Brill error hands County a share of the spoils

Hatters twice threw away the lead as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Newport County AFC at Kenilworth Road tonight, writes Mark Wood.

Town named the same team that had performed so well against Grimsby on Friday night, but made three changes on the bench in a tasty-looking clash against a Newport outfit who picked three former Hatters in their squad.

Former stars Robbie Willmott and Aaron O’Connor, who had been involved in a Twitter spat with Town fans, were jeered at regular intervals as Luton started brightly.

Gray’s cross just failed to find David Martin after combining well with Alex Lawless, before the Welshman poked into the side netting following a defensive error as the Hatters made a bright start.

The Exiles looked lively though going forward as Willmott shot tamely at Dean Brill, Conor Washington flashed wide and O’Connor dragged across the face of goal.

In-between another good Martin cross was too deftly flicked by Lawless with Matt Robinson’s strike well blocked by a covering defender.

But Luton took a well-deserved lead on 12 minutes when Martin fired in a great first-time cross following a short corner and Gray’s mishit volley crept in at the far post.

Town though were given a massive let-off on five minutes later when Byron Anthony’s ball over the top ran for Washington and he jockeyed with Lathaniel Rowe-Turner and rounded Dean Brill, but his roll goalwards was too soft and the defender was able to somehow clear off the line.

A Lawless cross-shot flashed across County’s goal, Robinson’s long-ranger bounced straight into the keeper’s arms and Gray almost skipped through as Town continued to edge the encounter.

On the counter O’Connor’s snapshot was straight at Brill before David Pipe and Martin clashed as the Town winger put him into the stand. Both were spoken to by the referee as Pipe proceeded to put an arm into Martin in a following challenge and the disgruntled Lee Minshull nibbled at Solomon Taiwo.

However, the hosts should have doubled their lead on 33 minutes when O’Connor’s errant pass put Gray clean through but he dinked over both keeper Lenny Pidgeley and the bar. Shaw was then desperately unlucky to see his opportunistic 35-yard effort clip the bar on its way over.

In an entertaining encounter Newport should have equalised before the break when Washington seemingly fouled Rowe-Turner in the box to get free and forced a good low save from Brill.

Ex-Town target Christian Jolley replaced O’Connor at the break to cheers from the home crowd and, after some pinball in Luton’s box, Lawless was harshly booked for playing on after the referee’s whistle.

Jolley flicked Minshull’s header back across goal just wide on 51 minutes before levelling seconds later. Poor communication between Rowe-Turner and Brill ended in the defender skying a clearance and Jolley took advantage of Town’s fractured defence to fire home at the second attempt.

Luton needed a brilliant, instinctive stop to keep them level though on 63 minutes when a long throw fell to Minshull in the six-yard box and Brill reacted superbly to save low to his left.

Gray threatened at the other end but his drive was deflected over as Town made a double substitution, bringing on Jake Howells and Alex Wall for Lawless and Shaw.

Washington air-kicked when he should have found the net before Taiwo’s shot was deflected tamely at Pidgeley after Gray’s outrageous dummy.

Ex-Hatter Danny Crow received a mixed reception as a 73rd-minute sub before Brill rescued Luton again as he did well to parry substitute Michael Flynn’s fierce drive from the edge of the box.

Out of the blue, Town retook the lead with 12 minutes to go when good play by Wall eventually saw his pull-back fall for Gray who powered an unstoppable drive into the top corner.

Wall then saw a drive turned behind and Brill saved Willmott’s free-kick before a terrible decision by the keeper to punch rather than catch handed the Exiles an equaliser as the ball was crossed back in and Jolley headed home his second from close range.

Andy Sandell lashed over a late free-kick and Flynn fired wide, while Robinson’s volley from the edge of the box dipped just wide as honours finished even.

Hatters (4-4-2): Dean Brill, Lathaniel Rowe-Turner, Steve McNulty (C), Alex Lawless (Jake Howells 66), Jon Shaw (Alex Wall 66), David Martin, Matt Robinson, Jonathan Smith, Andre Gray, Solomon Taiwo, Scott Griffiths.

Substitutes not used: Mark Tyler, Dan Walker, Jake Goodman.

Exiles (3-5-2): Lenny Pidgeley, David Pipe (C), Andrew Hughes, Tony James, Aaron O’Connor (Christian Jolley 46), Lee Minshull, Andy Sandell, Byron Anthony, Robbie Willmott, Conor Washington (Danny Crow 73), Scott Donnelly (Michael Flynn 69).

Substitutes not used: Alan Julian, Will Evans.

Booked: Lawless 49; Howells 81.

Referee: M Bull.

Assistant Referees: S Finch and S Feerick.

Fourth Official: R Hyde.

Attendance: 5,125 (Newport 103).

Star Hatter: Andre Gray. Potent and deadly in front of goal.

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