for James Bree following his move to Southampton, while Allan Campbell replaced Louie Watson.

Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu made his 350th appearance for the club, just the 13th man to reach such a milestone, with strikers Carlton Morris and Cauley Woodrow on the bench, joined by U18 starlet Zack Nelson.

An early spell of pressure for the visitors, cheered on by 1,500 supporters who packed out the away end, was ended by a bright move from Luton, Cornick teeing up Adebayo whose shot was charged down, Mpanzu also dragging well wide.

Defender Dan Potts saw his header ruled out for offside, before Grimsby settled, going close themselves when Gavan Holohan was left unmarked at the back post, heading straight at Ethan Horvath.

Striker Adebayo looked to be having some joy against the Mariners' back-line, and he might have done better on 18 minutes when the ball dropped to him some 18 yards out, getting underneath his half volley.

Town then looked to attack down the wings, Amari'i Bell beating his man to cross for Adebayo whose hooked volley drew an unorthodox save with his feet by Max Crocombe.

Luton's anticipated dominance finally began to show signs of coming through midway through the half as they began to apply the pressure, although Mpanzu's ambitious 25-yard volley released some of that.

Although Town were making the running, the Mariners weren't without a threat, Bryn Morris, a reported target for Luton back in 2019, letting fly from 20 yards and Horvath saving smartly to his left.

The Hatters soon had the ascendancy back though, Doughty's terrific drilled cross from deep met by Clark and cleared, before the midfielder was picked out by Bell, delivering for Cornick to fire disappointingly over.

Grimsby then almost took the lead with a terrific 30-yard dipping half volley from the dangerous Holohan, Horvath managing to backpedal and brilliantly turn the ball over the bar.

From the corner Holohan did put the visitors in front though, as left unmarked, he was able to get the run on the home defence and angle his header into the corner.

The break saw Luton gather their thoughts and have a great chance to level just two minutes in, Gabe Osho doing excellently in the box, before being tripped by Morris.

That saw the Hatters awarded their first penalty of the season, calmly slotted home by Adebayo, netting for the fourth successive game.

The Mariners looked to retake the lead immediately, Osho penalised for a foul 20 yards from goal, Alex Hunt curled the resulting set-piece into the stands.

On the hour mark, boss Rob Edwards opted to bring on Morris and Woodrow for Campbell and Cornick, the latter with a mini spinning round of applause, as it remains to be seen whether that was his lasting outing at Kenilworth Road as a Luton player.

From 1-0 down, Luton then had the lead on 66 minutes, Doughty's low ball into the are controlled by the excellent Clark, who swivelled to volley goalwards, as although Crocombe appeared to have done brilliantly to save it, the ball dropping over the line and into the net.

Any thoughts Town could have of the next round were immediately extinguished though, Grimsby taking advantage of some poor defending, Clifton going through to beat Horvath.

Doughty looked to put Luton back in front when a mazy dribble saw his fierce cross-shot palmed away by Crocombe, before the keeper stuck out a hand to flick away Morris's downward header.

At the other end, Luke Waterfall's curler was catching practice for Horvath, before it looked like Clifton had won it with five minutes left, only for sub Fred Onyedinma to make a terrific last ditch clearance at full stretch.

Another Town sub, Luke Berry almost made sure a replay was avoided, meeting Doughty's deep cross on the run, but when his volley flew straight into the keeper's midriff, Luton knew they would face a trip to Blundell Park early next month.

Hatters: Ethan Horvath, Alfie Doughty, Gabe Osho, Tom Lockyer, Dan Potts (C, Fred Onyedinma 75), Amari'i Bell, Allan Campbell (Cauley Woodrow 60), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (Luke Berry 82), Jordan Clark, Harry Cornick (Carlton Morris 60), Elijah Adebayo.

Subs not used: Harry Isted, Elliot Thorpe, Louie Watson, Reece Burke, Zack Nelson.

Mariners: Max Crocombe, Michee Efete, Anthony Driscoll-Glennon (Evan Khouri 90), Luke Waterfall (C), Gavan Holohan (Kieran Green 90), Harry Clifton, Alex Hunt, Bryn Morris, Danilo Orsi, Andy Smith, Niall Maher.

Subs not used: Shaun Pearson, Ollie Battersby, Edwin Essel, Sean Scannell.

Referee: Tim Robinson.

Booked: Clifton 45, Orsi 65, Maher 73, Holohan 89, Crocombe 90.

Attendance: 8,552 (1,473 Mariners).