Luton Town FC vs Macclesfield Town (17th Aug 2013)

Guttridge late show earned Hatters a point

Luke Guttridge’s equaliser seven minutes into injury time rescued the Town a point against Macclesfield at Kenilworth Road.

The visitors looked as though they would hold on for victory after an accomplished performance against an out-of-sorts Town following Chris Holroyd’s goal mid-way through the second half.

But when it looked as the Hatters would lose for the second time in their opening three games, Guttridge popped up to bring the score level.

Macclesfield players sunk to their feet at after the leveller and the Town rejoiced at their last-gasp escape, but in truth the visitors would have been well worth victory had they held on.

John Askey’s side spurned a whole host of chance and the Hatters were indebted to a number of fine saves from Mark Tyler to prevent the Silkmen from forging further ahead – and that proved to be crucial when Guttridge coolly rolled home the equaliser at the death.

Following Tuesday night’s 2-0 win over Salisbury John Still was able to call upon Ronnie Henry, Andre Gray and Alex Lacey with Mark Cullen, the injured Anthony Charles and Jonathan Smith dropping to the bench.

The Hatters started brightly, with some eye-catching passing going forward but they failed to test Rhys Taylor in the Silkmen goal in the opening 15 minutes.

Tyler, meanwhile, applied the faintest of fingertips to a low shot from Holroyd to divert the ball away from goal.

By now the visitors were well on top and a cross-cum-shot from Andy Halls rattled the Town woodwork on 22 minutes as the Silkmen upped the pressure.

Tyler again had to be alert on the half-hour keeping out Scott Boden’s low effort from a narrow angle after Peter Winn’s left-wing cross was floated to the back-post.

Former Hatter John Paul Kissock was his typical flamboyant self with a series of flicks, dummies and Cruyff turns as he went about unlocking his former employer’s defence.

However, the Town ended the first half on top and Guttridge came close to breaking the deadlock five minutes before the interval when his header was turned away by Evans following Shaun Whalley’s corner.

Gray, starting his first match of the season, came even closer moments later. Beating Steve Williams for pace down the left, he raced into the area and unleashed a powerful shot that came back off the inside of the post and away to safety to the relief of the visitors.

It was all the Town and they probably had wished the half-time whistle hadn’t blown such was their dominance and Jon Shaw tested Evans again with a near-post effort on the stroke of half-time following Henry’s right-wing cross.

However, after the break it was Macclesfield that took the game to the Town and the visitors should have taken the lead on 48 minutes when Kissock’s effort was parried by Tyler and Boden fluffed the rebound with the goal gaping.

A minute later the Hatters had penalty claims when Whalley was sent tumbling in the box but the referee remained unconvinced.

But it was Macclesfield were enjoying the better of the play and Holroyd was denied by a sprawling save from Tyler after the striker had sped clear of the Town defence.

John Still sent on Jake Howells for Dave Martin on the hour but, after Boden crashed a shot into the side-netting, the visitors deservedly took the lead on 63 minutes. Kissock was involved, sending a low cross into the penalty area, and Holroyd swept in a low shot that crept into the bottom corner past the outstretched Tyler.

The Town huffed and puffed in search of an equaliser but Macclesfield should have doubled their lead on 69 minutes when Holroyd burst through again only to shoot over the advancing Tyler.

With 20 minutes left Gray saw a shot cleared off the line by Macc defender Danny Andrew with substitute Mark Cullen sniffing for the rebound, and three minutes later Guttridge sent a header straight into the hands of Evans after Shaw had knocked down Howells’ cross.

Holroyd missed what would be Macclesfield’s final chance with 13 minutes left and should have done better then shooting straight at Tyler after another pass from Kissock.

Half chances, but nothing more, fell the Town’s way as time ticked down, and it looked for all the world as though the visitors would celebrate their first victory of the season but, seven minutes into stoppage time Guttridge struck. Shaw flicked on a high pass forward, Gray shielded the ball and Guttridge took over and took a touch before sliding the ball past the exposed Evans and a point was the Town’s.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/macc-gallery-170813-998360.aspx

Boss on late-gasp point

Boss John Still admitted his side’s performance against Macclesfield was not good enough despite Luke Guttridge’s late goal earning the Town a point.

Guttridge brought the Hatters level in the seventh minute of injury time against the Silkmen to avoid a first home defeat of the campaign.

“It was a point gained in the end,” Still told Hatters Player afterwards. “I think if you have a look at the game and the chances we had, Andre’s hit the post and we’ve had a couple cleared off the line.

“I thought we should have had a penalty when Shaun was brought down. But, all said and done, we weren’t good. If we had got beat I would have had no complaints.

“However, when you don’t play well anything you get is a bonus. We’ve got to be positive. We had good periods today but didn’t have consistent periods.

“We’ve had two home games and not played well in each of them but we’ve got four points. Once we start playing well it’ll be a different situation.”

Still admitted he thought his side played with fear in the final quarter of the game but didn’t believe that was because of the crowd’s frustration with his side trailing to Chris Holroyd’s 63rd-minute goal.

“In the last 20 minutes we played with a bit of fear,” said the manager. “It crept in a little and we stopped crossing the ball – which was a big part of our game and where we created our best opportunities from. In the end Luke’s goal came from a cross.

“The fear came at a point where we lost our way – not because the of the supporters’ frustration. I truly believe these players can cope mentally, I really do. But when we lost our way our confidence dropped.

“All we have to do is keep working hard. I’ll remind the players of their responsibilities. It’s back to work Monday and I’ll be looking for a response.

“But I’ve been in football a long time, let’s not worry. We’ll work hard and look forward to the challenges we face next week.”

Skrill Premier: Luton Town 1 (0) Macclesfield Town 1 (0)

Luke Guttridge’s 97th-minute equaliser salvaged a barely deserved point for Luton as they grabbed a 1-1 home draw against Macclesfield Town at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

The Silkmen had been without a point all season but dominated long periods of this game and, although Andre Gray had crashed against the post just before half time the impressive Chris Holroyd deservedly gave the visitors the lead on 63 minutes.

Macclesfield bossed the second half, missing numerous chances before Guttridge snuck in at the death to earn the Hatters a point with his second goal in two games.

Town made three changes from the side that beat Salisbury City at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday night. Alex Lacey came in for the injured Anthony Charles at centre-half, fit-again skipper Ronnie Henry started at right-back in place of Jonathan Smith who dropped to the bench and on-fire striker Gray came in up front with Mark Cullen named among the substitutes.

Macclesfield named former Town midfielder John Paul Kissock in their team, but it was the hosts who threatened first with Solomon Taiwo flashing a 30-yard free-kick over the bar on five minutes.

Shaun Whalley then skipped to the byline and teased his cross to the back post but David Martin was unable to direct his header goalwards.

The half continued in cagey fashion with both teams showing caution in attack as Danny Whitaker fired well wide with Macclesfield’s first effort.

A mistake almost handed the visitors the lead on 18 minutes when Lacey’s footing went from under him but Holroyd’s curler was tipped round the post by Mark Tyler.

Town were struggling to get into the game and the Silkmen almost took the lead on 22 minutes when Andy Halls’ cross-shot cannoned off the join of Mark Tyler’s near post and Henry did well to block Danny Whitaker’s volleyed follow-up.

The linesman’s flag saved Luton when Holroyd looked in and Scott Boden side-footed volley was straight at Tyler from Peter Winn’s cross as the Silkmen continued to dominate.

Struggling to get a foothold in the game Gray looked to be impeded on the edge of the box but nothing was given, while Guttridge was the first man in the book for a cynical foul on 34 minutes, befire Kissock dragged wide.

Guttridge almost atoned six minutes before the break as his header from Whalley’s corner was clawed round the post by the keeper and Lacey then headed Martin’s delivery wide.

Town finished the half far better and should have snatched the lead on 41 minutes when Gray scorched past Steve Williams and crashed his shot against the inside of the far post and out.

The home side continued to threaten, keeper Rhys Taylor some how scrambling Shaw’s improvised effort round the post from Henry’s cross and Lacey unable to force home from close range from McNulty’s knockdown from Martin’s corner.

Macclesfield started the second half like the clappers with Boden just unable to connect with Winn’s driven cross and Kissock forcing a good low stop from Tyler with Boden’s follow-up straight at the keeper.

At the other end Whalley jinked his way into the box and was bumped over in the box by Danny Andrew, but nothing was given.

The unmarked Williams looped a header wide on 52 minutes and moments later Holroyd should have scored when he skipped past the struggling Scott Griffiths but his tame effort was too close to Tyler.

With Luton very much on the back foot Winn saw an effort deflect wide as Jake Howells replaced the largely ineffective Martin.

A forceful challenge by Taiwo saw the ball cannon into Gray’s path but James Bolton made a fine saving block.

From a corner Lacey’s header was repelled and Gray lashed miles over, while Scott Kay found space at the other end and saw his shot blocked as Boden fired into the side netting.

And Macclesfield deservedly took the lead on 63 minutes when Kissock created space on the right and squared for Holroyd to sweep home into the bottom left-hand corner.

Disjointed Luton replaced the poor Griffiths with Cullen as Boden fired another shot well wide before the hosts finally threatened when Shaw released Whalley, but the winger’s blast was turned behind.

Holroyd should have doubled the Silkmen’s lead on 69 minutes when he got in behind but lobbed over with just Tyler to beat, while at the other end a deep cross ran to the unmarked Gray and he volleyed into the ground and back across goal, but Andrew was on hand to clear off the line.

A weak Williams header was easy for Tyler and, with Luton finally leaving a man up while defending a corner, Gray terrorised the Macclesfield defence but was eventually crowded out.

Luton should have levelled on 74 minutes when Howells’ deflected cross found Shaw at the back post and the ball fell to Guttridge, but his header was far too easy for the keeper.

Telepathic play between Kissock and Holroyd twice saw the goalscorer go close, before Town made their last sub as Smith replaced Taiwo.

Whalley had a chance to level with five minutes to go when Guttridge’s low cross ran to him and deep into stoppage time Cullen almost crept on to Shaw’s flick.

Four minutes of injury time were signalled and in the seventh added minute Town snatched a scarcely believable equaliser when Shaw’s flick-on enabled Gray to muscle his man out of the way and the ball ran on for Guttridge to stroke past the exposed Taylor and salvage an undeserved point.

Hatters (4-4-2): Mark Tyler, Steve McNulty, Solomon Taiwo (Jonathan Smith 84), Jon Shaw, Scott Griffiths (Mark Cullen 67), David Martin (Jake Howells 57), Luke Guttridge, Shaun Whalley, Ronnie Henry (C), Andre Gray, Alex Lacey. Substitutes not used: Andy Parry, Elliot Justham.

Silkmen (4-4-2): Rhys Taylor, Danny Andrew, James Bolton, Chris Holroyd (Paul Lewis 90+4), John Paul Kissock, Peter Winn, Steve Williams, Scott Boden (Connor Jennings 75), Danny Whitaker (C), Scott Kay, Andy Halls. Substitutes not used: Jack Mackreth, Arthur Gnahoua, Danny Rowe.

Booked: Guttridge 34; Griffiths 64.

Referee: N Kinseley. Assistant Referee: I Smedley and M Hutchinson. Fourth Official: L Forrester.

Attendance: 6,216 (80 Macclesfield).

Star Hatter: Mark Tyler. Sensible goalkeeping performance kept Luton in the game right until the death.