Luton Town FC vs Yeovil Town (2nd Feb 2016)

PUBLISHED 21:45 2nd February 2016 LUTON TOWN 1-1 YEOVIL TOWN

A superb late goal from defender Alan Sheehan earned the Town a point against Yeovil at Kenilworth Road.

The defender volleyed home a stunning left-foot shot with seven minutes to go to cancel out the Liam Walsh’s opener for the Glovers.

And the Town came close to finding an even later winner when Cameron McGeehan saw an effort come back of the post in the 97th minute.

But despite their dominance in the final few minutes, the Hatters could not end their wait for a first home win for new manager Nathan Jones.

The boss made two changes to the side that lost 2-0 at home to Notts County on Saturday, with Olly Lee and Joe Pigott replacing Jonathan Smith and Paddy McCourt, who both dropped to the bench.

Clear-cut opportunities were few and far between in the first half – but that’s not to say there weren’t chances for the Hatters. Craig Mackail-Smith tested Yeovil keeper Artur Krysiak with a 20-yard drive on nine minutes before Alex Lawless saw a goal-bound shot blocked two minutes later.

It wasn’t until half-time approached that Elliot Justham fumbled a long-range effort from Matthew Dolan with the visitors’ best chance – but the Town upped the ante as the half came to a close. Mackail-Smith wormed his way into the box and saw a shot blocked and Pigott’s effort on the turn was also charged down by the Glovers defence.

Two minutes after the break McGeehan thundered a shot wide before Krysiak saved from Alex Lawless’ low shot on 52 minutes.

Krysiak then stopped a Stephen O’Donnell shot and from the resultant corner skipper Scott Cuthbert headed over from six yards. The Glovers keeper picked up an injury having collided with the Town skipper and had to be replaced by Chris Weale.

However, without truly testing Justham in the second period the visitors took the lead with 20 minutes to go. Walsh found space in the Town penalty area to get a shot away that was blocked. However, the Glovers midfielder was first to the second ball and he struck a low drive into the corner giving Justham no chance.

All of a sudden the visitors’ tails were up. Justham spilled a long-range effort two minutes later and on 73 minutes the Town keeper needed to be alert to turn away a swerving shot from the left-hand edge of the box from goalscorer Walsh as the visitors sensed a second.

As time ticked into the final 15 minutes Lee sent a well-hit effort just over for the Town but, with seven minutes left, the Hatters were level in sensational fashion. Lee’s left-wing corner was headed on by a Yeovil man to the unmarked Sheehan at the back-post and the defender lined-up a perfect left-footed volley that flew into the top corner of the net.

Now the Town were in the ascendency and, as seven added minutes were shown by the fourth official, a flurry of chances came their way.

In the second minute of added time O’Donnell’s shot was held by Weale after good work from substitute McCourt.

Then, unbelievably, on 97 minutes the Hatters somehow squandered the chance for a late, late winner. Paul Benson’s tame shot from close range was fumbled loose by Weale only for McGeehan – not knowing too much about the chance – saw the ball bounce off him and onto the post from inside the six-yard box.

Jack Marriott’s turn and left-foot shot flew wide on 97 minutes before McGeehan wasted the final, final chance of the night when blazing over from 15 yards after the Town had done well to pinch the ball back off the Yeovil.

And that was that.

Town: Justham; O’Donnell, Howells, Cuthbert, Sheehan; Lee, Lawless, McGeehan, Ruddock (sub McCourt 83), Mackail-Smith (sub Marriott 78), Pigott (sub Benson 90). Subs: Tyler, Smith, Okuonghae, Banton.

Attendance: 7,538, including 132 from Yeovil.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-town-1-1-yeovil-2935716.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq7P90_VUkk

League Two: Luton Town 1 Yeovil Town 1

An absolutely stunning strike from centre half Alan Sheehan was one of the only bright sparks on another disappointing night for Luton Town at Kenilworth Road this evening, as their poor home record continued with a 1-1 draw against Yeovil Town.

With seven minutes to go, Hatters were staring down the barrel at yet another defeat in front of their own fans and setting an unwanted home record of going four consecutive home games without a goal for the first time in their history.

However, when a corner was cleared up rather than out, Sheehan watched the ball drop out of the night sky before unleashing a truly magnificent angled volley that flew like an exocet into the top corner.

Before that, there was precious little for Hatters’ supporters to get excited about as boss Nathan Jones saw for probably the first time, the enormity of the task that awaits him going forward.

The Luton chief brought in Joe Pigott and Olly Lee for Jonathan Smith and Paddy McCourt as early on, Craig Mackail-Smith’s long-ranger took a bobble forcing Artur Krysiak to parry and then claim the rebound.

From then until the half hour, there was absolutely nothing worth mentioning with Luton more often that not going backwards, unable to build any kind of momentum.

Mackail-Smith eventually set off on a burst, winning a corner that Scott Cuthbert glanced wide, but that was pretty much it, until Justham saw a low shot squirm out of his grasp, but put wide by an offside Yeovil attacker.

With the PA announcing two minutes until the break, Luton then managed to pack in more excitement into those 120 seconds than the previous 45 minutes.

Mackail-Smith burst into the box, while Pigott’s shot had Luton screaming for handball, as Yeovil’s defending grew slightly desperate, but just as a head of steam was being built up, the referee’s whistle went for half time.

In the second period, Luton improved slightly, as McGeehan, which was to become a theme for the night, wasteful from range with Mackail-Smith screaming for the ball.

Mackail-Smith then broke with purpose once more, feeding Alex Lawless who could only shoot straight at Krysiak.

On corner duties, Sheehan found fellow centre half Scott Cuthbert, who could only head over the top when unmarked on the hour, colliding with Krysiak.

The keeper then took an age to try and recover, finally going off injured to be replaced by Chris Weale.

Luton then fell to a sucker punch on 70 minutes when a hopeful free kick was picked up by Liam Walsh and although his shot was blocked, he had the freedom of the area to convert the rebound.

Walsh almost had a second moments later, his left-footer moving in the air as Justham nervously palmed away.

Olly Lee tried from range, but Luton had a baffling lack of urgency about their play, as still they weren’t throwing their proverbial kitchen sink at the visitors.

That all changed with seven minutes to go thanks to Sheehan, finally ending a goal drought that was timed at 378 minutes.

Paddy McCourt came for a late cameo, his trickery almost setting up a winner, as fellow sub Paul Benson’s shot was spilt and McGeehan’s rebound hit the post.

Jack Marriott was wide too, with McGeehan taking the selfish approach once too often, shooting waywardly, as Hatters kept it at a mere three wins on home soil this term, the last back on November 14, worryingly some six games ago now.

Hatters: Elliot Justham, Stephen O’Donnell, Jake Howells, Scott Cuthbert (C), Alan Sheehan, Alex Lawless, Olly Lee, Cameron McGeehan, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu (Paddy McCourt 78), Joe Pigott (Paul Benson 90), Craig Mackail-Smith (Jack Marriott 77).

Subs not used: Mark Tyler, Jonathan Smith, Magnus Okuonghae, Zane Banton.

Glovers: Artur Krysiak (Chris Weale 60), Ben Tozer, Nathan Smith, Matt Dolan, Jakub Sokolik, Ryan Dickson, Jack Compton (Simon Gillett 85), Harry Cornick (Kevin Dawson 49), Connor Roberts, Liam Walsh, Francois Zoko (C).

Subs not used: Marc Laird, Ryan Bird, Tahvon Campbell.

Booked: Mackail-Smith 69, Weale 90.

Attendance: 7,538 (132 Yeovil).

Referee: Nigel Miller.

Hatters MOM: Craig Mackail-Smith. Gave everything to the cause once more.

Luton Town 1 Yeovil Town 1

Take a bow, son, take a bow. Few words of football commentary will do after the sight of a screamer.

Fewer still are attributed to defenders, but Alan Sheehan's stunner was one for the scrapbook in a game that simply wasn't. In fact it would be a fool's errand to even document its minutiae.

In launching a deadly missile into the top corner six minutes from time, the Irishman not only scored his first Hatters goal at the right end – after his own goal in Saturday's home debut – he rescued the Hatters from breaking an ignominious record.

Another blank would have ensured that, for the first time in their Football League history, Town would have failed to score in four consecutive home games. They at least avoided that.

Manager Nathan Jones had lamented a lack of clinical finishing in the weekend's 2-0 defeat to Notts County. For 83 minutes here, though he asserted that his team hit more of the right notes than his former side Yeovil, he could rightfully rue a lack of anything approaching a cutting edge – though captain Scott Cuthbert could and perhaps should have headed in from a second half corner.

Besides that there was a distinct lack of drive from a side that exhibited plenty in their reverse against Notts County three days earlier, only to come up fruitless.

It might also be one to mark in the lesson learnt column, but the best way to arrest such a barren run in front of goal proved not to play noted Scottish international striker Craig Mackail-Smith on the wing.

The once prolific Peterborough poacher may not have carved a similar goalscoring niche for Luton this term but he ploughed a lonesome furrow on the wing as support act to new loan striker Joe Pigott, who toiled unsuccessfully amid almost non-existent service.

Forget clichés about a game of two halves, the hosts only sparked into life from the 78th minute, when a late first substitution brought the introduction of Jack Marriott and then, five minutes later, Paddy McCourt. The Northern Irish international, dropped to the bench after the weekend's defeat, was comfortably Town's best player.

By then they were already a goal down. Liam Walsh was allowed two bites at the cherry to pick his spot in the bottom corner, the Glovers having barely troubled Elliot Justham prior to that.

After the transfer deadline day revelations of Mark Tyler's failed move back to former club Peterborough, the young goalkeeper kept his place but despite a few wobbles there was nothing he could do to prevent the visitors' opener on 70 minutes.

Luton had been in that position so many times that, despite the emerging new style demanded by boss Jones, it was all shaping up to be another familiarly frustrating blank.

Sheehan wasn't having any of that. Yet, as magic as that equalising moment was, Luton passed up a chance to snatch it late on when substitute Paul Benson's skidder was somehow fumbled by replacement keeper Chris Weale before cannoning off Cameron McGeehan onto the post.

The whole Town team could do worse than take a few striking tips from Sheehan.

Luton: Justham, O'Donnell, Cuthbert, Lawless, McGeehan, Ruddock Mpanzu (McCourt, 83), Lee, Mackail-Smith (Marriott, 78), Howells, Sheehan, Pigott (Benson, 90)

Unused subs: Tyler, Smith, Okuonghae, Banton

Yeovil: Krysiak (Weale, 60), Tozer, Smith, Dolan, Sokolik, Dickson, Compton (Gillett, 85), Cornick (Dawson, 49), Roberts, Walsh, Zoko

Unused subs: Laird, Bird, Campbell

Referee: Nigel Miller

Attendance: 7,538 (132)