Woking vs Luton Town FC (26th Oct 2013)

Woking 0 Town 1 Cullen 32

Mark Cullen’s first half header was enough to seal the Town’s place in the first round of the FA Cup after a determined victory at Woking. The striker, one of six changes made to the starting XI, headed Dave Martin’s right-wing corner on 32 minutes. Woking pressed for an equaliser in the second period but the Town held on to extend their unbeaten run to nine games.

John Still made six changes to the side that beat Tamworth last weekend and gave a debut to goalkeeper Elliot Justham.

After the young stopper’s confident early claim the Town thought they should have had a penalty on seven minutes when Shaun Whalley was sent sprawling in the penalty area by Jack Parkinson’s challenge but to everybody’s disbelief, referee Colin Lymer booked the Hatters winger for diving.

The Town, though, were on top and enjoying a good spell early on. Cullen was close to reaching Martin’s low, left-wing cross minute later and Jake Howells saw a low shot turned over the crossbar by home keeper Sam Beasant.

Woking, who had failed to score in their previous three matches, almost had a helping hand on 14 minutes when Ronnie Henry’s clearance hit Steve McNulty on the back and the centre-half’s inadvertent touch bounced just wide.

The hosts came close on 24 minutes when Guiseppe Sole headed wide following a right-wing corner but the Cards striker then missed an even better chance four minutes later when he wastefully fired high over the bar having raced onto Matt Robinson’s sliding challenge.

Woking spurned a similar opportunity in the league meeting last month, a fixture the Town went onto win 4-0 and, just like in that game, the Hatters punished the Cards’ profligacy in front of goal on 31 minutes.

Whalley was sent tumbling in the box again but once again whistle Lymer remained unconvinced, instead giving the Hatters a right-wing corne; and from Martin’s flag-kick Cullen rose to nod past Beasant in the Woking goal. It was the striker’s fifth goal of the season and his third at Kingfield - and all of those have been headers.

With their noses in front it was now the Town’s turn to come under pressure from the hosts. Justham did well to smother a dangerous free-kick from the right on 37 minutes before the stopper did even better a minute before half-time, diving at full length to his left to prevent Josh Payne’s thunderous drive from the edge of the box. The danger, however, wasn’t over and a clearance by Howells seconds later stopped John Goddard’s header from finding from the bottom corner.

Justham was called into action seven minutes into the second half when he pushed away Kevin Betsy’s swerving effort from the edge of the box. Woking continued to push for an equaliser and Gavin Williams almost provided it on 53 minutes but he couldn’t get a shot on target after bursting into the area from the left having beaten Anthony Charles.

The Cards’ were in the ascendancy after the break and the Town were struggling to create any clear-cut opportunities and with 18 minutes left Still made his first change, introducing Andre Gray for Martin. But it was all the hosts as Woking pushed for an equaliser. Home manager Garry Hill made a number of substitutions and sent centre-half Joe McNerney up in attack.

Whalley almost created a chance to seal the tie with six minutes left when he burst into the box down the left but his cross couldn’t find Benson lurking for a tap-in.

The officials added six minutes on at the end of the 90 and the Town almost sealed victory in the second minute of those when Parkinson’s back-pass eluded Beasant and rolled just past the post.

Woking continued to pump high balls into the box but the Town held out to book their place in Sunday’s first round draw.

TOWN: Justham; Henry, Howells, McNulty, Charles; Martin (sub Gray 72), Robinson (sub Parry 77), Smith, Whalley; Benson, Cullen. Subs not used: Tyler, Taiwo, Viana, Wall, Stevenson.

Attendance: 1,452 (537 from Luton).

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/woking-win-pictures-2610-1136710.aspx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjIf5iIt4cM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iARCoGpzJ4w

Cullen header sees Hatters through in controversial cup tie

FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round: Woking 0 (0) Luton Town 1 (1)

Mark Cullen’s 32nd-minute header was enough to see Luton scrape to a 1-0 victory over Woking at the Kingfield Stadium in FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round this afternoon.

A lively and controversial first half could have seen the Hatters awarded two penalties and they did just enough to grind out victory over workmanlike Woking in a scrappy second half.

It extended Luton’s unbeaten run to nine games and as a result Town will be ball number 77 in tomorrow’s first round draw at Wembley.

Town made six changes from the team that won 4-3 at Tamworth the week before. Elliot Justham was handed his debut in goal as into the team also came Anthony Charles, Jake Howells, Cullen, Matt Robinson and David Martin as a last minute replacement for Scott Griffiths who was originally on the team sheet but was injured in the warm-up.

Mark Tyler, Andy Parry and Andre Gray dropped to the bench, while Alex Lacey and Luke Guttridge were rested.

Luton made a bright start to the game as they attacked from the start, but controversy ensued on seven minutes when Shaun Whalley went down under a Jack Parkinson challenge in the area only to be booked for simulation.

In an open start, Charles headed wide from a Martin corner, while at the other end the Cards went close when Ronnie Henry could only head Kevin Besty’s cross straight at Steve McNulty as the rebound squirmed inches wide.

Martin and Howells combined well on the left as the former Welsh U21 international forced Sam Beasnt to save well with his feet as the ball span up over the bar.

Woking though were enjoying plenty of the play as Giuseppe Sole rose well to flash a header just wide on 25 minutes.

And the cards should have taken the lead three minutes later when Robinson’s sliding challenge ran kindly for Sole as he raced clean through but, with just Justham to beat, he could only fire wastefully over.

McNulty made an important interception as Betsy tried to release Gavin Williams before more controversy erupted on 31 minutes as Whalley again tricked his way into the box and seemed to be taken out by Josh Payne’s sliding tackle, only for referee Colin Lymer to signal a corner. But justice was done as Martin’s near post delivery was powerfully headed home by Cullen for his third headed goal against the Cards at the Kingfield this season.

Woking were still well in it though as Sole did superbly to nip in front of Charles as he burst on to a long ball forward and, as he looked to race clear, he was caught by the high book of the experienced defender, who thankfully just saw yellow as McNulty was close by.

Justham had to be aware to save John Nutter’s free-kick through a crowded box on 37 minutes, before the Cards twice went close a minute before the break.

Payne’s scorching 20-yard effort forced a fine full-stretch save from Justham and when the ball was chipped back into the box the unmarked John Goddard saw his header hacked away from the line by Howells.

Another swerving Payne effort was then well fielded by Justham as an eventful half drew to a close.

Woking continued to push for an equaliser after the break as Justham did well to palm away Betsy’s powerful swerving effort seven minutes in, before Williams twisted and turned his way past the already booked Charles but could only loft his effort over the bar.

An injury to one of the linesman led to a brief stoppage as he was replaced, but it was Woking who were in the ascendancy.

The pressure was lifted on the hour when Martin robbed a defender and raced down the wing but saw his byline cross cut out, while Benson could have done better when the far post corner came his way.

Town were inviting pressure on themselves with too many rushed passes, but started to come back into the game as Benson was just unable to capitalise on a half chance and Whalley dragged harmlessly wide.

It was a scrappy and nervous second half as the Cards harried at every opportunity.

Both teams made changes as Gray was introduced for Martin on 72 minutes to give Town some added zip.

The Hatters went close four minutes later when Charles’ header from Whalley’s corner dipped just over the bar and, with the winger now playing on the left flank, he saw a decent effort headed behind by McNerney.

Woking threw centre-half McNerney into the attack for the last 10 minutes as the Cards desperately looked to force a replay.

Whalley did really well to drive to the byline and get a cross in with six minutes to go, but Benson was unable to profit.

A lack of composure when in possession continued to plague the Hatters, while Betsy continued to look the Cards’ most likely source of a leveller.

Six minute of stoppage-time were added and Luton almost sealed victory in the second minute when Benson pressurised Parkinson and his back pass from an acute angle was nowhere near his keeper as it ran just wide of the far stick.

Cards captain Mark Ricketts managed a 95th-minute effort from the edge of the area that was easily saved and that was it for chances as Luton progressed into the first round proper.

Cards (4-4-2): Sam Beasant, John Goddard (Anthony McNamee 66), John Nutter, Joe McNerney, Jack Parkinson, Gavin Williams (Craig Sutherland 72), Kevin Betsy, Josh Payne, Adam Newton, Giuseppe Sole ( George Frith 80), Mark Ricketts (C). Substitutes not used: Aaron Howe, Will Salmon, Niall Wright, Reece Beecles.

Hatters (4-4-2): Elliot Justham, Jonathan Smith, Steve McNulty, Anthony Charles, Jake Howells, David Martin (Andre Gray 72), Mark Cullen, Shaun Whalley, Matt Robinson (Andy Parry 77), Ronnie Henry (C), Paul Benson. Substitutes not used: Solomon Taiwo, David Viana, Mark Tyler, Alex Wall, Jim Stevenson.

Booked: Whalley 7; Charles 36; Benson 51.

Referee: Colin Lymer. Assistant Referees: John Pike and David Spain. Four Official: Jonathan Creswick.

Attendance: 1,452 (Luton 537).

Star Hatter: Jake Howells. Put in a really reliable shift against the dangerous Betsy.

Progression in the FA Cup with a clean sheet couldn’t have been any better according to Luton Town boss John Still, writes Mark Wood.

Mark Cullen’s first half header from a corner was enough to give the Hatters a 1-0 win at Woking in what was a tricky fourth qualifying round tie on Saturday.

And having tweaked his side from the previous week’s 4-3 win at Tamworth, making a total of six changes, Still was pleased on so many levels.

He said: “Away from home in the FA Cup, particularly against a team from your level, and we were here just a little while ago weren’t we, so it’s not always the ideal situation.

“We’ve worked hard, and just changed it around a little bit to give people some time, but sometimes when you change it you lose a little bit of cohesion so I didn’t think we had as much cohesion as we normally have.

“But we’ve gone back to conceding no goals, which is good, I was pleased for Elliot (Justham) in goal.

“I thought he’s done every so well, I’m pleased for Charlo who’s been out a long, long time, was really, really pleased for him so I was happy with that.

“Matt Robinson’s not had any time so I was happy with that, Dave Martin’s not had any time so I was happy with that.

“They’ve just got some time and away from home, FA Cup, don’t concede any goals, get through to the next round, it can’t be any better than that.”

However, Still’s preparations were thrown into disarray just before kick off when Scott Griffiths hurt his knee in the warm-up and he had to add Martin into the starting XI and move Jake Howells back to left-back.

On Griffiths, Still said: “He was OK, he felt OK, but when he was warming up he just felt his knee a little bit and he possibly could have played, but I didn’t want to take the chance.

“Miss one, I think it’s really, really important that people play fit and Howellsy went in there and did very, very well so that was quite pleasing.

“It wasn’t something we envisaged but these things happen.”

And he revealed that if he had known in advance he would have been without Griffiths, he may well not have made so many other changes, but was delighted with the way his ‘rusty’ players coped.

Still continued: “As I said in the week, I wouldn’t pick a team that I didn’t think could win the football match, it’s really important that I didn’t do that.

“I wouldn’t pick, and think ‘I’m not sure about this’, I picked the team I felt could win the game.

“I knew one or two would be rusty. I know Charlo (Anthony Charles) was going to be rusty, because he hasn’t played enough.

“I knew Dave Martin was going to be rusty, he hasn’t played enough, and Matt Robinson we knew they were going to be rusty because they haven’t played enough football.

“You get to a stage where you think to yourself, these players might be called on at any other time.

“And I just think with the way we structured the team, we could actually cater for it.

“What we didn’t realise obviously was that we had to change the left-back position.

“I’m not sure I would have gone with Charlo if I knew the left-back wasn’t playing, because it’s not fair on him and by making too many changes, it wouldn’t be fair on the goalkeeper coming in behind a back four that know each other inside out.

“So I was a little bit concerned when the situation with Scott Griffiths came up, but we dealt with it very well so I was pleased with that.”

And Sill believes the Cards deliberately targeted the left-hand side of their defence because of all the changes they had made at the back.

On how difficult Woking had made their progression on the day, Still added: “Absolutely, and I give them every credit. They played quite direct, they got it into us, got around us.

“I think that after once the first half hour had gone, I think we had adjusted to the players that we had in the team.

“I think that the second half we were relatively unscathed, but everyone had to defend well, particularly Charlo.

“Because I think they targeted the left-hand side of our defence because he’s been out for a long time and what with the change at left-back.

“So I think they targeted that area and I’ve got to be honest, I thought that both of those two got stronger as the game went on, particularly with Charlo having got booked in the first half.

“I was a little bit wary of that and going through my mind to make a change there if I’m being honest, but he got stronger in the second half, so that was pleasing.

“So they targeted that area with some diagonals and some high balls, but second half I think we ended up pretty comfortable, not easy, but comfortable.”

Upset Hatters boss John Still was amazed that Shaun Whalley’s second penalty shout against Woking on Saturday wasn’t given, writes Mark Wood.

And he believes flying winger Whalley paid the price for taking a tumble on the first occasion and was set to discuss the matter with referee Colin Lymer.

He said: “To be honest, I didn’t think the first one was a penalty. I didn’t, I thought Shaun was just going down, to be honest I do.

“And I shall remind Shaun about that, but the second one was the most blatant penalty you could ever, ever, ever see.”