Luton Town FC vs York City (10th Feb 2015)

Town comeback to earn a point in thrilling second half

The Hatters came from two goals down to earn a point in a dramatic second half against York which saw both teams reduced to 10 men.

York scored twice inside four minutes shortly after the break thanks to goals from Josh Carson and Emile Sinclair to stun Kenilworth Road.

But shortly after the Minstermen had doubled their lead, visiting striker Jake Hyde was shown a straight red for a foul on Nathan Doyle.

The Town rallied with their extra man, and substitute Mark Cullen connected with Shaun Whalley’s right-wing corner to half the deficit on 65 minutes.

And the comeback was complete six minutes later when Cullen planted a fine header beyond York goalkeeper Bobby Olejnik following a super cross from Whalley.

The Hatters were not aided by an injury to Doyle, sustained in the challenge which saw Hyde red-carded, and with the Hatters having used all their substitutes, he drifted in and out of the game in between receiving treatment from the sidelines.

His injury broke up the Hatters verve going forward and the Town’s chances of earning victory were reduced further when captain Stephen McNulty, making his 100th appearance for the club, was shown a red card for a challenge on Bradley Halliday.

Both sides went for the jugular in the final stages and in the seventh minute of added time Nathan Oduwa almost snatched the Hatters a last-gasp victory only for his low shot to be kept out by Olejnik.

In the first half the Hatters should have gone in at the break having gone close on several occasions. Jayden Stockley saw one header saved by Olejnik and another cleared off the line by defender Marvin McCoy on the stroke of half-time.

Nathan Odewa, given his first senior start, also impressed and he almost set-up the first goal only for Andy Drury to sky a shot from inside the six-yard box with the goal at his mercy.

But York went ahead in the second half when Carson nodded home Josh Coulson's right-wing cross just minutes after the Town had to substitute Luke Wilkinson with a groin injury.

And four minutes after going ahead the Minstermen doubled their lead when Sinclair's low shot on the turn from just inside the penalty area crept beyond Mark Tyler.

But the Town's fightback came following Hyde's dismissal with Cullen volleying home Whalley's right wing corner and then heading home superbly following another fine Whalley cross.

The Hatters went in search of a winner but it became increasingly difficult following McNulty's red card and Doyle's injury and the Town had to be content with a draw.

TOWN: Tyler; Harriman, Howells, McNulty, Wilkinson (sub Lacey 53); Doyle, Smith, Drury (sub Cullen 57); Hall (sub Whalley 64), Odewa, Stockley. Subs not used: Wall, Guttridge, Robinson, Justham.

ATTENDANCE: 7,763, including 173 from York.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-town-2-2-york-2261811.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AO9ZHAEgE8

League Two: Luton Town 2 York City 2

Super sub Mark Cullen was Luton Town’s saviour as Hatters came from 2-0 down to earn a share of the spoils against bogey side York City in a breathless encounter at Kenilworth Road this evening.

The hosts had looked like they would surrender their 11-game home unbeaten run in League Two after falling behind in the second half, only for Cullen to come off the bench and rescue a point. Both sides finished with 10 men too as Jake Hyde was dismissed for York, followed by Luton skipper Steve McNulty on his 100th Hatters appearance.

Town had made one change to the side, with Spurs youngster Nathan Oduwa handed his professional debut after impressing at Oxford on Saturday, Shaun Whalley dropping to the bench

The hosts had looked threatening in the opening stages too as Ryan Hall on his home bow, burst away, exchanging passes with Oduwa to shoot over.

However, despite the odd bright opening, mainly through the speed and trickery of Oduwa, the game degenerated into a tedious affair as Luton created little, bar Jayden Stockley glancing wide.

Hatters somehow failed to take the lead on 35 minutes when Oduwa took advantage of a defensive slip and teed up Drury, who from six yards out skied horribly over.

Moments later, Hatters wasted another glorious opportunuity as Hall fed the overlapping Jake Howells and his inch-perfect cross was headed straight at Bobby Olejnik by Stockley.

Hatters were even closer on the stroke of half time when Stockley met Hall’s corner at the back post but although his header beat Olejnik, Marvin McCoy nodded off the line.

After the break, Town tried to make a fast start, with Jonathan Smith’s shot parried behind by Olejnik.

Luke Wilkinson was then forced off with injury as Alex Lacey came on, but City sprung a surprise, moving ahead on 55 minutes when Michael Harriman was beaten to a cross by Josh Carson for the softest of openers.

Things got even worse moments later as Emile Sinclair was allowed the freedom of the area to beat Mark Tyler with an angled drive.

York’s jubilation quicky turned to anger when Hyde challenged Nathan Doyle in the centre circle and was shown a straight red card.

Hatters boss John Still brought on Cullen and Whalley, and it was leading scorer Cullen who brought Town back into proceedings, flicking a volley home from Whalley’s corner.

York remained a threat, with Michael Coulson testing Tyler twice in quick succession, but buoyed by the goal, Hatters ramped up the pressure, Whalley’s curler forcing Olejnik to palm away.

It paid odd too as Hatters levelled in magnificent fashion on 71 minutes, Whalley beating his man and whipping over the perfect cross for Cullen to bury his header.

Town’s numerical advantage was then wiped out as Doyle was forced off, while McNulty put a good chance over and Whalley was denied by Olejnik.

Doyle had to then bravely hobble back on with five minutes remaining as McNulty was shown a straight red by referee Charles Shakespear for a studs up challenge on Bradley Halliday.

York were quite clearly happy with the draw from then on, seeing both McCoy and Olejnik booked for time-wasting, while Oduwa almost won it at the death with another direct run and low shot, but Olejnik stuck out a hand to ensure the points were shared.

Hatters: Mark Tyler, Michael Harriman, Jake Howells, Luke Wilkinson (Alex Lacey 53), Steve McNulty (C), Nathan Doyle, Jonathan Smith, Andy Drury (Mark Cullen 57), Nathan Oduwa, Ryan Hall (Shaun Whalley 63), Jayden Stockley.

Subs not used: Elliott Justham, Luke Guttridge, Matt Robinson, Alex Wall.

Minstermen: Bobby Olejnik, Marvin McCoy, Michael Coulson, Russell Penn (C), Josh Carson (Lindon Meikle 76), Keith Lowe, Bradley Halliday, Malvind Benning, Emile Sinclair (Wes Fletcher 75), Stephane Zubar, Jake Hyde.

Subs not used: Femi Ilesanmi, John McCombe, Lewis Montrose, Tom Pratt, Michael Ingham.

Referee: Craig Shakespear.

Booked: Smith 84, Olejnik 89, McCoy 90.

Sent off: Hyde 60, McNulty 85.

Attendance: 7,763 (173 York).

Hatters MOM: Mark Cullen, changed the game with two predatory finishes.

Hatters boss John Still defended his preferred 4-3-3 formation after Luton were held to a 2-2 draw by struggling York City on Tuesday night.

Still opted to go with recent signings Nathan Oduwa and Ryan Hall either side of lone frontman Jayden Stockley, with leading scorer Mark Cullen on the bench once more.

The Town chief said: “What you have to understand is Nathan is used to playing a system.

“If we bring him in and completely change what we’ve seen him do, he probably hasn’t played a 4-4 2 at Tottenham.

“We’re trying to teach him it as we go, but because he’s got match winning skills, you try and play him the best way you can.

“We should have been in front by half time without playing well, as (Andy) Drury should have scored and we had two off the line.

“I thought young Jayden did well again and when I look, we were 3-0 up here against Cambridge 10 days ago, and we had one up front then.

“So it might be more personnel based rather than system based, but we’ll see.”

Still did admit that once Cullen was brought on, along with Shaun Whalley, with Luton swapping back to a more traditional 4-4-2, they looked more threatening, fighting back from 2-0 down to rescue a point.

He continued: “You can’t ignore the facts, and yes we did bring two on.

“But when they went down to 10, we just picked the tempo up incredibly, which is what I was hoping for in the first half.

“Shaun played on Saturday, and he’s done okay in the games.

“He was electric when he came on but he didn’t do that Saturday.

“You can look at it two ways, so maybe giving him a little bit of a rest and bringing him on was the right thing to do.

“We got the goals back and I thought we would win it at the death with Nathan.”

The final result did frustrate Still though who admitted he may make alterations on the training ground.

He added: “Of all the games this season at home, that’s for me probably as disappointed as I’ve been.

“We started the second half okay, but we never kept the tempo up.

“I need to look at that and perhaps need to adjust one or two things in training, as it’s very unlike us not to play with a tempo.”