Hard-to-beat Hatters held to goalless draw by Mariners

Watertight Luton ground out their third goalless draw of the season in front of the BT Sport cameras at Kenilworth Road this evening, writes Mark Wood.

The Hatters were in the ascendancy in the first half and enjoyed the better of what chances there were without forcing Grimsby keeper James McKeown into any serious action.

At the other end Town stopper Mark Tyler didn’t have a single save to make as Luton kept their fifth clean sheet in seven matches and extended their run to 387 minutes without conceding a goal.

Town’s starting XI was unchanged from the team that won 2-0 at Kidderminster the week before, with the only change coming on the bench where Jim Stevenson replaced David Martin.

The Hatters made a fine start as, after a lovely flowing move, Steve McNulty headed wide from Luke Guttridge’s corner.

Luton looked to attack from the start and home debutant Paul Benson was just unable to get on the end of Ronnie Henry’s fifth-minute cross.

Joe Colbeck was the first man in the book on 13 minutes as he tripped Jake Howells mid-run after a lightning break from a corner.

The Hatters went close again soon after when Benson, charging in at the back post, could only head Howells’ inswinging corner just wide.

Luton were playing some good stuff and forced a first save from McKeown on 17 minutes when the Mariners’ defence parted but Jonathan Smith’s low drive lacked power and was easy for the keeper.

Great work by the impressive Howells ended with a wayward effort on 22 minutes, while a brilliant first-time ball from the right was only cleared to the edge of the box where Benson jabbed wide with his first-time effort.

Guttridge burst through the middle on 29 minutes but could only fire well over, while there were concerns for young Alex Lacey when he landed heavily and received a spell of treatment, but he eventually got back to his feet and was able to battle on.

Alex Rodman finally had Grimsby’s first attempt on goal 34 minutes in when he lofted a long-range free-kick well over.

The Lacey injury seemed to take the sting out of the encounter a little until Guttridge’s downward header from Henry’s centre went just wide.

Half shouts for a penalty were waved away on 37 minutes when ex-Hatter Alan Goodall bundled over Andre Gray in the box as he looked to latch on to a long pass forward.

At the other end Craig Disley dragged harmlessly wide, but it was Town who continued to create, Howells seeing his header deflect off marker Paul Bignot with Benson heading straight at McKeown from the resulting corner.

Former Wales U21 international Howells flicked Henry’s cross just wide four minutes before the break as the rain suddenly began to hammer down.

A great challenge from the burgeoning Lacey thwarted Patrick McLaughlin before Luton should have taken the lead in the second minute of stoppage time when Gray looked to turn on to Howells’ pass on the edge of the area and the ball rebounded to Benson at the far post. The target man’s eyes lit up but Shaun Pearson was in the right place at the right time to head off the line to deny the Hatters a first first half goal of the season.

Histon summer signing Stevenson made his debut as a half time substitute for the injured Lacey as Andy Parry dropped into the back four as a result.

Stevenson flashed a shot just wide nine minutes in and Pearson was then yellow-carded for arguing with the referee as the visitors started the second half with more intent.

The game lulled as the Mariners enjoyed their best spell of the game. A ball was allowed to bounce in the box as Pearson threatened and Rodman had his shot blocked by McNulty, while Scott Kerr was also closed down on the edge of the area.

Town stuttered in their attempts to go froward as Luton’s fans tried to rally them with chants of ‘John Still barmy army’.

Guttridge saw another effort from distance fly wide of the mark as Shaun Whalley was brought on for Gray on 71 minutes.

Luton were inches away from taking the lead though three minutes later when Benson beat his man and teed up the onrushing Stevenson, but his daisycutter fizzed past McKeown’s far post.

Good skills from Howells ended in a disappointing curler over the bar, while ex-Hatter Scott Neilson was greeted by a mild chorus of boos as he replaced Rodman with 10 minutes to go.

Paul Bignot had half-hearted shouts for a penalty dismissed when he got the wrong side of the solid Scott Griffiths with seven minutes to go, while Luton went for the jugular as Alex Wall replaced Guttridge on 84 minutes and immediately ploughed forward as he saw his deflected effort saved by the diving McKeown.

Wall made a real nuisance of himself in the closing stages and Benson sent a low shot on the turn straight at the keeper in the third minutes of stoppage-time as Town weren’t quite able to force a winner.

Hatters (4-3-3): Mark Tyler, Jonathan Smith, Steve McNulty, Jake Howells, Scott Griffiths, Andy Parry, Luke Guttridge (Alex Wall 84), Ronnie Henry (C), Paul Benson, Andre Gray (Shaun Whalley 71), Alex Lacey (Jim Stevenson 46). Substitutes not used: Mark Cullen, Elliot, Justham.

Mariners (4-4-1-1): James McKeown, Scott Kerr, Shaun Pearson, Chris Doig, Joe Colbeck (Andy Cook 87), Craig Disley (C, Andi Thanoj 88), Lenell John-Lewis, Pail Bignot, Alan Goodall, Alex Rodman (Scott Neilson 80), Patrick McLaughlin. Substitutes not used: Clayton McDonald, Ross Hannah.

Booked: Colbeck 13; Pearson 54.

Referee: P Bankes.

Assistant Referees: C Taylor and K Morris.

Fourth Official: A Coggins.

Attendance: 6,131 (Grimsby 265).

Star Hatter: Scott Griffiths. Didn’t give an inch at the back with an assured performance.