Hatters hold Tynesiders to stalemate

A battle of attrition in terrible weather conditions finished all square this afternoon as Luton were held to a goalless draw by Gateshead at the International Stadium, writes Mark Wood.

And with leaders Cambridge United and second placed Kidderminster Harriers both losing on their travels, Town closed the gap to seven points on top spot as they kept their 10th clean sheet in 18 games this season.

Luke Guttridge wasted the Hatters’ two best chances in either half, while it took until the 92nd minute for either keeper to make a save as Mark Tyler did well to hold on to James Curtis’ header at the death to preserve a point for the Town.

Town made six changes from the team that edged to a 1-0 win at Woking in the FA Cup the week before. Tyler, Scott Griffiths, Andy Parry, Guttridge, Andre Gray and Alex Lacey were all recalled to the starting XI, while the Heed named ex-Hatter Liam Hatch in their starting team.

The Hatters went close after just three minutes as Jonathan Smith’s low long-range shot was deflected just wide.

A slow start continued, but the Heed almost snatched the lead on 12 minutes when Mark Tyler came and failed to connect properly with his punch from Phil Turnbull’s free-kick. James Curtis then turned the ball goalwards, but Steve McNulty was in the right place at the right time to clear away from the line.

The visitors struggled to settle with too many hurried balls forward, but should have taken the lead with a lovely move on 19 minutes. Smith won the ball in midfield and released Gray whose ball was expertly flicked into the path of Guttridge by Paul Benson. But with just the keeper to beat the goalscoring midfielder lashed wastefully wide.

Moments the later Smith was then yellow-carded for a late challenge on James Curtis.

Gateshead were coping with the difficult conditions better and went close again on 23 minutes when Rob Ramshaw’s clever ball over the top released Jamie Chandler, who beat Tyler to the ball to hook goalwards, but McNulty was again on hand to head away from the line.

A rare Luton counter saw Gray look to go it alone when he should have released Howells on the left as Town struggled to adapt to play with the strong breeze at their backs.

The Tyensiders cleverly looked to play out from the back with the Hatters failing to press high enough up the pitch when they should have looked to squeeze their hosts at every opportunity.

Town were finally awarded their first free-kick of the half five minutes before the break by the linesman when Gray was bundled over by Lewis Sirrell on the byline, and Howells’ driven delivery hit McNulty as it ran just wide.

With the rain starting to pour down again the Heed almost grabbed the lead on the cusp of half time when Ramshaw crept in between Lacey and McNulty but could only glance Craig Baxter’s cross just wide.

Centre-half Ben Clark made an important intervention at the start of the second half as he cut out Howells’ crossfield ball looking for Gray three minutes in.

Town started to play with a greater tempo as they looked to pressure Heed into a mistake, but it was the Tynesiders who found a sight of goal on 58 minutes when Sirrell’s long-range effort deflected off McNulty and dipped just over.

The Tynesiders went close again three minutes later when Colin Larkin skinned Griffiths and sub James Brown just couldn’t connect with his driven cross across the face of goal.

Despite continuing to struggle, the Hatters wasted another great chance to break the deadlock on 64 minutes. Gray tangled with defender just inside the box and the ball ran nicely for Guttridge who could only drag an awful effort wide when he should have at the very least hit the target.

Hatch was withdrawn in place of Adam Boyes as heavy rain once again returned, only for the Town to make a hash of another break with Gray straying offside after good work from Guttridge, Howells and Benson.

Gray again lost track of the line as he forced a superb save from Adam Bartlett with his header from Guttridge’s cross, only to be flagged offside.

The misfiring Luton striker was promptly replaced by Cullen as the rain proceeded once again to lash down. So heavy did the rain become that the game threatened to turn into a lottery with the ball starting to hold up on the sodden surface.

Sub Carl Magnay found John Oster, but he could only fire over after beating Ronnie Henry, before Tyler was finally forced into his only save of the game in the second minute of injury time, doing well to hold on to Curtis’ header from Oster’s 92nd-minute corner as the game finished all square.

Tynesiders (4-3-3): Adam Bartlett, Jamie Chandler (Carl Magnay 75), James Curtis, Ben Clark (C), Colin Larkin, Phil Turnbull, Liam Hatch (Adam Boyes 67), Craig Baxter, Rob Ramshaw (James Brown 58), Lewis Sirrell, John Oster. Substitutes not used: Mick Cummins, Josh Walker.

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

Booked: Smith 20.

Referee: Ross Joyce (Billingham).

Assistant Referees: Stuart Campbell (Middlesbrough) and Alan Marshall (Selby).

Fourth Official: Paul Brown (Newcastle upon Tyner).

Attendance: 1,080 (Luton 302).

Star Hatter: Steve McNulty. Tower of strength at the back all afternoon.

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