Luton defeat 10-man Vale
Hatters win despite conceding another late goal
Luton Town 2 Port Vale 1
See a slideshow of pictures from Saturday's game
Luton once again conceded a late goal but this time earlier strikes from Paul Furlong and David Bell meant it didn't matter against ten-man Port Vale.
Luton almost took an early lead when Alan Goodall's downward header from Bell's second minute corner bounced up and hit the underside of the bar before being cleared.
Four minutes later good work between Matthew Spring and Goodall sent Spring into the box but he fired wide under pressure.
Hatters continued to press and Dave Edwards met Bell's 12th minute free-kick with a glancing header which flew over the bar.
The same duo combined again on 19 minutes but Edwards again headed over, this time from a Bell right-wing corner.
Port Vale were offering little threat but on 26 minutes they had their first effort, a 20-yard strike from David McGoldrick which flew narrowly wide of David Forde's goal.
Hatters pressure was eventually made to count from another Bell corner, after Vale's Craig Rocastle needlessly conceded a corner with a misplaced back pass.
Bell's 30th minute kick was whipped in and Furlong continued his rich vein of goalscoring form by netting with a fine left-footed volley from six yards.
Vale almost replied three minutes later when Mark McGregor's cross was only half cleared and Danny Whitaker hit a low shot which flew just wide with Forde stranded.
Hatters should have doubled their lead on 39 minutes when Edwards played in Spring on the left-hand side of the box but his first touch let him down and with his second he screwed his shot wide on the stretch.
On 41 minutes another Bell corner caused havoc in the Vale penalty area. The ball whizzed across the face of the goal-line with no-one able to apply a final touch.
Moments later referee Paul Melin handed Luton a man advantage with the out-of-the-blue sending off Vale defender Ashley Westwood. The player exchanged words with the official who had prevented his team taking a quick free-kick and a red card was brandished to the crowd's amazement.
A minute before the break, Edwards almost added a second for Hatters but after being played into the left-side of the box he blazed over.
Early in the second period, Dean Morgan went on a weaving run but his shot from the edge of the box lacked the power to seriously trouble Joe Anyon in the Vale goal.
Furlong got close to getting his and Luton's second when he got on the end of a Morgan cross but an out-of-position Anyon recovered to grab the ball as it looped goalwards.
On the hour Furlong did have the ball in the net from close range after a Bell right-wing cross. But Mr Melin disallowed the effort, ruling the striker had used an arm to convert and he issued him with a yellow card.
Luton continued to press for the goal which would kill the game. On 69 minutes Spring played in Bell who advanced into the right of the box and struck a fierce drive which was well saved by Anyon.
With ten minutes left, sub Darren Currie connected with Goodall's left-wing cross but directed a stooping header wide.
The second finally did come on 86 minutes after good interplay between Richard Jackson and Bell which saw the latter unleash a tremendous drive from the edge of the box which flew into the right corner of the Vale net.
The visitors set up a late panic though as from their first corner in the 90th minute, Shane Tudor crossed for Justin Miller to head on and Luke Rodgers nodded home from close range to make it 2-1.
Hatters: David Forde, Alan Goodall, Chris Perry, Chris Coyne, Richard Jackson, Dean Morgan (Darren Currie 65), David Bell, Steve Robinson, David Edwards (Paul McVeigh 70), Matthew Spring, Paul Furlong (Calvin Andrew 88).
Unused subs: Drew Talbot, Jaroslaw Fojut.
Vale: Joe Anyon, George Pilkington, Paul Harsley (Justin Miller 52), Luke Rodgers, Paul Edwards, Danny Whitaker, Mark McGregor, Craig Rocastle, Ashley Westwood, Callum Willock (Marc Richards 60), David McGoldrick (Shane Tudor 77).
Unused subs: Jason Talbot, Robin Hulbert.
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Weather for Bedford
Monday 28 May 2012
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Temperature: 12 C to 25 C
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