Luton Town FC vs Portsmouth (28th Dec 2015)

Match report: Luton Town 1-1 Portsmouth

The Hatters had to settle for a point against Portsmouth in the final home game of Kenilworth Road in 2014.

Luke Rooney’s excellently-controlled volley gave the Town the lead inside the quarter-hour but the visitors levelled 11 minutes before the break when Ryan Taylor’s scruffy goal beat Mark Tyler.

Tyler had to be on his toes to deny Pompey a second goal before half-time, but after the break the Town bossed proceedings but couldn’t find a way through and the biggest crowd of the season went home frustrated.

However the Hatters hordes can still smile, safe in the knowledge that the Hatters end the year just two points off top spot in League 2.

John Still named an unchanged side for third match running and after a brief bright opening from the visitors, it was the Town that took the lead on 13 minutes. Shaun Whalley poked a high pass into the box and Rooney, celebrating his birthday, fired home a fine first-time, left-foot volley into the bottom corner. It was his fifth goal of the season and his third in four matches.

With a sell-out Kenilworth Road baying for more, Mark Cullen came close to getting a shot away following tenacious play down the left from Scott Griffiths on 18 minutes.

But slowly the visitors were passing themselves into the game and Tyler’s first action of the game came on 33 minutes when he did well to grasp hold of a fierce destined-for-the-top-corner shot from Nigel Atanagana.

Two minutes later Tyler was at his agile best to tip over another Portsmouth effort, this time from skipper Johnny Ertl’s volley from 25 yards that was about to creep underneath the crossbar.

The Pompey pressure continued, and on 36 minutes Andy Awford’s side were level. There seemed little danger on when Jed Wallace’s shot travelled goalwards but Luke Wilkinson scuffed an attempted clearance and Taylor was on hand to tap in from close range.

As the break approached, and as the Town offered little going forward, Portsmouth should have gone 2-1 up when Atangana ran into the box from the right and squared for Andy Barcham, but six yards out, the midfielder shot wide with the goal at his mercy.

The Hatters began the second period on the front foot and on 52 minutes Andy Drury fed Cullen to drill a left-foot shot that Pompey keeper Paul Jones gathered at the second attempt – the stopper’s first real save of the match.

Portsmouth were showing little going forward as the Town tried to hunt out a second goal, with Still sending on Ross Lafayette and Ricky Miller.

Shortly after Miller’s 71st-minute introduction for Cullen, Griffiths’ cross behind the Town attackers in the penalty area was met by Michael Harriman, but his low left-foot shot was easy for Jones.

Time continued to tick down as the Hatters continued to push for a late winner, but despite plenty of pressure Jones wasn’t tested and Portsmouth held on to a point as the Town failed to win for the first time in League 2 at Kenilworth Road since early September.

TOWN: Tyler; Harriman, Griffiths (sub Howells 77), McNulty, Wilkinson; Doyle, Smith, Drury; Whalley (sub Lafayette 61), Rooney, Cullen (sub Miller 71). Subs not used: Franks, Justham, Stevenson, Connolly.

Attendance: 10,071, the biggest of the season and including 1,021 from Portsmouth

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-town-1-1-portsmouth-2169094.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TebWcMe2MR4

League Two: Luton Town 1 Portsmouth 1

Luton Town dropped their first points at Kenilworth Road since September 13 as they were held to a 1-1 draw by struggling Portsmouth this afternoon.

The hosts had won their previous eight matches on home soil, but cheered on by a season’s best gate of 10,071, never quite matched the heights of recent performances on a bobbly surface.

Despite the bumper attendance, Luton, who were unchanged for the third game in succession began quietly, with Marcus Bean sending a hopeful volley well over the bar for Pompey.

However, the hosts started to get in their stride and a lovely passing move saw Andy Drury’s fierce goalbound shot charged down by Paul Robinson.

Town started to produce some pleasing on the eye football and deservedly claimed the lead on 13 minutes as Shaun Whalley’s prod over the top was clinically volleyed into the bottom corner by Rooney, celebrating his 24th birthday, for his fifth of the campaign.

The visitors then had their first shot on target with half an hour gone as Nigel Atangana swivelled to send in an effort that Mark Tyler claimed smartly.

Luton broke immediately through Whalley and he raced past his man, before being overtaken by Michael Harriman, whose cross saw Mark Cullen swivel and slice wide.

Pompey started to up their efforts from and Johnny Ertl’s dipping volley was brilliantly tipped over by the back-pedalling Tyler.

However, the visitors were level on 36 minutes in scrappy fashion, as Jed Wallace’s hopeful cross was missed by Luke Wilkinson and with Town’s defence in disarray for once, Ryan Taylor turned home from a yard.

The goal was only the second Luton had conceded at home since starting their unbeaten run, as Pompey netted just a sixth of the campaign away from Fratton Park.

It should have been seven moments later as Atangana took Wallace’s cut back and laid the ball on a plate for Andy Barcham, but he side-footed wide of the mark from 10 yards.

After the break, Luton began with real intent as Drury slipped Cullen through with the striker’s shot parried by Paul Jones who collected the rebound before Whalley could pounce.

Jonathan Smith, buoyed by his stunning strike against Wycombe on Boxing Day, tried for a second in three days, but his radar was well off this time.

Boss John Still rung the changes as Ross Lafayette and Ricky Miller came on, while the impressive Griffiths scampered to the byline and his cross was met by Harriman, whose low shot forced Jones into a save.

Both sides huffed and puffed, as their effort couldn’t be called into question, but although Luton looked the more likelier to score, too often their final ball went awry as visiting keeper Jones had a much quieter afternoon than he could have anticipated.

Late on, Miller had claims for a penalty after falling in the area, but they were waved away to exasperated sighs from the home terraces.

Pompey, who offered next to nothing going forward during the second period as from the interval, they appeared happy with a point, were jeered by their supporters, for breaking away in the closing stages, only to run the ball into the corner and allow Hatters to regroup.

The result saw Luton remain fourth in the table going into 2015, just two points off leaders Shrewsbury, who were held to a 0-0 draw by second-placed Wycombe Wanderers, while third place Burton Albion’s trip to Accrington was postponed.

Hatters: Mark Tyler, Michael Harriman, Steve McNulty (C), Luke Wilkinson, Scott Griffiths (Jake Howells 81), Jonathan Smith, Nathan Doyle, Andy Drury, Shaun Whalley (Ross Lafayette 60), Luke Rooney, Mark Cullen (Ricky Miller 71).

Subs not used: Elliot Justham, Fraser Franks, Jim Stevenson, Paul Connolly.

Pompey: Paul Jones, Adam Webster, Joe Devara, Andy Barcham (James Dunne 76), Jed Wallace, Ryan Taylor (Craig Westcarr 77), Johnny Ertl (C), Paul Robinson, Nicky Shorey, Marcus Bean, Nigel Atangana (Lee Holmes 90).

Subs not used: Jack Whatmough, Ben Chorley, Miles Storey, Michael Poke.

Referee: Darren Deadman.

Booked: Bean 68, Westcarr 81.

Attendance: 10,071 (Pompey 1,021).

Hatters MOM: Scott Griffiths. Gave everything and caused Pompey real problems with his forays forward.

Hayrettin left to rue penalty decisions

Hatters first team coach Hakan Hayrettin felt his side were denied a number of clear-cut penalties during their 1-1 draw against Portsmouth yesterday.

On more than one occasion, Luton players tumbled to the floor under dubious challenges from Pompey defenders, when trying to reach crosses into the area, but referee Darren Deadman remained unmoved.

Speaking afterwards, Hayrettin said: “The one on (Jonathan) Smith was the one for me.

“He’s (the referee) looking straight at it and he has grabbed him with both hands. He’s just warned him and has done it in front of him.

“I think it’s a penalty, bang to rights, but he hasn’t given it. Why warn him if you’re not going to do anything about it?

“It’s no different to if you’re the last man and you get sent off. He just let it go, so there you go.”

Hayrettin believes there needs to be a clamp down on the issue to avoid it becoming out of hand too as he continued: “The referee’s have got to have a look at this as if you get get hold of anyone in the box, if you grab someone, he’s got to give it.

“If you’re impeding from them getting a run it should be a penalty, that’s my own personal view.”

It was an opinion that was shared by winger Luke Rooney, as he added: “I think Rossy (Ross Lafayette) feels he’s entitled to a couple of fouls in the box.

“It’s a tough one for the referees to give, as you see so many of them. Unless they all get together and give them, you won’t see them given.”