Salisbury City vs Luton Town FC (8th Mar 2014)

Report: Salisbury City 0-0 Luton Town

The Town stretched their lead at the top of the table to 15 points and their unbeaten run to 26 matches but had to settle for a point in a goalless draw at Salisbury.

The first half was one which was dominated by the home side. Chasing a Play-Off place and with just two home defeats all season, they should have gone in at the interval ahead.

Dan Fitchett missed their first chance, Mark Tyler doing well to get his fingers on the home striker’s shot on the turn on 10 minutes following a left-wing corner.

Tyler, the only Town man who played in their only previous visit to the Raymond McEnhill Stadium in September 2009, comfortably gathered Scott Sinclair’s low strike from the edge of the box 11 minutes later.

Salisbury were enjoying the better of the ball and the chances for the home side kept on coming. England C winger Elliott Frear sent a shot scuttling narrowly wide on 23 minutes but five minutes later the Whites spurned an even better chance. The Hatters had just engineered their best move of the match to win a corner but City broke: Sinclair threading Fitchett through one-on-one with Tyler but his shot was weak and the Town keeper could save.

After that near miss the Hatters upped the ante and out of nothing came mighty close to taking the lead. Andre Gray, making his 100th appearance for the Town let fly with a rocket of a shot from 25 yards that beat home goalkeeper Will Puddy but not the woodwork, with the shot crashing back off the post. It was the Town’s only real chance of the first half.

As the first 45 minutes came to a close Gray saw a low free-kick from distance blocked and Jake Howells saw the follow-up also charged down, whilst the hosts’ Frear found the side-netting on 44 minutes.

The second half was much the same. The home side continued to pepper the Town goal but failed to really test Tyler.

After the Hatters keeper caught another Salisbury shot on 53 minutes the Town went 4-4-2 in a bid to make the breakthrough.

Salisbury, however, threatened again when Ron Sinclair’s well-hit shot from distance was also calmly taken by Tyler.

All of a sudden, though, the game was swinging from end to end with both sides realising there was a game there for the taking. Salisbury’s shoot-on-sight policy continued with Tyler catching another potshot before Gray raced up the other end but failed to get a shot away.

As time ticked away, the Town upped the ante. Paul Benson, Gray and Alex Lawless combined well on 76 minutes that saw Gray prod home but the strike was ruled out for an offside against Benson.

Gray then sensed a chance three minutes later but after wrestling his marker out of the way he couldn’t find a finish from close range with just the keeper to beat.

The final 10 minutes belonged exclusively to the Town as they hunted a late winner and they almost got one in the third minute of stoppage time. Salisbury failed to clear their lines from a right-wing corner, allowing Pelly Ruddock to loft a dangerous ball back into the box but Benson, unmarked and on the stretch inside the six-yard box, poked a shot over the bar with the goal gaping.

That would have been harsh on Salisbury but any disappointment from a goalless draw was soon forgotten with news that Cambridge had lost at Forest Green and that the Town’s lead at the top was extended a point further.

TOWN: Tyler; Henry, Griffiths, McNulty, Franks; McGeehan (sub Robinson 75), Ruddock, Lawless (sub Cullen 90); Howells, Gray, Benson. Subs not used: Charles, Shaw, Justham.

ATTENDANCE:2,633, including 1,536 supporting the Town.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/salisbury-gallery-0803-1406530.aspx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNDptehY0Mo

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liam2010/sets/72157642111265185/

Town stretch lead with hard-fought Salisbury point

Skrill Premier: Salisbury City 0 (0) Luton Town 0 (0)

Table-topping Town were forced to work hard for their goalless draw at Salisbury City this afternoon as they stretched their lead at the head of the division to 15 points, writes Mark Wood.

Luton may have had to settle for a point, but it was still enough to see them extend their advantage at the top by another point after nearest rivals Cambridge United fell to a topsy-turvy 3-2 defeat at Forest Green Rovers.

The Whites enjoyed more of the play and had more efforts on the day, but it was the Hatters who went closest to breaking the deadlock as Town stretched their record unbeaten league run to 26 games.

Top scorer Andre Gray, on his 100th appearance for the club, saw his stunning first half long-range effort thud against a post, while strike partner Paul Benson almost grabbed victory in injury time but somehow poked just over the bar.

Town made just the one enforced change from last weekend’s 3-0 victory over Alfreton Town as the injured Luke Guttridge, seen in a protective boot before kick-off, was replaced by Alex Lawless.

A surprisingly bouncy pitch at the Raymond McEnhill Stadium greeted both sides and it was City who threatened first on nine minutes when Clovis Kamdjo headed goalwards from a corner and Daniel Fitchett’s flick was cleared off the line by Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu who was guarding a post.

At the other end Gray’s ambitious long-range curler flew well over, while Fitchett’s high boot then released Elliott Frear on 14 minutes, but his low effort from a narrow angle was straight at Mark Tyler.

The Whites tried their luck again midway through the half when Stuart Sinclair was teed up on the edge of the box and fired right at Tyler, before Frear dragged an even more dangerous effort just wide of the far post moments later.

But City should have taken the lead on 26 minutes when they broke at pace and Robert Sinclair’s superb pass sent Fitchett clear but, with just the keeper to beat, he could only roll tamely at Tyler when he should have done better.

Out of nothing the Hatters were desperately unlucky not to snatch the lead on 33 minutes when Gray created space for himself 30 yards out and his swerving effort thumped off the left-hand upright with Willem Puddy beaten.

Town began to get more of a foothold in the game, but the Whites still looked dangerous every time they went forward with Frear firing into the side netting from a narrow angle just a couple of minutes before the break.

City again started the second half brightly as Robert Sinclair’s early effort drew cries of handball against Steve McNulty before Stuart Sinclair again warmed Tyler’s midriff.

Good skill on the edge of the area by Robert Sinclair ended in the former Luton youngster fizzing a powerful effort in that was well held by Tyler just before the hour.

Gray appeared to be bumped as he looked to latch on to a ball over the top, but nothing was given as both teams looked to take advantage of some weak refereeing.

An awful late challenge by James Clarke on Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu threatened to ignite proceedings as the former West Ham man reacted angrily, but thankfully some sensible officiating saw the defender yellow-carded and Mpanzu just warned.

Some lovely interplay by the Hatters was thwarted by the linesman’s flag with 14 minutes to go when Benson and Lawless combined beautifully, but the target man strayed offside as Gray turned in his cross only for it to be ruled out for offside.

The visitors threatened again three minutes later when Lawless somehow managed to hook the ball through for Gray who held off Clarke, but Puddy saved well at his feet as he tried to get a shot off.

A horrible mishit shot from Lawless almost ran for Gray moments later, while Town’s top scorer skied miles over the bar with four minutes left.

Ronnie Henry, who had tangled with Fitchett throughout, was booked in the closing stages as he felled the striker as he looked to break on to a loose ball.

Luton twice almost snatched victory in stoppage-time though. First Mpanzu helped a corner back into the box and a defensive header fell to Benson just a few yards out, but he could only prod over the bar when it seemed easier to score.

Seconds later Town went close again when Mpanzu helped a ball forward on and Howells’ effort ran wide of the post as Town had to settle for a hard-fought point.

Whites (4-5-1): Willem Puddy, James Clarke, Glenn Wilson, Christopher McPhee, Elliott Frear, Clovis Kamdjo, Robert Sinclair (James White 90+2), Stuart Sinclair, Daniel Fitchett (Ricky Wellard 89), Angus Macdonald, Kevin Amankwaa. Substitutes not used: Callum Hart, Ryan Brett,, James Bittner.

Hatters (4-3-3): Mark Tyler, Fraser Franks, Steve McNulty, Alex Lawless (Mark Cullen 90+1), Jake Howells, Scott Griffiths, Cameron McGeehan (Matt Robinson 75), Ronnie Henry (C), Paul Benson, Andre Gray, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu. Substitutes not used: Anthony Charles, Jon Shaw, Elliot Justham.

Booked: Clarke 68; Henry 87.

Referee: Daniel Cook (Elson).

Assistant Referees: Craig Green (Ash) and Russell Howes Wood (Wood Green) Fourth Official: Adam Ricketts.

Attendance: 2,633 (Luton 1,521).

Star Hatter: Fraser Franks. Tower of strength at the back on a day when Town were really tested.

Still satisfied with Salisbury point

Hatters boss John Still felt yesterday’s 0-0 draw at Salisbury City showed just why his team are runaway leaders of the Skrill Premier this season, writes Mike Simmonds.

Although never quite at their fluent best, as Town saw their run of six successive victories halted, they moved a further point clear of nearest rivals Cambridge, who went down 3-2 at Forest Green Rovers.

Still said: “It was a tough game, we’ve competed well. Did I think we played great? No. But we’ve not played great and we’ve got something and that’s what winners do, don’t play great and get something.

“It was difficult to be fluent, you had to work hard and battle hard, everyone had to put their foot in, head it and volley it, it was a bit of playground football.

“It’s always well when you go and outplay teams, but you’re not going to do that 46 times, it’s not possible.

“Sometimes you’ve just got to work your socks off, dig in and work hard.

“It got us a point at a place where it hasn’t been easy for teams to get points. W’re still in a very good position with another game gone.”

Town’s defence was once again magnificent, making it five consecutive clean sheets as they have now gone 512 minutes without conceding a goal.

On a difficult playing surface, Still continued: “We’ve not conceded again which is a plus. I think both teams found it hard to get in their stride.

“Because of the weather, conditions were not easy underfoot, hard and then it’s soft, there were a lot of people slipping.

“Neither team could get control of the game and attacks from both sides were spasmodic.

“We had to play ugly football at times. How many times did you see Steve McNulty misplace a pass? He’s one of the best passers at this level I’ve seen for a defender, but the ball wasn’t steady on the pitch.

“I think a draw was probably a fair result, but their home record is decent. We’ve come away, not conceded, got a point, I’ve got to say I’m happy with that.”

Still admitted he had been aware of the Cambridge result afterwards, but was only interested in his side’s efforts.

He added: “I did hear the result, it was great, but we’ll just worry about ourselves.

“As long as we keep putting in what we’re putting in now, the work-rate and effort, we know we can play, we’ll keep getting results. But we mustn’t come out of that.”