Abysmal Luton plumb new depths in disgraceful Gateshead defeat

Blue Square Bet Premier: Gateshead 5 (3) Luton Town 1 (1)

Awful Luton plumbed new depths as they produced a disgraceful display and were completely outplayed in the 5-1 defeat by lively Gateshead this afternoon, writes Mark Wood.

Not only was it Town’s heaviest-ever defeat in the Conference it was played out in front of the lowest-ever crowd to witness a Luton first team game as the Hatters produced an abject and woeful display on a thoroughly demoralising afternoon that could have brought even more goals for their hosts.

Heed were first to every ball, showed more creativity and tenacity and did the simple things well as they ran Luton ragged all afternoon in an excruciating encounter for Hatters fans.

A total of 126 Luton fans made the massive trek north as the game was bizarrely played at Carlisle’s Brunton Park home, with Gateshead’s International Stadium unplayable.

They formed a total crowd of 382, the lowest ever to watch a competitive Luton game as it surpassed the 404 that saw them beat Welling 2-1 in the FA Trophy in December 2010.

However, it will have made painful viewing for those that made the journey as Gateshead dominated from start to finish.

Town made five changes from the team that lost 2-1 at home to Kidderminster Harriers on Monday. Skipper Steve McNulty recovered from a knock to lead a Luton team managed for the day by assistant boss Terry Harris, while manager John Still went scouting elsewhere at a mystery destination.

Keeper Dean Brill started in goal as regular number one Mark Tyler missed out as a precaution with 17-year-old youth teamer Ben McFarlane-Barnes named on the bench for the first time.

Jake Howells missed out through injury and Jon Shaw, Scott Rendell and Matt Robinson dropped to the bench as into the starting 11 came Jonathan Smith, Alex Wall, Andre Gray and Dan Walker.

Gateshead, meanwhile, named former Luton striker Liam Hatch up front as the game got off to a frenetic start.

James Brown almost created an opening early on, before Town twice threatened moments later.

Walker’s run left Paddy Boyle on the floor but his shot was blocked before Adam Bartlett was forced to turn Gray’s effort past the post from Solomon’s Taiwo’s far-post corner.

But the Heed looked lively going forward too as Lathaniel Rowe-Turner was forced to block Ryan Donaldson’s effort and Josh Gillies dragged just wide.

And Gateshead took a 12th minute lead when, following some good football, Donaldson was afforded too much space on the edge of the area and drove home past Brill.

On a high the Tynesiders doubled their lead four minutes later when the twinkle-toed Gillies skipped past Simon Ainge and McNulty and buried a powerful effort home from inside the area.

Gateshead were in complete control as Brown shanked wide before Gillies stormed through the middle on 23 minutes but Donaldson’s effort was straight at Brill.

Town were struggling to make any impact on Heed’s backline and they almost had a third when Hatch battled his way through and Brill was just out in time to beat Brown to his through ball.

Too many poor touches were making Town’s task even harder as the Heed continued to play with more confidence and fluidity.

McNulty was the first man into the book for a foul on Hatch on 33 minutes and the Heed target man got a good sight of goal two minutes later but turned it tamely at Brill.

However, Luton got themselves a lifeline seconds later as Dave Martin’s deep cross fell perfectly for Walker to sweep home his left-footed volley from six yards.

The match had a training game feel about it and Brill had to be alert to grasp Brown’s close-range hooked effort. Smith saw his shot deflected behind five minutes before the break, only for Gateshead to net a third in stoppage time.

Heed broke at pace through Hatch and Cummings and, as Luton looked to regroup at the back, McNulty was harshly adjudged to have fouled Brown and Gillies confidently blasted his penalty home to make it 3-1 at the break.

Assistant Gateshead manager David Rush and McNulty then both had words with referee Darren Handley on his way off, before the pair clashed and had to be separated with Luton coach Alan Neilson also putting his oar in.

Robinson replaced Taiwo at the break and Martin’s long-range effort flashed just wide two minutes in as Luton started with greater resolve.

But the ‘hosts’ passed up a great opportunity for a fourth when Gillies picked out Brown in the six-yard box and he held off the attentions of Jake Goodman, only for Brill to pull off a fine low stop.

At the other end Wall passed up to two presentable opportunities in close succession. Gray broke down the right on 49 minutes and laid it on a plate with an incisive cross across the face of goal, but Wall somehow scuffed wide from three yards. He then dispossessed a defender but could only blaze wildly over the bar.

Luton should have made it 3-2 on 52 minutes when Walker’s cross ran to Martin at the far post and he rounded the keeper only to see one of two defenders clear off the line.

Robinson was the second name in the book for a late challenge on 57 minutes as the Hatters played with a smidgen more application.

A heavily-deflected shot by Smith was safely held by Bartlett on 62 minutes, before good work by Brown teed up Donaldson and Brill did well to turn his stabbed effort past the post as James Curtis lashed well over following the corner.

Donaldson was at it again as Brill was forced to show good hands before Wall looked to head Walker’s lobbed cross back across goal rather than going for goal.

And things went from bad to worse for Luton on 66 minutes when Brown slipped Donaldson through and he outpaced Town’s defence before firing through the exposed Brill’s legs.

An ambitious Smith volley flew well over before Wall bashed a free-kick into the defensive wall and Gateshead broke at pace through James Marwood and only a last-gasp challenge by Robinson kept the man at the far post from making it five.

Hatch smashed another chance just wide before Rendell came on as a late sub for Wall as Luton looked shot.

A bad miskick by Hatch saw another chance go begging, while Robinson could only spiral over after a forceful run by Walker.

And Town’s miserable afternoon was compounded in the third minute of stoppage time when the ball sat up invitingly for Hatch on the edge of the area and his dipping volley looped over Brill and crashed in off the underside of the bar.

Town’s supporters reacted angrily as Luton’s players went over to clap them at the final whistle as everyone from Bedfordshire faced a sobering, long drive home with plenty to reflect upon.

Tynesiders (4-4-2): Adam Bartlett, Carl Magnay, Paddy Boyle, James Curtis (C), Josh Gillies (Jake Fowler 90), Phil Turnbull, Liam Hatch, Micky Cummins, James Brown (James Marwood 71), Ryan Donaldson (Ben Everson 86), Peter Bore. Substitutes not used: Jordan Nixon, Lewis Galpin.

Hatters (4-4-2): Dean Brill, Lathaniel Rowe-Turner, Steve McNulty (C), Simon Ainge, Dave Martin, Jonathan Smith, Alex Wall (Scott Rendell 86), Andre Gray, Dan Walker, Jake Goodman, Solomon Taiwo (Matt Robinson 46). Substitutes not used: Jon Shaw, Scott Griffiths, Ben McFarlane-Barnes.

Booked: McNulty 33; Robinson 57; Turnbull 75.

Referee: Darren Handley (Bolton).

Assistant Referees: Anthony Moore (Stockport) and Joe Johnson (Liverpool).

Fourth Official: Justine Hayes (Manchester).

Attendance: 382 (Luton 126).

Star Hatter: Dan Walker. Looked like Luton’s most likely source of creativity.