Crawley comeback is a sickening blow

LUTON Town fell to a shattering 2-1 defeat against league leaders Crawley Town on another sickening night at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday.

It had looked like the self-proclaimed underdogs would emerge with a vital victory after Andy Drury’s second-half penalty, but the Red Devils hit back in the closing stages when Richard Brodie smashed home from close range, before substitute Craig McAllister broke Hatters hearts in stoppage time.

Town boss Richard Money made two changes to his side, dropping Jake Howells and Danny Crow to the bench, as Shane Blackett came into the defence, while George Pilkington stepped into central midfield and Taiwo Atieno began up front.

Somehow Luton weren’t ahead in the opening minutes as Drury mesmerised Glenn Wilson and sent over a stunning cross that Claude Gnakpa, from no more than four yards out, side-footed into the ground and over the bar.

Drury was again behind the Hatters’ next opportunity as he dinked a lovely ball for the overlapping Freddie Murray, who found the unmarked Atieno, but on the volley, he badly fluffed his lines.

Atieno was next to go close again, stooping to send a header off target, but with 15 minutes on the clock, Crawley began to show just why they topped the table.

On their very first venture forward, Dean Howell’s inviting cross saw Matthew Tubbs out-jump his markers, only for his header to cannon off the bar.

Pantomime villain Brodie, who was given a torrid evening by Hatters fans, had an even better opportunity seconds later. Played clean through, he was left one-on-one with Mark Tyler, but cut back on to his left foot, and saw Town’s in-form keeper divert his shot wide.

Tyler had to be at his best again almost immediately as he palmed Scott Neilson’s cross straight into the path of Sergio Torres, before managing to stick out a glove and tip the winger’s shot over the bar.

Referee Mike Bull failed to endear himself to the Hatters faithful either, ridiculously booking Atieno for a challenge on Kyle McFadzean, that actually saw the defender handball in the penalty area.

Hatters were still dangerous whenever the ball was wide though and from another peach of a Drury cross, Zdenek Kroca couldn’t get enough on his header as it flashed wide.

Leading scorer Matthew Barnes-Homer had his first sighter on 29 minutes, flashing a drive into the side-netting of Michel Kuipers’ goal, while Gnakpa arched his neck to send another wicked Drury corner over the bar.

The visitors threatened from distance before the break, as from a quick corner, Neilson took aim and his deflected drive had Tyler scrambling to palm aside for a corner.

In the second period, Barnes-Homer and Pablo Mills were both quickly in the book after an almighty case of handbags on the edge of the visitors’ box.

Crawley, cheered on by a pitiful 153 spectators, began by far the better as Brodie came close once more, his far post header forcing Tyler to claw away.

Despite the visitors’ bright start, Town were awarded a penalty on 63 minutes when Drury swung over a corner and Kroca was hauled back by McFadzean as he was about to head home from two yards.

The Red Devils centre-half was booked and after three misses against Mansfield in the last home match, the Hatters supporters waited with baited breath as Drury stepped up.

The class act showed no signs of nerves though to belt the ball down the middle and send Kenilworth Road into a frenzy.

Luton were now full of confidence and Gnakpa stood a cross up but Barnes-Homer couldn’t direct his header on target and Drury sent a volley at goal from 40 yards that Kuipers nervously clung on to.

Gnakpa saw yellow for a high challenge on Howell, his fifth of the season, that rules him out of the upcoming trip to Eastbourne Borough. Despite going a goal behind, Crawley still remained a threat up front and substitute McAllister should have done much better when picked out by Brodie’s pass, but failed to tee up the lurking Tubbs.

The division’s leading scorer came close again as time ticked away, but was thwarted by the long legs of Blackett.

Crawley were level on 80 minutes though when another quickly-taken corner caused havoc in the home penalty area where Brodie, who else, was there to smash the ball into the net.

Town substitute Crow should have done much better after bursting through two challenges, but from the edge of the box, side-footed tamely at Kuipers.

With time running out, Barnes-Homer came mightily close to adding to his tally for the season, out-muscling Mills to a long ball forward but as Kuipers came out, could only lob wide of the mark.

That miss was to prove costly as criminally the Town defence switched off at the death and McAllister produced a calm finish to beat Tyler as Luton dropped to eight points behind their south coast rivals.