PREVIEW: Luton hoping to end Grim run at Blundell Park

They have a point too as Luton haven’t won their since April 1998 when Rory Allen scored in a 1-0 Division Two victory.

It’s been a ground of bad memories for Town over the years too as that is their only triumph at Blundell Park in the last 12 matches, which includes a 7-1 and 5-0 defeat.

They have managed five wins on their travels in total, but on the flip side, Grimsby have recorded 10 success, while there have been seven draws too.

Like Hatters, Grimsby are finding it incredibly hard to fight their way back into the Football League, as they are now in their second season at this level.

They may have hammered Barrow and Alfreton 5-2 in their last two outings at Blundell Park, and won four out of their last five matches on home soil, but they have been rare moments to smile for the Mariners this year.

Back to back away defeats at York City and Ebbsfleet see Town go into the televised clash in 15th place, already 10 points from the play-offs.

Management team of Rob Scott and Paul Hurst are in their first full season in charge and they have found life tough, with Scott getting involved in a heated argument with a supporter during a recent defeat against Darlington.

They suffered during the close season too, losing last year’s top scorer in Alan Connell.

Hatters themselves were desperate to land the scorer, but he eventually chose League Two side Swindon Town.

Another huge departure was imposing central defender Rob Atkinson, who impressed greatly for England C in their match at Kenilworth Road.

The likes off Charles Ademano, Michael Leary, Lee Peacock and Dwayne Samuels all went too, while in came James McKeown, Anthony Church, Frankie Artus, Anthony Elding and Tyrone Thompson.

Team news: Hatters will be without leading scorer Amari Morgan-Smith, while Alex Lawless is still a major doubt with his broken hand not healing yet. Ed Asafu-Adjaye is out with a hairline fracture to his foot, with Dan Gleeson, Freddie Murray and Charlie Henry still some way off.

Grimsby have no suspensions and a clean bill of health apart from left-back Jamie Green who has a hamstring problem.

In charge: Rob Scott and Paul Hurst. Both played for Rotherham United and were appointed joint managers of Northern Premier League side Ilkeston Town, leading the side, who included Amari Morgan-Smith to promotion to the Conference North, before moving to Boston United.

Earned promotion to the Conference North with United too, before Grimsby came calling and they took the job on March 22 of this year.

From the dug out: Rob Scott - “We come into it after a disappointing defeat on Tuesday and we know it will be a tough test but we are not throwing the towel in before we even start.

“It’s been frustrating for us in the last two games but we are not panicking because we are creating chances.

“We have been fragile away but the home performances have been quite strong and hopefully we will see that again.

“Luton lost on Tuesday having changed their system, so maybe they will revert back and come to have a go at us.

“They will know we haven’t been the best defensively so they will look to get at us.

“It’s up to us to keep creating chances up front but tighten up at the back.”

One to watch: Anthony Elding. Town’s Liam Hearn may be top scorer with eight, but seven of those came in two games, and Elding is the man in red hot form.

Signed in the summer and struggled at the start, going eight games without a goal. Like all strikers though, once the duck was broken, he was off and has now got six in his last eight matches,

Scored goals wherever he has been, with over 100 career strikes to his name from spells with Boston United Stevenage, Leed United and Stockport County to name but a few.

Friendly faces: No player in the Grimsby squad, but Town’s recent signing Tommy Wright spent six months at Blundell Park between January and June 2010 scoring one goal in 14 appearances.

Top scorers: Mariners: Liam Hern (8) - Hatters: Amari Morgan-Smith (9).

Last time out: Luton fell to a 2-0 defeat last season, with long-term target Alan Connell scoring a penalty on 30 minutes, while Micky Cummins added the second on 71 minutes.

Hatters: Mark Tyler, George Pilkington, Dan Gleeson, Shane Blackett, Claude Gnakpa (Taiwo Atieno 78), Zdenek Kroca, Adam Murray, Keith Keane (Pavel Besta 56), Adam Newton, Kevin Gallen (Danny Crow 61), Matthew Barnes-Homer.

Attendance: 3,822.

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