Misfiring Hatters held by Wings

FA Trophy first round

Luton Town 0 (0) Welling United 0 (0)

DESPITE creating a slew of chances profligate Luton let Blue Square Bet South high-flyers Welling United off the hook in this FA Trophy first round tie on Sunday afternoon as the game somehow finished goalless at Kenilworth Road, writes Mark Wood.

A youthful Luton side created opportunities throughout the encounter, completely dominating the second half against a limited Wings, but couldn’t find the killer touch meaning the teams will have to do it all over again on Tuesday night.

The Hatters made nine changes from the team that battled to a 3-1 defeat against League One Charlton Athletic in their FA Cup second round replay on Thursday night.

The only players to retain their places were goalkeeper and captain for the day Mark Tyler and Jake Howells.

There were full debuts for youngsters Alex Lacey and Godfrey Poke along with Northampton loan man Craig Hinton and starts for Taiwo Atieno, Alex Lawless, Ed Asafu-Adjaye, Pavel Besta, Jason Walker and Dan Walker.

Hatters made a promising start with Atieno unable to steer Howells’ deep cross goalwards on five minutes.

Jason Walker turned well on the left moments later with keeper Gareth Stewart palming his cross away and Lawless having his fierce strike well blocked.

Atieno had a 10th-minute header easily saved by Stewart while the Walkers combined well two minutes later with defender Graham Andrews deflecting Jason’s header behind.

Despite some early promise the game degenerated into a stalemate with neither side able to impose themselves.

Town had claims for a penalty turned down when Jason Walker tumbled on the edge of the box just after the half hour while a Lawless short corner was blasted miles over the bar by Poku.

The Wings almost snatched the lead out of nothing on 36 minutes. Loui Fazakerley whipped a dangerous free-kick into the box and a scrambling Tyler got the slightest of touches to deflect the ball just wide.

Atieno produced some lovely footwork on the right with five minutes of the half left and his measured cross was just taken off the head of Lawless by a great defensive header from right-back Jamie Coyle.

A mistake by Poku ended with Andy Pugh lashing an effort well over while Asafu-Adjaye bounced in a shot that was easily saved by Stewart in stoppage time as the sides went in goalless at the break.

The Hatters almost made the perfect start to the second half. Lawless drilled in a cross from the left after just 30 seconds and Andy Sambrook’s bullet of a defensive header was brilliantly turned over the bar by Stewart.

Poku flayed well wide before the Walkers again combined with Atieno only able to slide Dan’s near post cross wide.

A storming run from Dan Walker ended with him dragging an effort just off target on 57 minutes before a lovely move saw him slip Atieno through but the striker could only lift his effort over.

Atieno then missed a gilt-edged opportunity to give Luton the lead when he raced on to a defensive mistake but, one on one with Stewart, he could only poke the ball wide.

The Kenyan went close again moments later when he skipped past his man in the box but again dragged his effort agonisingly wide.

Town seemed to have little more bite about them in the second half but still couldn’t find the killer touch with Atieno heading Howells’ cross off target with 19 minutes to go.

Substitute JJ O’Donnell was then guilty of a horror effort seconds later too. Asafu-Adjaye’s cross ran to the youngster at the far post and he could only loop his effort embarrassingly over.

The second half was all Luton with O’Donnell sending another effort just over, but all too often the final ball or killer instinct was lacking.

When they finally did find the net with nine minutes left they were cruelly denied by the linesman’s flag. Howells’ raking cross picked out Dan Walker in the box and his fine volley left Stewart with no chance, only for the official to chalk off the effort.

The Wings keeper then produced a fabulous save to thwart the Hatters on 83 minutes. Jason Walker laid the ball into the path of O’Donnell and his daisycutter was superbly pushed on to the post by Stewart.

Atieno fired over as Town continued to push while a dangerous corner brought Welling their best chance of the second half, but Luton were able to clear their lines.

Howells’ curled a late free-kick straight at Stewart but Town couldn’t find a way through meaning they will do it all over again at Park View Road on Tuesday, kick off 7.45pm.

Hatters: Mark Tyler (C), Craig Hinton, Taiwo Atieno, Alex Lawless, Jake Howells, Ed Asafu-Adjaye, Pavel Besta (JJ O’Donnell 60), Jason Walker, Alex Lacey, Godfrey Poku, Dan Walker. Substitutes not used: Dan Gleeson, Matthew Barnes-Homer, Claude Gnakpa, Danny Crow.

Wings: Gareth Stewart, Jamie Coyle, Jack Obersteller, Andy Sambrook, Graham Andrews, Jack Parkinson (C), Loui Fazakerley, Lee Clarke, Louis Cumbers, Andy Pugh (Jordan Johnson 80), Loick Pires. Substitutes not used: Osa Obamwonyi, Leon Farrell, Ryan Wall, Anthony Acheampong.

Booked: J Walker 80; Fazakerley 82; Poku 90+2; Cumbers 90+3.

Referee: A Davis.

Assistant referees: K Howick and B Knight.

Fourth official: S Davidson.

Attendance: 1,639 (Welling 179).

Star Hatter: Alex Lacey. A massively assured performance from someone so young.