Drury’s stunner earns Hatters a replay

Town bring Charlton back to Kenilworth Road

FA Cup, second round

Charlton Athletic 2 (2) Luton Town 2 (1)

A STUPENDOUS late strike from Andy Drury kept Hatters’ FA Cup dreams alive as they twice fought back from behind to claim a 2-2 at Charlton Athletic in the second round of the FA Cup on Saturday, writes Mark Wood.

Town completely dominated against the League One high-flyers in the first half as Town trailed 2-1 at the break despite Drury netting the rebound from a penalty he had seen saved.

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The Addicks tightened up after the break, but Luton were not to be denied as Drury let fly with a 25-yard screamer to send the massed ranks of Hatters fans behind the goal berserk and earn them a replay back at Kenilworth Road a week on Tuesday.

Hatters boss Richard Money named the most attacking of options available to him as Luton made three changes to the team that won 5-1 at home against Histon last Saturday.

Dan Gleeson was reinstated at right-back with fit-again duo Amari Morgan-Smith and Danny Crow both being plunged straight back into the first XI.

Out went the injured Freddie Murry and cup-tied pair Jason Walker and Alex Lawless.

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Town started in lively fashion with Morgan-Smith doing well to burst on to Gleeson’s ball over the top in the second minute, although he tumbled in the box, while a brilliant stop tip over from keeper Rob Elliot kept out Drury’s dipping free kick.

The Hatters were caught with a sucker punch two minutes later as the Addicks took the lead in all too simple a fashion. The home side were allowed room on the left and when they whipped the cross in the unmarked Joe Anyinsah plant his header home from just a couple of yards out.

Athletic striker Paul Benson then unnecessarily shoved Jake Howells into the hoardings behind the goal as he tried to shepherd the ball out and was rightly yellow-carded.

Undeterred the Hatters continued to play some great stuff and Matthew Barnes-Homer was inches from equalising when his piledriver from 25 yards smacked a post and rebounded out.

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Crow then had a curler easily saved before Howells burst on to Drury’s superb pass on 18 minutes but could only toe-poke over.

A glorious Hatters move ended up with Crow putting Claude Gnakpa clear only for the linesman’s flag to harshly curtail the chance.

Another gilt-edged opportunity went begging on 23 minutes when Crow stole on to Barnes-Homer’s flick but Elliot saved at his feet.

Town deservedly levelled on the half-hour mark. Drury’s canny pass released Morgan-Smith into the box and his bad touch drew a foolish foul from Simon Francis and referee Mr Langford pointed to the spot. Drury drove down the middle and, although Elliot saved with his foot, the winger was on hand to head the rebound into the unguarded net.

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Luton were almost ahead two minutes later as Barnes-Homer touched Morgan-Smith’s ball into the path of Gnakpa who swept home, only for the linesman’s flag to rule it out.

Once again the visitors went to sleep and were ruthlessly punished with 11 minutes of the half left. The ball broke to Wagstaff in the area and, although Tyler saved his low shot, Johnnie Jackson was lurking at the far post to head into the corner via a deflection from Gleeson.

Anyinsah flashed wide late on for the Addicks before weathering a late Luton storm as the London side enjoyed a narrow and fortuitous half time lead.

Charlton started the second half brightly with Benson sending an effort just over from a corner after just two minutes, while Tyler had to turn a deep cross over the bar before saving Miguel Llera’s weak close-range header.

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Having been played off the park at times in the first half, the Addicks were far more organised and effective in second period as they limited Luton’s chances.

But Town were still very much in the game and spurned a fine opportunity on 69 minutes. Keith Keane’s searching ball found Barnes-Homer and his centre was flicked just wide by Morgan-Smith.

The Hatters continued to create and press with substitute Taiwo Atieno just unable to get a killer touch on to Howells’ cross.

Therry Racon rolled a shot straight at Tyler but for all their endeavour Town were struggling to create clear-cut chances.

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Out of nothing, Luton levelled with a stunning strike on 83 minutes as a forceful run by substitute Dan Walker through the middle ate up the ground and Gnakpa’s ball ran to Drury who let fly into the top left-hand corner from 25 yards as the packed away end went ballistic.

Almost immediately Charlton substitute Akpo Sodje hit back, but his drive flew across the face of goal.

A purposeful late run by Atieno ended with Barnes-Homer blasting into the side netting while a Benson header was straight at Tyler.

Seconds later and Town were denied what looked a stonewall penalty. Gnakpa’s trickery won him space in the box and Jackson seemed to push him over, but the referee waved away the vociferous appeals for a penalty.

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A late Luton corner squirmed agonisingly wide in an end-to-end finish but despite laying siege to the Addicks goal, Luton were unable to find a winner and the pair will do it all over again a week on Tuesday.

Addicks: Rob Elliot, Simon Francis, Johnnie Jackson, Miguel Llera, Scott Wagstaff, Therry Racon, Kyel Reid, Alan McCormack, Paul Benson, Joe Anyinsah (Akpo Sodje 76), Jonathan Fortune (C). Substitutes not used: Ross Worner, Pawel Abbott, Yado Mambo, Callum Harriott, Freddie Warren, Jordan Cousins.

Hatters: Mark Tyler, Dan Gleeson, Keith Keane, George Pilkington (C), Amari Morgan-Smith (Dan Walker 78), Matthew Barnes-Homer, Andy Drury, Zdenek Kroca, Jake Howells, Claude Gnakpa, Danny Crow (Taiwo Atieno 64). Substitutes not used: Lewis Kidd, Craig Hinton, Ed Asafu-Adjaye, Pavel Besta, Godfrey Poku.

Referee: O Langford.

Assistant referees: N Lugg and G Hambling.

Fourth official: M Scholes.

Bookings: Benson 14; Keane 25; Glesson 54; McCormack 56.

Attendance: 8,682 (2,870).

Star Hatter: Andy Drury – Unplayable first half and wonder strike for the equaliser.

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