Portsmouth vs Luton Town FC (14th Mar 2015)

Match report: Portsmouth 2-0 Luton Town

Portsmouth 2 Tubbs 3, Taylor 62 Town 0

The Town fell to their fourth successive defeat away from Kenilworth Road – despite a spirited showing at Fratton Park.

Matt Tubbs volleyed the home side in front after just three minutes only for the Town to boss the remainder of the first half.

The Hatters also started the second half brightly, but were punished for not taking their chances when Pompey doubled their lead shortly after the hour when Ryan Taylor lashed home from 12 yards.

That goal gave the Town a mountain to climb, and despite huffing and puffing in search of a way back into the game, the home side held on to record a comfortable victory and inflict a fifth defeat in six League 2 games on John Still’s side.

The Hatters began showing two changes to the side that lost at home to Morecambe last Saturday with Alex Lawless and Andy Drury starting in place of Jonathan Smith and Scott Griffiths.

For the Town’s first visit to Fratton Park in 10 years, the Hatters were backed by almost 3,000 travelling supporters but the Town faithful’s noise was replaced by the cheers of the Portsmouth fans on three minutes when the hosts took the lead. Jed Wallace’s right-wing cross found Tubbs in the six yard box and the predatory striker struck an unerring volley into the top corner.

The home side’s good start looked to have rattled the Town and Wallace almost found Tubbs again with low cross only for the Hatters to clear.

But after that chance it was the Hatters who enjoyed the majority of possession in the first half. Cameron McGeehan came closest to levelling when charging down goalkeeper Paul Jones’ kick, only to see his block roll wide of the post. Lawless, making his first start in Luton colours since late October, was mighty close to scoring a stunning goal when his 35-yard drive flew inches over the crossbar after Pompey half-cleared Luke Guttridge’s corner.

The Town were forced into a substitution at the break, with Stephen McNulty replaced by Fraser Franks after the skipper had taken two knocks in the opening half.

But the Hatters continued from where they left off at the beginning of the second period and came close when Mark Cullen, Lawless and Drury all saw shots blocked in the space of 30 seconds in a move five minutes after the restart.

You felt the Town needed the next goal, especially given they had seen plenty of the ball, but after frustrating their own supporters with some sloppy play, Portsmouth upped the ante.

Wallace saw a low shot strike the foot of the post but then, just after the hour, Pompey doubled their lead. Tubbs swung a boot the ball in the box but the loose ball fell kindly for Taylor who needed no invitation to lash home a fierce drive from 15 yards to make it 2-0.

That goal really knocked the stuffing out of the Town, but to their credit they continued to look for a way back into the game despite never really testing keeper Jones.

But, such was the Town’s luck, when they did beat the Pompey stopper, the home side were still able to clear. Cullen’s header was hacked off the line and then, with just two minutes left, Luke Wilkinson’s towering header was also kicked off the line with the keeper beaten to deny the Hatters a consolation.

Six added minutes were added at the end of the 90 but the Hatters couldn’t find a way back and that was that.

Next stop: Newport on Tuesday night. See you then.

Town: Justham; Harriman, Howells, McNulty (sub Franks 46), Wilkinson; McGeehan, Drury, Guttridge, Whalley (sub Oduwa 63), Lawless, Cullen (sub Benson 75). Subs not used: King, Robinson, Stockley, Lee.

Attendance: 17,149, including a magnificent 2,680 Hatters fans.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-portsmouth-2-0-town-2334382.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc83-SNsNBU

League Two: Portsmouth 2 Luton Town 0

Luton Town lost more ground on the top three as they slumped to yet another disappointing away reverse, beaten 2-0 at Portsmouth this afternoon.

The Hatters’ worrying run on their travels showed no signs of ending after Matt Tubbs put Pompey ahead in the fifth minute, making it three successive defeats on their travels for John Still’s side and now just one win in 13.

Town had made two changes from the side beaten 3-2 at home by Morecambe last weekend as midfielder Alex Lawless made his first start since October 25, while Andy Drury was also back in, with Jonathan Smith and Scott Griffiths missing out.

Former Pompey striker Paul Benson was named on the bench for the first time after breaking his leg against Mansfield on November 29.

The hosts had the Fratton Park crowd off their feet early on when Jed Wallace swung over a dangerous cross from the right and Tubbs got in front of Luke Wilkinson to flick a lovely finish beyond the fingertips of Elliot Justham.

Wilkinson then ensured he was walking a tightrope after recklessly cleaning out James Dunne who had intercepted Shaun Whalley’s weak pass.

Pompey’s main two almost combined again on 16 minutes, but this time captain Steve McNulty just beat the predatory Tubbs to Wallace’s cross.

Despite the early blow, Luton looked by far the more composed in possession and weren’t far away from a leveller on 19 minutes as the ball broke to Cameron McGeehan in the area, who fired wildly over.

Luke Guttridge then sent one wide from range, while McGeehan was nearer from even closer in, charging down keeper Paul Jones’ clearance as it rebounded narrowly behind.

Lawless almost had a stunning equaliser on 39 minutes, taking aim as Guttridge’s corner landed at his feet fully 35 yards out, as his first time effort zoomed inches over the bar.

Luton’s final ball was proving problematic once more though as too often crosses were overhit or easily cleared away, and when Drury did finally locate his one destination at the end of the first half, Cullen, under pressure, nodded over the top.

After the break, McNulty didn’t reappear, with Still later confirming it was blurred vision from a blow to the head as Fraser Franks took his place, while Luton piled on the pressure with Drury, Cullen and Lawless all having efforts blocked.

However, for all their possession, as in the first period, Hatters couldn’t fashion anything by the way of clear cut chances, as Pompey showed their quality upfront, Wallace beating the slow to react Justham only to be denied by the base of the post.

Luton ultimately paid the price just after the hour mark too as Pompey sent over another fine delivery and when Tubbs missed his kick, the ball fell invitingly for Ryan Taylor to slam beyond Justham.

Although 2-0 behind, Town kept prodding and pushing, with Cullen flicking on Drury’s cross only for Paul Robinson to head off the line.

The Portsmouth defender was clattered by McGeehan in the process of clearing, with his afternoon ended prematurely.

By this time, Spurs youngster Nathan Oduwa had replaced Shaun Whalley and was immediately into the action.

He set off on a number of direct runs at every single opportunity to burst away from challenges, leaving it all the more puzzling why his introduction had been left so long.

Try as they might, Luton couldn’t snatch a consolation though as Wilkinson reached Guttridge’s corner to head past Jones but not the covering Dan Butler stationed on the line.

Results elsewhere means Hatters are now down to sixth in the table, seven points from third place and now only with a two point cushion from Stevenage in eighth.

Pompey: Paul Jones, Jack Whatmough, Joe Devara, Andy Barcham (Danny East 78), Jed Wallace, Ryan Taylor (Craig Westcarr 85), Matt Tubbs, Paul Robinson (C, Adam Webster 71), James Dunne, Danny Hollands, Dan Butler.

Subs not used: Alex Bass, Wes Fogden, Nigel Atangana, Conor Chaplin.

Hatters: Elliot Justham, Michael Harriman, Jake Howells, Steve McNulty (C, Fraser Franks 46), Luke Wilkinson, Cameron McGeehan, Andy Drury, Luke Guttridge, Alex Lawless, Shaun Whalley (Nathan Oduwa 62), Mark Cullen (Paul Benson 75).

Subs not used: Craig King, Jayden Stockley, Matthew Robinson, Elliot Lee.

Referee: Darren Drysdale.

Booked: Wilkinson 8, Whatmough 18, Cullen 45, Butler 67.

Attendance: 17,149 (2,680 Hatters).

Hatters MOM: Andy Drury - most of Town’s best moments came through the recalled midfielder.

Still remains upbeat despite Portsmouth loss

Hatters boss John Still remained in upbeat mood despite a 2-0 defeat at Portsmouth yesterday.

The result was Luton’s third successive loss and a fifth defeat in six matches as they dropped further behind the top three, but Still felt the display had been back to what he expected from his side.

He said: “We conceded a poor goal but after that I thought we were the best team. It’s the best we’ve played which is really pleasing and we seem to have found a bit of form.

“We had two or three off the line, created opportunities, our pressure was good, but we got beat, so I have to put that into perspective.

“We’ve lost some games lately when we’ve been disappointing and I was disappointed to lose, but thought our performance was like a Luton performance.

“We’ve got to produce that every week between now and the end of the season.

“We’ve had a group of games for one reason or another have not gone for us, but the last half last week and the game this week, performance was back to what we’d expect so we’ve got to push on.”

On Matt Tubbs’ fifth minute opener, with the striker getting across Luke Wilkinson to flick in Jed Wallace’s cross Still continued: “It’s really, really difficult, the response from it was fantastic, but you can’t concede goals early in a game of that nature as you end up chasing.

“If somebody rifles one in from 30 yards, there’s nothing you can do about it, but I had said to the back people about someone getting across us, Tubbs getting across us.

“Wilko’s body was closed, he’s put his hands up, he had a fantastic second half of the game and the team had a great 75 minutes of the game.

“I pride myself and my teams on not conceding goals and at the moment, I think we’re conceding one or two a bit easy.

“So we’re disappointed, but disappointment makes the weak, weak and the strong stronger.”

Still’s selection was hampered with injuries to Jonathan Smith and Scott Griffiths, while skipper Steve McNulty had to come off at half time too.

He added: “Smith had a problem with his knee, it’s not terrible as we took him off the other day, but he’s not quite right.

“Scott’s not quite right and is due to see the specialist, I don’t know when exactly it will happen (hernia operation) and he may actually be available again before it happens, but wasn’t quite available.

“Macca had two knocks, two cuts and bit of blurred vision, so it was the right thing to come off.

“We’re a little bit down on big characters with Macca off and (Nathan) Doyle off and Smith off and (Mark) Tyler off. That’s no disrespect to the people who replace them but they’re big characters and you miss big characters.”