Unhappy New Year as Town’s title hopes stuck in the mud

Blue Square Bet Premier
Woking 3 (1) Luton Town 1 (1)

Town’s promotion bid got stuck in the mud at the Kingfield Stadium this afternoon as Woking reversed their 3-1 Boxing Day loss at Kenilworth Road with victory by the same margin, writes Mark Wood.

Having equalised through Andre Gray’s early strike, Jon Shaw was twice denied by the bar before an error from Mark Tyler handed the hosts the lead, before substitute Jayden Stockley netted the winner.

Earlier, Town had made one change from the side that had beaten the Cards as new signing Scott Neilson went straight into the starting XI with Stuart Fleetwood dropping to the bench, where he was joined by fellow new boy Jonathan Smith following his £50,000 move from York City.

Woking, meanwhile, named Loick Pires up front, who had impressed as a sub at Kenilworth Road, while top scorer Bradley Bubb started after suspension, as did ex-Hatter Adam Newton.

The hosts made a flying start on a muddy surface as the Hatters struggled to play with the bright sun in their eyes.

Tyler did well to tip Adam Doyle’s drive over the bar on two minutes, but seconds later he could do nothing as Billy Knott lashed home an unstoppable swerving drive from just outside the box.

Neilson got the better of Newton but saw his pass to Scott Rendell cut out before the Hatters levelled with a stunning strike from Gray on eight minutes.

Alex Lawless teased a pass over the top and the in-form forward raced away before blasting past Aaron Howe from 20 yards.

Rendell lofted an effort just over as both sides made errors on a ploughed field of a pitch that got worse by the minute.

Makeshift striker Joe McNerney then crafted a great chance for the hosts to retake the lead on 23 minutes. His reverse pass left Jake Howells flat-footed as Bubb snuck in but, with just Tyler to beat, he thrashed wastefully wide.

Harried Town were struggling to adapt and impose themselves on the game as Kevin Betsy fired well over.

Pires was booked for a nasty late challenge on Simon Ainge on 39 minutes before the hosts survived a massive scare before the break.

Gray broke on to another Lawless through ball and his cross was miskicked as it ran to Neilson at the back post. Trying to make space he saw his effort blocked before Shaw unleashed a brilliant dipping 25-yard effort that beat Howe but crashed against the bar and out.

Luton finished strongly as Rendell and Ronnie Henry combined well and Jack Parkinson survived handball claims from the latter’s cross, before Shaw was thwarted at the back post and then saw an effort deflected behind.

The visitors started the second half in the same vein as Rendell headed Howells’ cross just over in the opening moments.

Neilson was booked for a lunge on Betsy on 53 minutes before he was just unable to get away a shot as he latched on to Rendell’s knockdown.

Henry burst into the box and had a shot blocked before Cards skipper Mark Ricketts was booked on 58 minutes for cynically hauling down Neilson.

Somehow the scores were still level just past the hour when Henry delivered a beautiful cross into the box for the onrushing Shaw and Howe got a touch to turn it on to the bar as the Cards survived.

With Town in the ascendancy the hosts made a double change, but it was Shaw who was again denied on 68 minutes when Howells whipped in a free-kick and his header was pawed round the post by Howe.

Seconds later though it was the Cards who were left to curse their luck as Knott’s pass put substitute Gavin McCallum clean through but, with just the keeper to beat, he lofted his chip too high as it clipped the bar on its way over.

Arnaud Mendy was booked for one foul too many before a keeping error allowed Woking to snatch the lead against the run of play with 16 minutes to go.

Ricketts’ pass released Bubb and his low shot crept out of Tyler’s grasp as Knott was on hand to slide into the gaping net.

The Cards made it 3-1 four minutes later as McCallum fired a great cross into the box and fellow replacement Stockley planted his header past the helpless Tyler.

That prompted a double change for Town as Smith and Fleetwood replaced Mendy and Shaw as Smith soon dragged an effort wide before Lathaniel Rowe-Turner came on for Howells.

With the clock ticking down Fleetwood saw an effort deflected wide and Janos Kovacs was clattered by the keeper as he beat Howe to Rowe-Turner’s cross, but nothing was given.

Betsy then arrowed an effort towards the top corner in stoppage time and, although Tyler pulled off a great save to turn his shot over, the damage was already done.

Cards (4-5-1): Aaron Howe, Adam Newton, Mark Ricketts (C), Joe McNerney (Gavin McCallum 63), Adam Doyle, Loick Pires (Jayden Stockley 63), Jack Parkinson, Bradley Bubb, Kevin Betsy, Billy Knott (Dean Sinclair 90), John Nutter.

Substitutes not used: Mike Cestor, Andy Little.

Hatters (4-3-3): Mark Tyler, Janos Kovacs, Alex Lawless, Jon Shaw (Stuart Fleetwood 79), Scott Rendell, Jake Howells (Lathaniel Rowe-Turner 84), Simon Ainge, Arnaud Mendy (Jonathan Smith 79), Scott Neilson, Ronnie Henry (C), Andre Gray.

Substitutes not used: JJ O’Donnell, Dean Brill.

Bookings: Pires 39 Neilson 53; Ricketts 58; Mendy 70; Rowe-Turner 90+4.

Referee: Nick Kinseley.

Assistant Referees: Andrew Parker and Michael Smith.

Fourth Official: Tony Goddard.

Attendance: 2,961 (Luton 989).

Star Hatter: Ronnie Henry. Fine all-round performance from the skipper.

For all the latest Luton Town FC news, reports, stats, player profiles, live match updates, MOM poll, prediction table and a complete fixture list, visit our Hatters Microsite.

Related topics: