Luton booed off once more after being held at home by bottom club Port Vale

Luton Town were held to a hugely disappointing 2-2 draw by bottom side Port Vale at what was an increasingly agitated Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

Going up against a team who hadn’t scored a goal in the league for six games since October 11, late September the last time they had tasted that winning feeling in the third tier, then the expectation was for the Hatters to get a morale-boosting victory under their belts ahead of a busy festive schedule. It looked like that might happen when Cohen Bramall added to his scrapbook of superb free kicks in the first half, only to see the visitors break their lengthy duck just before the interval and then actually move in front early in the second period.

Although Town were able to hit back through Mads Andersen, it was done so in what was a fractious atmosphere, with boos from a number of fed up supporters greeting the players during the game and at the full time whistle too, despite the hosts making it four league matches unbeaten themselves. Before kick-off, home boss Jack Wilshere made two changes from the 1-1 draw at Leyton Orient in midweek, Milli Alli starting in the league for the first time since the manager’s opening game in charge, while Andersen came back too, Lamine Fanne dropping to the bench and Jerry Yates missing out completely.

Midfielder Jordan Clark was also among the substitutes after his impressive cameo in midweek, Nahki Wells fit enough to return, with the main talking point being captain Kal Naismith keeping his place in the XI despite struggling during Tuesday night’s clash in east London, as he was moved to a left back role this time, and to be fair, did very little wrong throughout.

Following a quiet start, Luton started to come to life after 10 minutes, a lovely move down the right seeing Liam Walsh release Alli whose first time cross was turned behind for a corner that Saville picked out an unmarked Gideon Kodua to volley over. Kodua then became the architect himself, sending Bramall away on the left, his cross just taken off the head of a lurking Jacob Brown, switched to the central role on this occasion.

The hosts’ passing already appeared far crisper than it had been midweek, Walsh picking out Alli who was able to get the ball on his left foot and have a crack that was deflected behind. However, Vale were inches away from ending their lengthy drought on 20 minutes, George Byers hammering a half volley that looked in, Keeley gratefully watching it flash past his upright.

Kodua forced visiting stopper Ben Amos into a comfortable save from a heavily deflected effort midway through the half, before Saville won a cheap free kick from Ruari Paton which the visitors had every right to be annoyed about, even more so when Bramall is on the field. As he has done twice before, the wingback stepped up and let fly with an absolutely terrific set-piece, showing incredible technique to give Amos no chance at all, firing into the top corner for what is probably the best of his trio so far.

The visitors were dealt a blow shortly afterwards when former Belgium U21 international Funso Ojo had to go off injured, Rhys Walters in his place, as Town tried to double their advantage, Saville’s free kick met by Naismith a good 16 yards out, his header straight at Amos. Luton were then pegged back on 42 minutes though when Alli gave a needless free kick away allowing Paton to send in a terrific delivery for Ben Waine to escape the attentions of Brown and plant his header beyond Keeley, allowing the over 1,000 visiting fans to finally celebrate the goal they had been craving.

Wilshere made one change at the break, taking off the ineffective Alli for Shayden Morris, but Luton began absolutely dreadfully, unable to get the ball out of their half early on, which saw boos when they held on to possession at the back for what was too long in their supporters’ eyes. They paid the price on 54 minutes as well, Paton allowed to venture into the box unchallenged and although Keeley parried his shot, the ball bounced to Devante Cole who had the simplest job of tapping into the empty net, leading to a chorus of jeers from the home crowd and chants of ‘you’re not fit to wear the shirt.’

The Hatters were almost level instantly, the one bright spark, Bramall, sprinting away on the left, his cross turned over while under heavy pressure from a few yards by Morris. Vale remained in the hunt for a third too, a low ball going all the way through the box and Paton unable to divert on target at the back post, as it wasn’t even worth thinking about what would have happened to the atmosphere had that gone in.

Wilshere went to his bench again, bringing on Clark and Wells for Saville and Brown, with Clark’s introduction at least getting a good response from an increasingly toxic Kenilworth Road crowd, although he was almost instantly booked for a late tackle. Town did then draw level on 70 minutes when Walsh’s corner was met by a combination of Naismith and Andersen to bundle over the line, the visiting players complaining to the officials that the goal shouldn’t have stood, with replays showing Andersen clearly got the final touch.

From there, Luton finally started to look the better side, as Mengi began to dominate proceedings, the ball dropping to him just outside the box, but he couldn’t repeat his Fleetwood heroics from seven days ago, dragging wide on his left foot. Bramall had another crack from a free kick that was slightly further out on this occasion, as the crowd waited with baited breath, only to see him just get too much on it this time.

Kodua also unwisely had a go with three minutes left, after an ugly passage of play, but despite having space available to run into, opted for what was a spectacular and incredibly unlikely strike from 35 yards, as it went tamely well, well wide. With eight minutes added and Kodua still on the field, the Hatters had a chance of grabbing some late joy, certainly looking the most likely, Vale down to 10 men, as having made all ther substitutions, lost Byers to injury.

They almost managed it too, a good move on the left seeing Nordas’s acrobatic volley from late addition Lamine Fanne’s cross blocked behind, the resulting corner rebounding to Bramall, who pulled his left foot back, only to slice disappointingly wide, as Town’s fans let the players know in no uncertain terms what they thought of their efforts once more at the final whistle, all bar Bramall, roundly jeered as they made their way to the tunnel.

Hatters: Josh Keeley, Nigel Lonwijk (Lamine Fanne 71), Teden Mengi, Mads Andersen, Kal Naismith, Gideon Kodua, George Saville (Jordan Clark 62), Liam Walsh (Lasse Nordas 86), Cohen Bramall, Milli Alli (Shayden Morris 46), Jacob Brown (Nahki Wells 62). Subs not used: James Shea, Christ Makosso.

Valiants: Ben Amos, Jaheim Headley, Ben Heneghan, Connor Hall, George Byers (C), Funso Ojo (Rhys Walters 34), Ruari Paton (Modou Faal 76), Ben Waine (Jayden Stockley 85), Kyle John (Jesse Debrah 85), George Hall (Dajaune Brown 76), Devante Cole. Subs not used: Joe Gauci, Ryan Croasdale. Booked: Heneghan 15, Clark 65, Byers 78. Referee: Lee Swabey. Attendance: 10,867 (1041 Vale).