No goals as Hatters and Chairboys share spoils

Luton Town 0 
Wycombe Wanderers 0

THE Hatters contrived to miss a number of good chances last night as League Two Wycombe Wanderers held on for a draw at Kenilworth Road, writes Mark Wood.

Town stepped up their pre-season preparations with a good showing against the Chairboys and, but for some better finishing, could have enjoyed a healthy victory as they stretched their unbeaten run to four games.

Manager Paul Buckle again mixed things up, but summer signings Jon Shaw, Danny Spiller and Garry Richards were once again missing with the first two yet to feature this pre-season.

Ronnie Henry again took the captain’s armband as he lined up at centre-half alongside Lathaniel Rowe-Turner in a defence made up entirely of full-backs, while their League Two opponents named former Hatters Matt Spring and skipper Gary Doherty in their starting XI.

The Chairboys almost took the lead on five minutes when Matt Bloomfield seized on a misplaced pass and his 20-yard effort grazed the bar with the fit-again Mark Tyler beaten.

Marvin McCoy fired well over while Doherty twice went close from an 11th minute corner, Yaser Kasim clearing off the line as a scramble in the box ensued, before the ageing centre-half dragged an effort wide.

Disjointed Luton struggled to make their mark early on, but JJ O’Donnell did see one fierce drive blocked by the face of Doherty as they gradually upped the pace.

Sam Wood did well to get on the end of Joel Grant’s 27th-minute flick but pulled his effort well wide, while Greg Taylor was off target with an overly-ambitious effort.

Wood warmed Tyler’s hands with a low drive and Stuart Beavon flicked wide from a free-kick as a largely-uneventful half dragged on.

But Luton should have snatched the lead out of the blue on 36 minutes when Scott Rendell, playing against his former club, whipped in a delicious cross only for Andre Gray to head wastefully wide when he should have at the very least tested the keeper.

A good challenge from Anthony Stewart then denied the onrushing Gray, before he linked superbly with Jake Howells, but the Welsh U21 international’s effort flew inches over.

Town made just the two changes at the break and could even have had a penalty early in the second half when Doherty seemed to get more of substitute Janos Kovacs than the ball.

Fellow sub Alex Lawless also made an instant impact with industry, pulling the strings on the edge of the box before lashing wide.

Doherty survived calls of handball in the box from a Gray effort as the tackles began to fly in.

It was the former Hinckley man who missed another glorious chance on 55 minutes when he could only send his header from Lawless’ cross just wide of the upright.

Wanderers made a quadruple substitution on 58 minutes while a great challenge by the energetic O’Donnell was fed back into his path by Gray but he failed to pull the trigger when he had the chance.

O’Donnell showed good upper body strength before almost slipping in Gray, while at the other end Tyler had to be alert as Rowe-Turner almost put through his own net from Dennis Oli’s cross with Beavon lurking.

Great play by the impressive Howells ended in O’Donnell threading through Gray but his touch was too heavy as he rounded Nikki Bull.

His cross was cleverly dummied by Rendell for Matt Robinson, who, within seconds of coming on saw his shot hit Leon Johnson’s arm, but nothing was given.

Luton then put together the best bit of football of the night with 15 minutes to go as a sumptuous team move eventually saw Gray square for Stuart Fleetwood who side-footed wide.

Bull then twice denied the Hatters, saving with his feet from Dan Walker before palming away starlet Charlie Smith’s effort from outside the area as the sides shared the spoils from a competitive encounter.

Hatters (4-3-3): Mark Tyler, Greg Taylor (Matt Robinson 69), Jake Howells, Yaser Kasim, Adam Watkins (Alex Lawless 46), JJ O’Donnell (Charlie Smith 76), Andre Gray (Jake Woolley 76), Sott Rendell (Alasan Ann 90), Stuart Fleetwood (Dan Walker 75), Lathaniel Rowe-Turner, Ronnie Henry (C, Janos Kovacs 46).

Substitutes not used: Dean Beckwith, Dean Brill, Leeroy Maguraushe.

Chairboys (4-4-2): Nikki Bull, Matt Spring, Matt Bloomfield, Sam Wood (Grant Basey 58), Denni Oli (Lee Angol 78), Joel Grant (Leon Johnson 58), Charles Dunne (Stuart Lewis 58), Marvin McCoy (Richard Logan 58), Stuart Beavon, Anthony Stewart, Gary Doherty (C).

Substitutes not used: Matt Ingram, Kortney Hause.

Referee: Pat Miller.

Assistant Referees: Rob Hodges and Richard Kendall.

Fourth Official: James Campbell.

Attendance: 1,619.

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