Stevenage vs Luton Town FC (21st Nov 2015)

PUBLISHED 17:42 21st November 2015 by Ross Lawson

STEVENAGE 0-0 LUTON TOWN

10 men Hatters settle for point at Boro

Paul Benson’s red card soured a strong second-half performance as the Hatters were held to a 0-0 draw from their trip to Stevenage.

The Town striker lunged in on Tom Conlon close to the touchline, and despite making no contact with the player, Benson’s intent was enough for him to see red in the final 10 minutes.

The Hatters hit the bar twice in the second half through Danny Green and Josh McQuoid after a quiet opening period, and were much the better side of the break.

But they couldn’t force the winner to claim just a share of the spoils at the Lamex Stadium to keep in touch with the League 2 play-off places.

After a decent performance in victory at home to Barnet last week, John Still elected to keep the same XI on the park as Benson and McQuoid continued their partnership at the tip of the Hatters attack.

But the pair were unable to click in the early stages amidst a very quiet opening period which the hosts just about shaded thanks to a scuffed Armand Gnanduillet shot, leaving Jonathan Smith on the floor before dragging wide of Mark Tyler’s post.

The Town got their first sniff midway through the period when Green launched a counter attack down the right flank, but his fizzing cross was too fast for Cameron McGeehan to tap in and the chance was lost.

Both sides were limited to half-chances, with Tyler more than up to Schumacher’s 30-yard free kick, while Smith at the other end couldn’t hit the target from range in a bid for his fifth goal of the campaign.

The Hatters boss talked about the “niggly” nature of the local derby earlier in the week, and that almost came to fruition when Green and Ben Kennedy eyed each other up, but the referee kept his cards firmly in his pockets on this occasion.

The visitors opted for a change of formation as the half wore on, with McQuoid moved to the flank to allow McGeehan to support lone striker Benson, a move which provided the Town with more attacking ambition down the left hand side.

The switch almost proved dividends for the Town’s best attack of the half. First McQuoid had a low shot well dealt with by Chris Day, and with McGeehan looking destined to score, Dean Wells was on hand to clear off the line while Green could only find the keeper’s gloves following up.

The turgid first half was replaced with a far better second period, although the Hatters were still limited to half-chances when Smith once again arrowed a shot to the keeper after good work by McQuoid down the left.

A speculative through ball caught Benson offside, but he was played through by a back header with just the keeper to beat, yet was snuffed out when Day spread himself to smother the opportunity.

The introduction of Jack Marriott for McGeehan seemed to give the Hatters a new dimension, and a 15-minute wave of attacks somehow still kept the game goalless, but not before Tyler had to have his wits about him to deny ex-Hatter Fraser Franks from seemingly point blank range.

Marriott came close to making his mark immediately, forcing an under pressure Wells to handle back to the keeper, but the defender only saw yellow to give the Hatters a free-kick in a threatening position.

And it was from that that Green hit the crossbar, crashing his free-kick onto the woodwork from a curling effort that was just inches from opening the scoring after beating Day all ends up to launch the Lamex into a rip-roaring finale.

The Town were well on top, despite some half-chances for the hosts, and some exquisite skill from Olly Lee with a pirouette on the edge of the area allowed the midfielder to launch a wonderful strike with the outside of his boot which Day did well to tip away for a corner, while Benson was unable to nod home Green’s cross as the game entered its final ten minutes.

And moments later Benson saw red. Conlon was looking to bring the ball out of the Stevenage defence, but Benson’s intervention saw the Town man shown a straight red for his two-footed challenge, even though no contact was made on the player.

The dismissal led to a switch in the Town’s mentality, with Sean Long and Mark O’Brien thrown on, but the visitors were still a danger, as shown by McQuoid heading against the bar as the game ticked into injury time. The striker met Alex Lawless’ excellent right-wing cross, craning his neck to glance the header onto the frame of the goal.

Stevenage looked to capitalise on the man advantage, but Scott Cuthbert was on hand with an excellent late challenge, earning the Hatters a point and a third league clean sheet in succession.

Town: Tyler, Lawless, Cuthbert, Wilkinson, Griffiths, Green (sub Long 87), Smith, Lee (sub O’Brien 89), McGeehan (sub Marriott 66), Benson (red card 84), McQuoid.

Subs not used: Justham, McCourt, Guttridge, Mackail-Smith.

Attendance: 4,782, with 1,892 following the Hatters.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/gallery-stevenage-0-0-town-2811672.aspx

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

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

League Two: Stevenage 0 Luton Town 0

Luton Town were held to a goalless draw by Stevenage this afternoon in a match which will now be dominated by stupid and needless scenes off the pitch.

Inside the final five minutes, and with Luton looking the more likely to triumph, experienced striker Paul Benson saw red for a rash lunging challenge on Ben Kennedy.

The decision incensed a handful of travelling fans among the 1,892-strong away following, who took it upon themselves to jump the advertising hoardings, sprint over to a section of home supporters, with a flurry of punches thrown in a mindless display of thuggery.

Police moved in to diffuse the situation, but the scenes were reminiscent of the bygone hooligan days which just have no place in a football stadium.

It detracted from a decent second half performance from the visitors too, as they hit the bar twice through Danny Green and Josh McQuoid, while Olly Lee saw his wonderful strike saved as well.

Earlier, Hatters boss John Still picked an unchanged side for the match, but the hosts had the better of things early on, striker Armand Gnanduillet racing away on the right with Scott Griffiths out of position.

As Jonathan Smith committed himself far too easily, the imposing forward cut into the box, but with team-mates well placed, could only drag disappointingly wide.

It took Luton a full 20 minutes to even mount anything worthy of an attack as the visitors broke with speed through Green.

The winger eventually fashioned a shooting opportunity that was blocked and when Lee recycled possession to him, his inviting cross was just missed by Cameron McGeehan.

Steven Schumacher’s free kick was straight at Tyler, before the ‘needle’ that Still had spoken about previously became apparent when Green caught Ben Kennedy with a flailing arm, the home winger eventually going to ground bemoaning he had been elbowed.

Both players were rightly just given a talking to, but it gave the crowd, who had been lacking any real excitement, something to get their teeth into.

Chris Whelpdale was also wayward from a good position, while Hatters were starting to grow into the game, as it was they who finished the stronger.

Smith was close from distance, with Green wanting a penalty after twisting his man in the area but nothing was given.

Luton were then a whisker away from an opening goal on the stroke of half time as McQuoid surged forward, unleashing a shot that was half stopped by Day, defender Dean Wells clearing as it threatened to trickle over the line.

Green picked up the loose ball and let fly with a deflected effort that drew a superb reaction stop from Day who stuck out a glove to parry.

After the break, Hatters were clearly the better side in possession, as McQuoid sent an early chance wide, with Smith, who appears to have been told to shoot on sight these days, firing at Day from range.

The hosts’ tactics were quite clear from the off. Hit the towering Gnanduillet with deep crosses as although he was well shackled by Scott Cuthberth and Luke Wilkinson for the majority, one such attempt saw the striker fire into the side-netting.

Hatters were clearly the better side in possession though as they shifted the ball to Green whenever possible, as the winger started running the game, delivering a number of inviting crosses.

Luton had a huge opportunity on 66 minutes as Benson, clearly offside, but not interfering with play, anticipated Wells’ back header to go one on one with Day, a poor first touch allowing the keeper to save.

The hosts then almost had the lead as former Town defender Fraser Franks of all people was free in the area to reach a rebound and shoot left footed, but Tyler hung on low down.

Gnanduillet was inches away from the opener as he combined well with debutant Jamille Matt and his right footer from 20 yards whistled beyond the far post.

Then came the controversy as with 15 minutes to go, Wells was yellow carded for handling the ball with Marriott chasing him down.

As the last man, then red was the only outcome possible, but referee Rob Lewis brandished yellow as the defender, although appearing to have been nudged in the back by Town’s rampaging striker, somehow stayed on.

Green took the free kick and unleashed an absolute corker that smacked against the bar with Day a mere spectator.

Lee then produced a moment of sheer genius, beating two Boro players with a stunning, spinning piece of skill, worthy of its own adjective, and then with an audacious outside of the foot shot, forced Day to palm away.

However, Benson saw red for his challenge on Wells, with the disgraceful scenes that followed, but even with 10 men, Luton might have won it, McQuoid nodding against the bar from close range.

With Hatters climbing a place to 10th in the table, although falling three points away from the play-offs, it now remains to be seen whether they will face any consequences from the FA for the actions of one or two ‘supporters’.

Boro: Chris Day, Fraser Franks, Chris Whelpdale (Jamille Matt 62) Steven Schumacher, Tom Pett, Dean Wells, Charlie Lee (Tom Conlon 67), Ronnie Henry (C), Connor Ogilvie, Armand Gnanduillet, Ben Kennedy.

Subs not used: Harry Voss, Jamie McCombe, Mark Hughes, Adam Marriott, Dale Gorman.

Hatters: Mark Tyler, Alex Lawless, Scott Griffiths, Scott Cuthbert (C), Luke Wilkinson, Jonathan Smith, Olly Lee (Mark O’Brien 88), Danny Green (Sean Long 87), Cameron McGeehan (Jack Marriott 67) Josh McQuoid, Paul Benson.

Subs not used: Elliot Justham, Craig Mackail-Smith, Lee Guttridge, Paddy McCourt.

Attendance: 4,782

Booked: Lee 56, Wells 75, Conlon 89.

Sent off: Benson 86.

Referee: Rob Lewis.

Hatters MOM: Danny Green, winger had a 20-minute spell in the second half where he simply ran the show.

Stevenage 0 Luton Town 0

Ugly hooligan scenes from a bygone era and a Paul Benson red card marred a stalemate at Stevenage that Luton should have won.

For large periods one could scarcely call this Hertfordshire-Bedfordshire derby a game of football, though the Hatters did try their level best to instigate one, twice hitting the crossbar in the second half.

But the final five minutes ignited into violence, albeit from a mindless minority of visiting fans who –after the dismissal for a two-footed challenge – invaded the pitch, ran over to the home supporters and threw punches.

Whether the club they claim to support will face recriminations remains to be seen, but it would be harsh. Instead the individuals should be made an example of because there is no place for the thuggery we thought had been left behind in the 1980s.

Either way it is a shame because there were positives for Town as they extended their unbeaten run for four games in all competitions, claiming their third clean sheet on the spin and, if not for the width of the woodwork, this would have been a gritty three points.

However, there has been so much talk recently – after Jamie Vardy's rise from a part-timer to an England international – about the untapped quality available in the lower leagues. John Still even contributed to it as something of an expert on the subject.

Those pundits must never have taken in a match day at Broadhall Way, a ground where the battle plans are so decidedly aerial that the hosts must have special dispensation to play from the Civil Aviation Authority.

What blessed exemption that the majority of the 1,892 well-behaved Hatters fans were afforded a vantage point behind the goal in the Austin Stand. For those not so fortunately positioned it was whiplash and headache all round – death by a thousand long balls.

Boro are certainly not a side cast in the playing style of manager Teddy Sheringham and, sadly in the first half, it reduced Luton to the same clodhopping level.

The first sign of derby day devilment dripped into the contest just before the break when Danny Green – a rare bastion of quality – and Ben Kennedy got their handbags out and received an overly long talking to from referee Rob Lewis amid gesticulations of errant elbows.

There were penalty claims when Green was impeded by former Town captain Ronnie Henry but the official refused to reward the winger as, suddenly, Luton didn't want the half to end.

Josh McQuoid and Green were both denied, seconds apart, by Stevenage stopper Chris Day with Cameron McGeehan denied a sniff at the rebounds, Dean Wells with a goal-line clearance on the first.

The defender appeared to handle in the area, three minutes into the second period, but there were few appeals from the visitors who, instead, seemed focus on instigating an actual football match.

Then came a gift that Benson couldn't punish. Wells headed into the path of the striker who, stood in an offside position 20 yards in front of goal, both couldn't believe his luck and couldn't gather the ball quick enough. The striker still managed to get a shot away but Day blocked with his legs.

Luton goalie Mark Tyler was more stretched, moments later, to stoop low to smother a blast from former Hatter Fraser Franks, while he looked beaten all ends up by Gnanduillet, only for the long-range dipper to bounce fractionally wide.

Wells could have seen red for handling in a foot race with substitute Jack Marriott – though there was a slight push from the forward – but Boro were let off with a yellow card and then again from the resulting free-kick as Green smashed the crossbar.

Olly Lee almost lit up the contest with a sumptuous drag-back to take out two defenders before aiming at the top corner where Day scrambled, finger-tipping to safety.

The momentum was all with Luton and Green, as the chief architect, but that ended when the winger was substituted straight after Benson was given his marching orders for a rash challenge on Kennedy. It lit the blue touch paper – unfortunately not for the right reasons.

Once a measure of calm was restored, there was time for McQuoid to hit the bar with a header. But, as it cannoned back off the woodwork, with it went a chance to snatch a victory that the Hatters side and the majority of fans deserved – but, sadly, not the knuckle-dragging few.

Stevenage: Day, Franks, Whelpdale (Matt, 61), Schumacher, Pett, Wells, Lee (Conlon, 66), Henry, Ogilvie, Gnanduillet, Kennedy

Unused sub: Voss, McCombe, Hughes, Marriott, Gorman

Luton: Tyler, Smith, Cuthbert, Lawless, McGeehan (Marriott, 66), Benson, Green (Long, 85), Griffiths, Lee (O'Brien, 88), McQuoid, Wilkinson

Unused subs: Justham, McCourt, Guttridge, Mackail-Smith

Referee: Rob Lewis

Attendance: 4,782