Timid Luton suffer a controversial defeat at Stevenage

Luton Town’s woes in Hertfordshire continued as they stretched their winless run to 12 years with what was a massively frustrating and controversial 2-1 defeat against Stevenage this evening.

A contest that was marred by terrible refereeing decisions throughout, saw the Hatters have over 70 percent of the ball, but bar the opening 10 minutes demonstrate a bizarre and at times absolutely maddening lack of urgency to try and get back into the contest, content to keep the ball in the defence and midfield areas, meant they barely tested home keeper Tommy Setford, managing just two shots on target all night.

This from a side who have set their sights on winning promotion this term, as they looked anything but that, particularly during a second period when apart from Mads Andersen deflecting in Kasey Palmer’s volley, didn’t manage a single shot on target. The Hatters made three changes for the contest, Joe Johnson in for his first league start of the campaign in place of the injured Harrison Ashby, while Dan Gore and Callum Marshall were both recalled, Jake Richards and Nahki Wells dropping to the bench.

It looked like the selection would pay dividends early on, Town threatening from the word go, as Izzy Jones sprinted away on the right wing, his cross just cut out, while Jamie Donley’s sliderule pass into the area found Gideon Kodua, who spun his man and sent in a low shot that Setford parried away. The Hatters kept up their intent, Donley in particular extremely lively, scythed down by Dan Phillips for a booking, while some wonderful skill by Liam Walsh gave Johnson the opportunity to cross, which was blocked away, Donley then over from 25 yards.

Boro were able to settle things down and get a grip on proceedings, the contest becoming a far more even affair, an offside-looking Josh Magennis allowed to race goalwards, Andersen keeping pace to slide his shot away from danger. The hosts began to really assert themselves, Jones penalised twice for free kicks, the second headed over by Lewis Freestone.

Although Town had been quiet, they burst into life as an attacking force on 21 minutes, as they won the ball on the left, Kodua sprinting away to find Marshall who was shooting in a flash, inches wide of the bottom corner. Then came a moment of huge controversy two minutes later, as Walsh was being clearly manhandled by Phillips, who was all over his back just inside his own half. However, referee Andrew Humphries somehow didn’t deem it worthy of a foul, much to the astonishment of everyone in the ground.

Having allowed play to continue, Town’s defence didn’t cover themselves in any kind of glory at all, simply retreating towards the confines of their own area, allowing Kemp to have a potshot from 22 yards that Josh Keeley had to do so much better with, letting it burst through his hands and into the net, a goal reminiscent of the strike he let in at Reading during the opening game of the campaign.

To make it worse, a rightly incensed Wilshere was sent off by Humphries for remonstrating with the ludicrous decision, with another member of Luton’s backroom staff booked too. The official clearly had little clue of the rules, as on 28 minutes a long ball pumped forward saw Keeley come rashly out of his area to head away, only to misjudge the flight as it bounced over him.

With Kemp latching on to the ball and the empty net ahead of him, he was pushed over by Odoffin for what looked like a clear foul and a clear red, only for Humphries, in his wisdom, to give absolutely nothing and allow play to continue. He did finally make a correct decision just before the interval when booking Kemp for dragging Walsh down as he looked to burst away, but it was still up there as one of the worst halves of officiating seen in a long, long time.

After the break, Luton had over 80 percent possession of the ball at one stage, but couldn’t test Setford as they wanted, Marshall spinning to shoot tamely wide from 20 yards with 55 minutes gone. The Northern Ireland international was released once more moments later by George Johnston’s raking ball forward, but under pressure, he sliced over, as the visitors opted to bring on Palmer and Richards for Kodua and Donley.

Town didn’t appear to realise they were behind, playing far too slowly as the ball ended up with their centre halves on numerous occasions, while when they got near the box, they often ended up turning back on themselves. Jeers rang out from the increasingly frustrated away end when Marshall was replaced on 66 minutes, with Wells on, although it wasn’t for the introduction of the Bermudan international, but who he was replacing, those travelling from Bedfordshire clearing wanting their side to go with two up front.

It got worse for Luton on 70 minutes as they fell 2-0 behind, Stevenage showing them just how to attack, playing forward with pace, Ben Broggio escaping on the left. Rather than the kind of ponderous efforts that Town were producing, the Boro attacker just went for goal, his cross deflecting off Keeley and hit an offside Magennis to rebound into the net, although such was the visitors’ luck with the officials, it was allowed to stand.

Luton’s chins were up off the floor within five minutes when Richards sent a cross into the box that was met by Palmer, his volley hitting the unsuspecting Andersen and wrongfooting Setford to halve the deficit. Despite having given themselves a lifeline, and attacking the end where their near 1,400 supporters were housed, Town did precisely the opposite of what was required, passing sideways and backwards for the rest of the contest, not going for the jugular.

When they finally did look to get over the half-way line, Andersen eventually sending two raking passes to the flanks, Jones won a dangerous free kick from one, but the visitors couldn't make the most of the following corners. Palmer then got too much on his header from Johnson’s left-wing cross, although sadly that was it in terms of efforts on goal, Jordan Houghton going closest for Boro when volleyed over.

During seven minutes of stoppage time you’d have been forgiven it was Stevenage who were the ones looking to score, as they easily kept play in Town’s half, meaning the travelling faithful were already on their way out when the final whistle was blown, having witnessed a performance that worryingly harked back to last season in which the Hatters proved easy fodder on the road.

Boro: Tommy Setford, Luther James-Wildin, Carl Piergianni, Lewis Freestone, Daniel Phillips (Matt Smith 85), Josh Magennis (Michael Mellon 76), Dan Kemp (Jordan Houghton 76), Jordan Roberts (Ben Broggio 55), Terence Vancooten, Oliver Sanderson (Saxon Earley 76), Louis Thompson. Subs not used: Daniel Barden, Kaelan Casey.

Hatters: Jake Keeley, Izzy Jones, Hakeem Odoffin (Tudor Mendel 84), Mads Andersen, George Johnston, Joe Johnson, Liam Walsh, Dan Gore, Gideon Kodua (Kasey Palmer 58), Jamie Donley (Jake Richards 58), Callum Marshall (Nahki Wells 66). Subs not used: James Shea, Kal Naismith. Booked: Phillips 3, Freestone 26, Walsh 30, Kemp 44, Andersen 90, James-Wildin 90. Referee: Andrew Humphries. Attendance: 5,406 (1,363 Hatters).