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Hard-fought point for Hatters
Jarvis lobs equaliser as Town come from behind to draw
Coca-Cola League Two
Barnet 1 (1) Luton Town 1 (0)
Ten-man Luton came from behind to claim a hard-earned point at Underhill today.
Barnet bossed the first 45 minutes and richly deserved their 1-0 half time lead courtesy of Adam Birchall's strike.
But the Hatters were far better after the break and Rossi Jarvis' lobbed equaliser was no more than they deserved.
Dean Brill pulled off a brilliant penalty save to deny former Luton striker Paul Furlong from regaining the lead for Barnet and Town's charge for victory was only stemmed when captain Kevin Nicholls was harshly dismissed for a second booking 11 minutes from time following an altercation with Yannick Bolasie.
With manager Mick Harford vowing to experiment in the remaining games the Hatters made three changes from the team that drew 0-0 with Chesterfield at Kenilworth Road on Monday.
Mark Bower was unavailable after being recalled by Bradford City, while Sam Parkin dropped to the bench and Claude Gnakpa out of the squad completely.
Into Luton's starting 11 came Sol Davis, Jarvis and Michael Spillane as Town named a defensive looking team with only Tom Craddock up front.
With little resting on the result the start of the game had the air of pre-season about it despite Luton's large and vocal travelling support.
But it was the Bees who went close first on five minutes, the visitors just clearing Birchall's dangerous cross with Furlong lurking.
Ex-Town midfielder Michael Leary then pole-axed Asa Hall with a poor challenge and an outraged Nicholls was booked for his reaction, while Leary was let off with just a warning.
Albert Adomah was denied a penalty on 11 minutes when he tumbled on the edge of the box, while Rossi Jarvis won a free-kick at the other end seconds later as referee Dean Whitestone experienced a mixed start to the game.
Luton looked to have taken the lead when Nicholls whipped that free-kick into the box. Hall and David Livermore both going close with Lee Harrison saving one effort and Spillane was on hand to ram the ball home, only for the linesman's flag to rule out his strike.
Barnet were then denied by the woodwork on 16 minutes when Bolasie showed great pace on the left and let rip from 30 yards. His effort deflected off Spillane and dipped over the beaten Brill, but fortunately for the Hatters the ball glanced the top of the bar on its way over.
Adomah sent a sizzling effort just over the bar on 21 minutes, while Hall shot tamely wide after some good build-up play soon after.
Furlong was left one-one-one with Brill midway through the half, but was denied by a combination of the Luton keeper and the linesman's flag.
Hall was harshly penalised for a challenge on the edge of the box with nine minutes left, but justice was done Kenny Gillet curled the free-kick straight into Luton's wall.
Birchall should have given the Bees the lead with three minutes of the half left, but he lofted his effort from eight yards well over the bar after Luton had struggled to clear a Barnet free-kick.
However, the Barnet striker made amends just as it looked like the teams would go into the break all square.
Jarvis' clumsy tackle had given Barnet a dangerous free-kick on the left, which Gillet whipped into the unmarked Gary Breen at the far post. Brill just about managed to push his firm header on to the post, but the ball ran across the face of goal and Birchall was allowed the simple task of tapping home at the far post.
Craddock should have done better when he raced on to a great Nicholls through ball early in the second half, but did level on 49 minutes.
A long ball by Spillane dissected the Bees' defence and Jarvis beat Harrison to the bouncing ball, before lobbing the stranded keeper and into the unguarded net.
Hall had a long-range drive easily saved by Harrison as Town began to play some nice football on the manicured surface of the famous sloping Underhill pitch.
A beautiful flowing move presented Ian Henderson with a great chance on 65 minutes. Craddock and Hall combined to put Jarvis away on the right and although Henderson was first on to his cross Barnet just managed to smuggle the ball behind.
Some poor touches from Henderson gifted the Bees possession on 69 minutes, but Joe Tabiri's daisy-cutter flashed wide.
Craddock was then unlucky to be flagged offside moments later as he looked to race on to Ed Asafu-Adjaye's long pass.
Keane's cross then caused Harrison all kinds of problems under pressure from Henderson, before Barnet were gifted a soft penalty with 15 minutes left.
Adamoah looked to be turning away from the action when he tumbled under a powder puff challenge from Sol Davis.
Last season's top scorer for Luton Furlong stepped up to take the penalty and Brill pulled off a fantastic stop, diving full-length to his right to turn his effort round the post.
Town could have snatched the lead with 13 minutes left when Nicholls through ball released Hall, but his fierce effort was beaten away by Harrison.
Controversy then struck when Nicholls was dismissed on 78 minutes. Bolasie seemed to attack him as he lay on the floor, but Northampton referee Whitestone saw fit to yellow card them both as Nicholls was sent from the field after receiving his second booking.
Hall twice and Craddock both flashed efforts wide in the closing stages, while only a great block from George Pilkington denied Furlong from troubling Brill.
Bees: Lee Harrison, Joe Devera, Kenny Gillet, Neal Bishop (C), Michael Leary, Albert Adomah, Adam Birchall, Joe Tabiri (Elliott Charles 90), Gary Breen, Paul Furlong, Yannick Bolasie. Substitutes not used: Max Porter, Mark Hughes, Nicky Nicolau, Ran Kadoch.
Hatters: Dean Brill, Sol Davis, Keith Keane, George Pilkington, Kevin Nicholls (C), David Livermore, Asa Hall, Ed Asafu-Adjaye, Rossi Jarvis (Jake Howells 90), Michael Spillane (Ian Henderson 52), Tom Craddock (Sam Parkin 84). Substitutes not used: Ian Roper, Paul McVeigh.
Referee: Dean Whitestone.
Assistant referees: Michael George and Irvine Woodward.
Fourth official: Keith Yeo.
Bookings: Nicholls, 8; Davis, 75; Nicholls, 79; Bolasie, 79; Breen, 89.
Sent off: Nicholls, 79
Star Hatter: Ed Asafa-Adjaye. Composed performance from the promising youngster.
Attendance: 2,808 (Luton 1,059).
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Weather for Luton
Friday 25 May 2012
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