Gnakpa strikes late on as Town cut the gap

FLYING Frenchman Claude Gnakpa popped up with a potentially invaluable late winner for the Hatters at Church Road on Tuesday night as Town closed the gap on the top two in the Blue Square Bet Premier, writes Mark Wood.

Plucky Hayes had the better of the first half, testing keeper Mark Tyler on several occasions, but Luton improved after the break and snatched victory thanks to Gnakpa’s individual effort with 15 minutes to go.

Victory saw Hatters remain third in the table, but they closed the gap on leaders AFC Wimbledon, who they meet next Wednesday night, to just three points.

Town named an unchanged line up from the team that saw off Rushden & Diamonds 3-0 at Kenilworth Road on Saturday.

But it was bare bones Hayes who almost took the lead on two minutes when Bradley Pritchard flashed an opportunistic effort just wide.

The hosts continued their bright start and Tyler had to be alert to save Andy Yiadom’s hook shot.

Matthew Barnes-Homer had a blast well blocked at the other end before former Hatter Peter Holmes warmed Tyler’s gloves.

Both sides continued to create chances in a to-and-fro encounter, Barnes-Homer heading Dan Gleeson accurate cross well wide, Yiadom driving past a post and Danny Crow heading over from Amari Morgan-Smith’s centre.

United were looking particularly dangerous from a series of corners while Charlie Wassmer’s powerful header brought a fine save from Tyler on 13 minutes.

Barnes-Homer looped a header just over from Gnakpa’s deep cross as the chances continued to flow before Jake Hyde produced a lovely turn midway through the half and forced a good stop from Tyler.

A disjointed Hatters were finding it difficult to make their passing game tell, although Morgan-Smith had a drive crowded out as Town continued to threaten intermittently.

Crow cleared the bar with a flick header on the half hour while a defensive header from Adam Bygrave following good work by Morgan-Smith forced Lee Harrison into his first meaningful save of the night.

Hayes then wasted a great chance to snatch the lead six minutes before the break.

An offside-looking Elliott Buchanan raced on to a long ball over the top and found the unmarked Adam Green in acres of space, but the wing-back dragged his effort wide with just Tyler to beat.

Town started the second half with more purpose and after Morgan-Smith had spooned well over Luton created their best opportunity of the game.

Drury’s slide-rule pass released Crow but Harrison saved well at his feet as the striker tried to go round him and could only poke the rebound tamely wide.

Harrison then claimed a looping Crow effort before the Hatters had vociferous appeals for a penalty turned down when a Barnes-Homer shot appeared to strike the impressive Wassmer’s arm.

The home side continued to look dangerous on the break and trickery from Buchanan won him some room in the area before curling an effort straight at Tyler.

The game was becoming increasingly stretched with Morgan-Smith having a thunderbolt turned aside and Zdenek Kroca flicking a header at Harrison.

Gnakpa saw a header squirt just wide before Luton finally made the vital breakthrough with 15 minutes to go.

The Frenchman won possession in the box before skirting past the defence and unleashing a fierce shot that found the net via a couple of deflections.

Barnes-Homer almost bulldozed his way through from a canny Drury pass with 10 minutes to go before a long-range Drury free-kick took a slight nick on its way behind.

Green flashed a sizzling effort just wide five minutes later before Town should have wrapped up victory with two minutes left.

Gnakpa picked out the unmarked Morgan-Smith at the far post but he somehow contrived to head wide.

Afterwards, a hugely satisfied Town boss Richard Money said: “You can’t win leagues if you don’t win games like this.

“They were tough to break down, but once we spoke about one or two things, second half we got to grips with it and were much better.