Town team-mates refuse to blame Gray for penalty miss

Missed chances and an inability to defend set-pieces again thwarted the Town as they were held to a 1-1 draw by promoting-chasing Forest Green Rovers at Kenilworth Road on Saturday, writes Mark Wood.

Andre Gray’s missed penalty was the biggest missed opportunity, but his team-mates refused to point fingers and believes they’d still done enough to win the game.

New boy Steve McNulty said: “Maybe we could have went on from there and kicked on, no-one likes missing pens.

“He stepped up and wanted to take it and you take your hat off to him for that. But stuff like that is going to happen and you are going to miss pens, but even before the pen we had chances to score and after that we had more chances. You can’t point the finger at one person, he’s had the guts to stand up and take the pen, good on him.

“I thought we had enough chances in the first half to win the game. Obviously we missed the pen, but it was a sloppy goal to concede from a set-piece which we’re not happy about.

“And then we have a man sent off, but I thought we still done well when we had the man sent off. I thought we still looked dangerous on the break because we’ve got some great forwards.”

Defensive partner Janos Kovacs was in agreement, saying: “On another day we would win this game I’m pretty sure, because we created enough chances. I think we cannot point our fingers on individuals. I mean of course Andre missed a pen, but it’s not his fault we didn’t win today. We draw together, we lose together and we win together. So I think we cannot point our fingers on him why we didn’t score the pen.

“Of course it’s a great chance for anyone to score a penalty, and we were very unlucky it didn’t go in today. Let’s just get on with it and move.”

Kovacs also went close to giving Luton the lead in the second half when his downward header clipped the bar on its way off.

“I followed the ball with my eyes,” he said. “It was very unlucky, but again we had enough chances. My header a few other chances, (Jon) Shawy had a great deflected second ball after a set-piece in the first half, Andre had half chances so in my eyes we had enough chances to win this game.

“I think through the whole game we were solid at the back, they didn’t create anything, they scored a set-piece the good old story. We just need to move forward and if we keep, stick what we did today sooner or later it will be fine, I’m pretty sure.”

Gray felt Luton lacked some quality going forward after initially working the ball out wide well.

He said: “I just think we probably lacked a little bit of quality in the final third, with our final balls. Obviously we played a different formation to them so there was always a spare man. I think it was just one of them games and I think we’ve had a few of them games this season, the likes of Telford and stuff where it’s just that final ball that last pass that’s just let us down today.

“The gaffer’s singled it out (crosses) what we’re crying out for most of the season. And we’ve got an understanding now as soon as the wingers get it we are going to cross the ball.

“We’ve been working on it in training for the last few days and it paid off today and obviously we should have won the game.”

But despite the disappointment of conceding from another set-piece, Kovacs was determined to take the positives.

He added: “It’s difficult to say anything. It was clear it was another set-piece where we conceded. We just need to dig in and hopefully soon it will be done and no more set-piece goals.

“It was a busy afternoon, absolutely. A few red cards, tackles, a few goals, loads of chances for us. I think we had enough chances to score the second one.

“A little bit disappointed we didn’t win the game but take the positives, I think we were solid and they didn’t create too much, so I’m happy with that side.

“It’s a little disappointment because we didn’t pick the three points up, especially at home. I know they are up there, but we have to take the positives out of the game. I think we were solid as a team, we created chances. I think on another day we would win this game. I think if we take this forward and do what we did today, a solid team performance, then I’m pretty sure sooner or later we will be fine.”

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