Newport County AFC vs Luton Town FC (17th Mar 2015)

Hatters fall to narrow defeat on the road once more

Newport 1 (O’Connor 22) Town 0

The Town sank to their fourth successive defeat in League 2 - despite hitting the woodwork twice in the second period at Newport.

Elliot Lee’s shot and Luke Wilkinson’s header came back off the post and bar respectively early in the second half as the Hatters came close to equalising former Town man Aaron O’Connor’s first half effort.

But the Hatters couldn’t find a way through and Newport held onto record a narrow win and inflicted a sixth defeat in seven matches on the Hatters.

John Still made one change to the side that lost at Portsmouth on Saturday with Lee replacing Shaun Whalley. The on-loan West Ham striker partnered Mark Cullen in attack in a 4-4-2 formation.

Lee showed some promising early touches as the Hatters started the brighter of the two sides and on 15 minutes Alex Lawless’s fine turn in the box saw him cross dangerously into the box but the home side were able to clear.

Newport came into the game on the run of a five-match winless streak at home and on 16 minutes Elliot Justham was tested for the first time when he got down to keep out Ryan Jackson’s low shot.

Luke Guttridge, employed on the left flank, almost conjured up an opening goal after being played in down the wing on 18 minutes, but four minutes later the Town fell behind. Jackson’s long throw was not dealt with by the Hatters defence and O’Connor was free to swing a right-foot shot goalwards that gave Justham no chance.

Hurt by going behind, Guttridge’s low shot was held by Joe Day in the Newport goal straight from the kick-off but County, buoyed by their goal, came close to doubling their lead when Yan Klukowski headed wide on 24 minutes.

Right-wing-back Jackson was the hosts’ outlet ball, and he almost made it 2-0 on 26 minutes when his run and shot from an acute angle was turned over by the fingertips of Justham.

The Town were having plenty of the ball but struggling to get in behind the Newport back three and Andy Drury’s shot from 20 yards on 28 minutes whistled just wide of the target summed up their attacking threat in the opening 45 minutes.

Such is the Hatters’ luck of late, referee Malone waved away their penalty shouts on 36 minutes when Lawless’ cross hit the turf and bounced up and hit Kevin Feeley on the arm.

But as half-time approached it was the hosts that looked the more likely to score again with Stephen McNulty blocking Max Porter’s effort from distance before Lee Minshull arrowed a shot wide of the target from the edge of the box with the last action of a frustrating first half for the Hatters.

The second half almost started so well for the Town when on 50 minutes Lee came mighty close to making it 1-1. The striker played a one-two with Lawless on the edge of the box but his shot came back off the inside of the post.

Moments after that chance the Hatters changed tactics, matching up the home side by playing three centre-backs and wing-backs with Fraser Franks replacing Michael Harriman.

The change in tact had the desired effect as shortly before the hour the Town twice came close to finding an equaliser. Firstly, Cullen seized on a dreadful mistake from the hosts to run goalwards but forced wide and with no support, the striker went for goal and wasn’t far away with a firm drive. Lee then came close to scoring following Guttridge’s left-wing corner on 58 minutes when the striker’s near-post header was beaten away by keeper Day.

Just after the hour the Hatters made their second change, Paul Benson replacing Cullen but on 66 minutes the Town were indebted to Justham for keeping out Minshull’s back-post header, with the keeper palming the ball onto the post.

But the Hatters’ ill fortune in front of goal continued twice in the space of a minute on 67 minutes when Lee wriggled free of his marker to dart in the box and force Day into a smart save and from the resultant corner Luke Wilkinson’s header struck the angle of post and bar and away to safety.

Still introduced Nathan Oduwa for Lawless for the final 18 minutes but as time ticked down, Newport looked the more likely side to add to the score with Justham reacting smartly to O’Connor’s shot from a narrow angle on 81 minutes when tipping the ball over the crossbar.

Lee’s shot lacked power from the edge of the area with three minutes left on the clock and a minute later Cameron McGeehan also shot wide with a half-chance.

And that, after four added minutes, was that as the Hatters suffered another more misery away from Kenilworth Road, their fifth successive defeat on the road.

Despite the defeat the Hatters remain in sixth place in League 2.

Next up: Wycombe in front of the tv cameras next Tuesday. BE THERE.

TOWN: Justham; Harriman (sub Franks 52), Howells, McNulty, Wilkinson; McGeehan, Drury, Guttridge, Lawless (sub Oduwa 72); Cullen (sub Benson 61), Lee.

Subs not used: Robinson, Stockley, Hall, King.

Attendance: 2,536, including 349 backing the Hatters.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-newport-1-0-town-2341571.aspx

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

League Two: Newport County 1 Luton Town 0

Luton Town’s horrendous away form continued last night at Newport County as they lost for the fifth time in a row on their travels, beaten by former striker Aaron O’Connor’s first-half goal.

John Still’s side also failed to score for the third trip running, as the reverse was Hatters’ fourth consecutive defeat, although they remained in the play-off places by the skin of their teeth

Town boss John Still made one change to the side that lost 2-0 at Portsmouth on Saturday, with Elliot Lee replacing Shaun Whalley.

In a quiet opening, Hatters threatened once through Andy Drury’s deflected drive, while Elliot Justham saved with ease after Ryan Jackson’s burst into the box.

Despite talking at length about not conceding from individual errors in the week, Luton’s defensive frailties came back to haunt them on 21 minutes. This time, a long throw was flicked on and with no visiting defender taking command, it allowed O’Connor to finish instinctively.

Luke Guttridge looked for a leveller immediately as his daisycutter was well handled by Joe Day, while the impressive Jackson’s thunderous cross shot was too hot to handle for Justham although it rebounded fortunately away.

Kevin Feely then sent a free header wide, as Luton were under the cosh, but they did break away to see Drury curl narrowly wide.

The visitors did have concerted shouts for a penalty on 37 minutes when Alex Lawless’ cross clearly hit the outstretched arm of Jackson, but nothing was given.

Moments before half time, Newport almost had another but Minshull arrowed a volley wide. After the break, Hatters were denied a leveller when Lee’s pass rebounded off Lawless’ heel and fell perfectly into his path, but the loanee’s side-footer hit the base of the post.

Still then brought on Fraser Franks for Michael Harriman as Luton matched up with Newport’s 3-5-2 formation and finally started to get men forward.

Buoyed by the change, Cullen raced on to an awful backpass and his shot was parried behind by Day, while Lee glanced a corner goalwards, only for the keeper to make a fine reaction stop.

Paul Benson was introduced for Cullen, but Newport looked to have weathered the pressure, Max Porter shooting over and a combination of Justham plus the post denying Minshull’s header.

Back came Luton though as Lee stumbled through, bringing a save out of Day, with the corner nodded against the angle of post and bar by Wilkinson. With 10 minutes to go, O’Connor almost sealed it, but Justham flipped his drive over the top.

Sub Nathan Oduwa was on by then, but couldn’t have the same impact he enjoyed on Saturday, with Lee’s scuffed shot easy for Day, while Drury’s late effort deflected over as Luton left empty-handed on their travels yet again.

Exiles: Joe Day, Ryan Jackson, Kevin Feely, Max Porter, Darren Jones (C), Ismal Yakubu, Lee Minshull, Aaron O’Connor (Adam Chapman 90), Andy Sandell, Shaun Jeffers (Chris Zebroksi 72), Yan Klukowski (Mike Flynn 79).

Subs not used: Jamie Stephens, Miles Storey, Joe Parker David Tutonda.

Hatters: Elliot Justham, Michael Harriman (Fraser Franks 52), Jake Howells, Steve McNulty(C), Luke Wilkinson, Andy Drury, Cameron McGeehan, Luke Guttridge, Alex Lawless (Nathan Oduwa 72), Mark Cullen (Paul Benson 61), Elliot Lee.

Subs not used: Craig King, Jayden Stockley, Matthew Robinson, Ryan Hall.

Referee: Brendan Malone.

Booked: McGeehan 43, Feely 44.

Attendance: 2,536 (349 Hatters).

Hatters MOM: Elliot Lee. Looked lively all evening and only denied a goal by the woodwork.

Still wants more from his under-performing players

Hatters boss John Still pointed the finger at his under-performing players after they slipped to yet another defeat on their travels at Newport County on Tuesday night.

The Luton chief saw Town beaten 1-0, their fifth successive away loss, while they have only won once in 14 on the road now, as they clung on to a play-off place.

Still couldn’t understand just why his side were suffering quite a dramatic slump in form either as he said: “If I look at it logically, we have too many players not playing to their capabilities I believe they’ve played with, some of them for 18 months, some of them since the start of the season.

“Am I pleased with the performance? No I wasn’t.

“It’s all right saying we did okay second half again, but we’re not playing well enough.

“I don’t know why we’re not playing well enough, we haven’t changed anything and we have enough players that have been out, back fit.

“I’m at a loss on why we’re falling short and I could guess at things that perhaps we’re not happy with, but I can’t.

“Because everything that we do Monday to Friday is exactly what we’ve always done.

“We have players that are not playing to their capabilities but that’s my responsibility as a manager.

“That’s the reason as far as I can see that we’re not winning games, not doing enough to win as well.

“So it’s back to work and the only way to try and change it, is getting back to training and working hard.”

Once again Luton had chances to get something out of the clash, with striker Elliot Lee and Luke Wilkinson both denied by the woodwork.

Still continued “It’s fine margins, Elliot was there a couple of times and on Saturday we had a couple off the line.

“But we haven’t scored loads of goals all season and we’ve won games all season.

“I thought we did enough to win the game on Saturday at Portsmouth and thought we did enough to get something from the game here.

“I thought we did enough win the game against Morecambe, but it’s not doing enough. It’s doing enough and winning and we’re not.

“For an away performance, if that ends up that we get a win you say we did okay. We can’t settle for okay.

“We’ve come a long way and at the moment, some can turn around and say we’ve done okay this season, we haven’t done okay this season, I don’t think we have.

“What were we expecting? I didn’t really have a fantastic expectation, but we were there or thereabouts when we crippled with injury and everyone digging in and doing their bit.

“Well now we’re getting players back we should be doing better than that.”

The winning goal when it came too was from a long throw, that former Luton striker Aaron O’Connor turned in, a personal bugbear of Still as he said: “If you don’t concede from restarts you win the league. Long throws are lotteries when the ball comes down. Their fella’s got half a touch to it, I’d have to have a look at it again to make a decision, but it’s always disappointing to concede from a restart.”

It was also another example of Luton failing to win after conceding the first goal, something that has blighted them this term, but the boss didn’t think it had an impact on his players, adding: “I don’t think if affected them at all. The longer the game went the stronger we got as well.”