Luton Town FC vs Grimsby Town (7th Sep 2013)

REPORT: TOWN 0-0 GRIMSBY

The Town earned a fourth successive clean sheet but couldn’t break down a resolute Grimsby in a goalless draw played in front of the live BT Sport cameras. A point earned against one of the favourite promotion could have been all three had home debutante Paul Benson’s effort in the dying moments of the first half crept over the line.

That was the best chance in a match of few opportunities for both sides, but despite the frustration of not finding the target, the Hatters can take heart from yet another solid defensive display. Mark Tyler was rarely tested and the last time his goal was breached was 387 minutes ago.

John Still kept the faith with the same side that won at Kidderminster last Saturday and the Town began well. A series of dangerous crosses whipped in from the right-flank put the visitors’ back line at ill ease as the Hatters hunted an early goal. Benson had the Town’s first chance on 14 minutes when his header from a left-wing corner from Luke Guttridge bounced wide.

Three minutes later as the Hatters continued to dominate, Jonathan Smith sent a low shot into the arms of Grimsby goalkeeper James McKeown.

Jake Howells, fresh from two goals at Kidderminster shot high and wide with a right-foot shot on 22 minutes before Benson thundered a first-time shot just past the post two minutes later after Grimsby failed to clear a dangerous pass into the box by Andy Parry.

Half chances continued to fall the Town’s way with Guttridge shooting straight at McKeown on the half-hour before going closer on 36 minutes with a header that bounces inches wide following a fine right-wing centre from captain Ronnie Henry.

As half-time approached the Hatters press in search of that elusive goal and Benson headed straight at McKeown from eight yards following a left-wing corner from Guttridge on 39 minutes before Howells sent a header wide moments later. However, in first half stoppage time Benson was denied a first goal in Luton colours when he saw a deft effort cleared off the line by Mariners centre-half Shaun Pearson.

During the first half Alex Lacey went down with a nasty injury and at the break he was replaced by Jim Stevenson in a move that saw Parry drop back to centre-half to partner Steve McNulty.

Grimsby started the brighter of the two sides after the restart but failed to make their brief dominance count as Tyler remained untroubled.

Stevenson was making a likeable impression on his debut and came close to putting the Town in front on 54 minutes when his first-time shot from distance bounced wide.

The former Histon youngster came even closer with 16 minutes left. He swapped passed with Benson before hammering a low shot from the edge of the box that swerved a yard wide of the post with McKeown beaten.

Still sent on Alex Wall with six minutes left and within seconds of his introduction he barged his marker out the way before sending a fierce low drive into the hands of McKeown.

The Town huffed and puffed in search of a late winner but the watching television audience and those watching inside Kenilworth Road were left to contemplate a goalless draw.

HATTERS: Tyler; Henry, Griffiths, McNulty, Lacey (sub Stevenson); Smith, Parry, Guttridge (sub Wall); Howells, Benson, Gray (sub Whalley) Sub not used: Cullen, Justham

GRIMSBY: McKeown, Kerr, Pearson, Doig, Colbeck, Disley, John-Lewis, Bignot, Goodall, Rodman, McLaughlin.

Subs: Cook, Neilson, McDonald, Hannah, Thanoj.

ATTENDANCEl 6,131 (265 Grimsby)

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-town-0-0-grimsby-1041421.aspx

http://www.lutontoday.co.uk/sport/luton-town/in-pictures-luton-town-0-grimsby-town-0-1-5470523

http://sport.bt.com/video-01363814401986?videoid=2656553817001

Skrill Premier: Luton Town 0 (0) Grimsby Town 0 (0)

Watertight Luton ground out their third goalless draw of the season in front of the BT Sport cameras at Kenilworth Road this evening, writes Mark Wood.

The Hatters were in the ascendancy in the first half and enjoyed the better of what chances there were without forcing Grimsby keeper James McKeown into any serious action.

At the other end Town stopper Mark Tyler didn’t have a single save to make as Luton kept their fifth clean sheet in seven matches and extended their run to 387 minutes without conceding a goal.

Town’s starting XI was unchanged from the team that won 2-0 at Kidderminster the week before, with the only change coming on the bench where Jim Stevenson replaced David Martin.

The Hatters made a fine start as, after a lovely flowing move, Steve McNulty headed wide from Luke Guttridge’s corner.

Luton looked to attack from the start and home debutant Paul Benson was just unable to get on the end of Ronnie Henry’s fifth-minute cross.

Joe Colbeck was the first man in the book on 13 minutes as he tripped Jake Howells mid-run after a lightning break from a corner.

The Hatters went close again soon after when Benson, charging in at the back post, could only head Howells’ inswinging corner just wide.

Luton were playing some good stuff and forced a first save from McKeown on 17 minutes when the Mariners’ defence parted but Jonathan Smith’s low drive lacked power and was easy for the keeper.

Great work by the impressive Howells ended with a wayward effort on 22 minutes, while a brilliant first-time ball from the right was only cleared to the edge of the box where Benson jabbed wide with his first-time effort.

Guttridge burst through the middle on 29 minutes but could only fire well over, while there were concerns for young Alex Lacey when he landed heavily and received a spell of treatment, but he eventually got back to his feet and was able to battle on.

Alex Rodman finally had Grimsby’s first attempt on goal 34 minutes in when he lofted a long-range free-kick well over.

The Lacey injury seemed to take the sting out of the encounter a little until Guttridge’s downward header from Henry’s centre went just wide.

Half shouts for a penalty were waved away on 37 minutes when ex-Hatter Alan Goodall bundled over Andre Gray in the box as he looked to latch on to a long pass forward.

At the other end Craig Disley dragged harmlessly wide, but it was Town who continued to create, Howells seeing his header deflect off marker Paul Bignot with Benson heading straight at McKeown from the resulting corner.

Former Wales U21 international Howells flicked Henry’s cross just wide four minutes before the break as the rain suddenly began to hammer down.

A great challenge from the burgeoning Lacey thwarted Patrick McLaughlin before Luton should have taken the lead in the second minute of stoppage time when Gray looked to turn on to Howells’ pass on the edge of the area and the ball rebounded to Benson at the far post. The target man’s eyes lit up but Shaun Pearson was in the right place at the right time to head off the line to deny the Hatters a first first half goal of the season.

Histon summer signing Stevenson made his debut as a half time substitute for the injured Lacey as Andy Parry dropped into the back four as a result.

Stevenson flashed a shot just wide nine minutes in and Pearson was then yellow-carded for arguing with the referee as the visitors started the second half with more intent.

The game lulled as the Mariners enjoyed their best spell of the game. A ball was allowed to bounce in the box as Pearson threatened and Rodman had his shot blocked by McNulty, while Scott Kerr was also closed down on the edge of the area.

Town stuttered in their attempts to go froward as Luton’s fans tried to rally them with chants of ‘John Still barmy army’.

Guttridge saw another effort from distance fly wide of the mark as Shaun Whalley was brought on for Gray on 71 minutes.

Luton were inches away from taking the lead though three minutes later when Benson beat his man and teed up the onrushing Stevenson, but his daisycutter fizzed past McKeown’s far post.

Good skills from Howells ended in a disappointing curler over the bar, while ex-Hatter Scott Neilson was greeted by a mild chorus of boos as he replaced Rodman with 10 minutes to go.

Paul Bignot had half-hearted shouts for a penalty dismissed when he got the wrong side of the solid Scott Griffiths with seven minutes to go, while Luton went for the jugular as Alex Wall replaced Guttridge on 84 minutes and immediately ploughed forward as he saw his deflected effort saved by the diving McKeown.

Wall made a real nuisance of himself in the closing stages and Benson sent a low shot on the turn straight at the keeper in the third minutes of stoppage-time as Town weren’t quite able to force a winner.

Hatters (4-3-3): Mark Tyler, Jonathan Smith, Steve McNulty, Jake Howells, Scott Griffiths, Andy Parry, Luke Guttridge (Alex Wall 84), Ronnie Henry (C), Paul Benson, Andre Gray (Shaun Whalley 71), Alex Lacey (Jim Stevenson 46). Substitutes not used: Mark Cullen, Elliot, Justham.

Mariners (4-4-1-1): James McKeown, Scott Kerr, Shaun Pearson, Chris Doig, Joe Colbeck (Andy Cook 87), Craig Disley (C, Andi Thanoj 88), Lenell John-Lewis, Pail Bignot, Alan Goodall, Alex Rodman (Scott Neilson 80), Patrick McLaughlin. Substitutes not used: Clayton McDonald, Ross Hannah.

Booked: Colbeck 13; Pearson 54.

Referee: P Bankes.

Assistant Referees: C Taylor and K Morris.

Fourth Official: A Coggins.

Attendance: 6,131 (Grimsby 265).

Star Hatter: Scott Griffiths. Didn’t give an inch at the back with an assured performance.

Luton Town 0 Grimsby Town 0 - another blank for the Hatters

Written byTOM SHARP

It might have been Non-League Day but Luton and Grimsby certainly did not serve up an advert for lower-division football as the Hatters played out their third goalless draw in four Skrill Premier matches.

With the BT Sport cameras in attendance, Paul Benson carved out Town’s best opportunities, all coming in the first period, but there was to be no winner in this hard-fought but ultimately fruitless encounter.

Benson’s signing came before the transfer window closed but perhaps Still is now regretting not adding more firepower to the Hatters’ frustrating frontline.

Town drop to 13th and despite their decent start they need to start turning good performances into wins with seven games now gone.

Since a first-day defeat at Southport, the Hatters have shown a pluckiness that has reaped encouraging rewards in both the points scored and goals against columns.

Despite Still’s bold statement that he had seen his side perform best in a goalless stalemate at Forest Green a fortnight ago, Luton undoubtedly claimed their most fruitful win of the campaign to date last weekend.

A 2-0 triumph over last season’s Conference play-off semi-finalists Kidderminster Harriers, fuelled by two Jake Howells’ penalties, was another feather in the cap of an ever-improving Town side with a fourth clean sheet to boot.

With the Hatters starting to stockpile impressive returns the tough early schedule rolled on with the visit of highly fancied Grimsby in front of the television cameras.

Luton’s task looked a tad simpler on paper after Friday’s suspension of one of the Mariners’ joint managers Rob Scott for unbeknownst reasons at present and the no-show of top scorer Liam Hearn.

With Paul Hurst now in sole charge, the Lincolnshire club were looking for their first league win at Kenilworth Road since August 2003.

Standing in their way was a Luton side identical to the one that so emphatically disposed of Harriers last week.

Loan signing Benson, making his home debut for Town, continued alongside Andre Gray in attack due to the absence of Jon Shaw while Andy Parry kept his place on the right-hand side of midfield.

Luton were camped in the visitors’ half for much of the early going and were unlucky not to find themselves ahead in a one-sided opening quarter.

The crafty Benson almost latched on to a weak defensive header from centre-back Shaun Pearson in the 24th minute but he lashed his 12-yard shot just wide.

In the wake of Scott’s absence, Grimsby looked a team out of ideas. Alex Rodman’s 34th minute free kick was the best chance they could muster, firing just over.

The heavens opened moments before half time but the goal drought continued.

Perhaps BT’s coverage should have been titled “The Benson Show” as the 33-year-old was yet again denied.

In a yard of space, his left-foot shot was goal-bound but Shaun Pearson’s timely intervention allowed Grimsby to scurry in at the break clinging to a clean sheet.

Town’s backline then underwent renovation as Alex Lacey, forced off with a knock suffered in the first period, was replaced by debutant Jim Stevenson with Parry slotting in at centre-back.

The purposeful nature of the Hatters’ first-half work had slightly dissipated as Grimsby found a foothold in the game, much to the delight of their travelling 265 followers.

McNulty’s iron stomach was the last line of defence to deny Rodman’s fierce 64th-minute shot as the visitors looked a shadow of the meek side that battled in the first half.

At the other end, Gray, unusually quiet by his own standards, was hauled off in the 71st minute and replaced by Shaun Whalley.

The agitated home faithful sang Still’s name but a second successive goalless draw at Kenilworth Road would not satisfy the masses.

Luton’s final roll of the dice came in the form of Alex Wall preferred to Mark Cullen with five minutes to go but despite a couple of scares Grimsby headed back up North with a well-deserved point.

Luton – Tyler; Henry (capt), McNulty, Lacey (Stevenson, 45), Griffiths; Parry, Smith, Guttridge (Wall, 84), Howells; Benson, Gray (Whalley, 71). Subs not used – Cullen, Justham. Grimsby Town – McKeown; Bignot, Doig, Pearson, Goodall; Disley (Thanoj, 88), McLaughlin, Kerr; Colbeck (Cook, 87), John-Lewis, Rodman (Neilson, 80). Subs not used – McDonald, Hannah. Att: 6,131 (265)