Achilles heel costs Town once more

FAILING to kill off the opposition cost Hatters dear yet again as they surrendered a 1-0 lead in their draw at Lincoln City on Tuesday night, writes Mark Wood.

Town boss Gary Brabin is all too aware that his side’s inability to net a second killer goal is proving their Achilles heel.

He said: “I thought we played really well first half. We just couldn’t get that second goal.

“We deservedly went in front and had a goal disallowed.

“Then I thought, without really threatening our goal, they had a 15-20 minute period where they put us on the back foot a little bit and we fell for the sucker punch.

“I’m saying the same things. We dominate periods of the match and people seem to have a 15-20 minute period and will hurt us.

“Certainly the first 45 minutes as we are coming in 1-0 up, if I was an opposing manager and a team played as well as us first half and we came in 1-0 down I would be happy. It gives people a lift and that’s the case.

“In any other circumstance a draw away from home at Lincoln wouldn’t be a disaster.

“But because of the points we’ve dropped against Hayes, Bath and Ebbsfleet it makes it worse. We should have had three points.”

Brabin was also left dumbfounded by Luton’s now typically disappointing second half show.

He said: “We don’t set out to do that. We want to keep playing football and we want to play on the front foot.

“We’ve got to get into the minds of the players and we’ve got to give them as much confidence as we can to go out there and play.

“There were a load of pleasing aspects.

“To dominate large periods of games like we are doing and coming in only 1-0 up you are always giving the opposition a chance.”

Despite this latest setback, Brabin still believes the Hatters can clinch promotion this season.

He added: “I keep asking them to back me and I genuinely believe we are going to get promoted this year.

“That’s my belief and I want the lads to keep believing.

“We have little setbacks and it is when you look at the margin, that’s the hardest bit to take, the margin from the top sides.

“We’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing but picking up more points.

“We totally understand that and are working hard for it, but one thing we do genuinely believe is we will get promoted.”

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