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Hatters left to curse the woodwork
Unlucky Luton are sunk by the Mariners
Blue Square Bet Premier
Grimsby Town 2 (1) Luton Town 0 (0)
Unlucky Luton were left to curse the woodwork as they lost 2-0 at Blundell Park this afternoon.
The Hatters saw Adam Murray's snap-shot hit the bar in the first half and Matthew Barnes-Homer clatter the post in the second but had nothing to show for their efforts.
Alan Connell gave the home side the lead when he smashed home a harshly awarded penalty for handball against Shane Blackett midway through the first half and the Mariners sealed victory in front of the television cameras thanks to Micky Cummins' powerful second half header as Luton's winless run stretched to four games.
The Hatters made three changes to the side that drew 1-1 at home with Hayes & Yeading on Monday.
Andy Drury's red card ruled him out of this encounter, while Jake Howells and Danny Crow dropped to bench.
In came Adam Newton for his first start of the season on the left of midfield, along with Claude Gnakpa and Kevin Gallen.
The sale of Tom Craddock, meanwhile, meant that there was also a seat on the bench for new signing, Kenyan international Taiwo Atieno.
A jinking run from Gnakpa drew a foul from Mark Hudson on the edge of the box on five minutes, but Gallen's daisy-cutter was straight at on-loan Sheffield Wednesday stopper Richard O'Donnell.
The Hatters had made a really lively start and it was Gallen who went close again moments later. He did superbly to win control of Keith Keane's cross in the box and his turn and shot was deflected just over.
And Luton went even closer seconds later. The resulting corner was cleared only as far as Murray on the edge of the box and his snap-shot glanced the bar on its way over.
Newton's long throws were causing the Mariners' defence plenty of problems, but it was from one of these that midfield dynamo Keane was almost forced off.
Driving in a shot from the edge of the area the midfielder crumpled in a heap under a challenge and signaled to the bench that he thought his game was over, but after a spell of treatment he bravely battled on.
The Mariners mustered their first real chance on 21 minutes when a Luton header fell nicely for Connell, but he whizzed his effort just over.
Having briefly been on the back foot Luton went close again on 26 minutes. Gnakpa's storming run created the chance and he laid the ball into the path of Gallen, only for
Darren Kempson to get in a great block.
Grimsby, though, came back into the game and a lovely reverse pass put Connell in the clear but Mark Tyler saved well with his legs.
However, calamity struck on 29 minutes when Blackett competed for a corner and was adjudged to have handled the ball and was duly booked. Connell then stepped up and drove confidently home into the bottom left-hand corner.
Luton responded but, despite looking the better team, they couldn't find a way through. Czech defender Zdenek Kroca sent a flick header straight at O'Donnell in the closing stages, while Gnakpa's header from a corner in injury time was headed off the line by Mark Hudson as the Mariners enjoyed a fortunate half time lead.
Town started with renewed purpose, with Barnes-Homer driving over in the opening seconds.
The woodwork once again came to the hosts' rescue on 54 minutes. Barnes-Homer did superbly to chase down Murray's ball over the top, before muscling past Kempson and cutting in towards goal.
However, the former Kidderminster man was desperately unlucky to see his shot thump a post and rebound out with no-one able to take advantage of the loose ball.
Connell saw a flick header run just wide, while Bradley Wood curled tamely at Tyler.
And the Mariners all but sealed victory with their second goal on 71 minutes. Grimsby slung in a corner and midfielder Cummins met it with the sweetest of headers as he powered his effort home across goal and into the top corner.
Buoyed by that strike the home side went close again but Kroca did well to block Lee Peacock's shot.
Newton smashed well over with 12 minutes to go before Richard Money threw Atieno on for his debut as he went with three up front. And he made almost an instant impact but his header from a corner was straight at O'Donnell.
Four minutes of stoppage time was added but Town rarely threatened as Grimsby eased to victory.
Mariners (4-4-2): Richard O'Donnell, Peter Bore, Lee Ridley, Mark Hudson, Darran Kempson, Lewis Gobern (Rob Eagle 90), Micky Cummins, Lee Peacock, Steven Watt, Alan Connell, Bradley Wood (Tom Corner 79). Substitutes not used: Scott Garner, Dwayne Samuels, Steve Croudson.
Hatters (4-4-2): Mark Tyler, Dan Gleeson, Keith Keane (Pavel Besta 56), George Pilkington, Adam Newton, Matthew Barnes-Homer, Shane Blackett, Zdenek Kroca, Adam Murray, Claude Gnakpa (Taiwo Atieno 79), Kevin Gallen (Danny Crow 61). Substitutes not used: Jake Howells, Kevin Pilkington.
Referee: J Simpson.
Assistant referee: M McGrath and P Cook.
Fourth official: R Joyce.
Bookings: Blackett 29; Hudson 45; Connell 60; Kroca 62.
Attendance: 3,822 (Luton 348).
Star Hatter: Adam Newton. Hungry all-round performance despite being played out of position.
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Weather for Luton
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
