Once again to Mansfield for yet another game in the Town of total football: I seem to have been loads of times there to watch the Hatters over the years. Not a lot has changed over those years in that the good folk of Mansfield are a friendly bunch, the beer is always good and the Mansfield recruitment criteria still calls for physical giants.
Our Nathan made one change to the side that beat Colchester comfortably last week bringing back our tallest defender captain Cuthbert, back to try to counter the aerial threat posed by the Stags and relegating the shorter Rea to the bench. New signing Luke Berry was given a place on the bench displacing Jordan Cook: maybe Cookie was injured or simply missed the coach, I don't know but it’s unusual for a Nathan squad not to contain him. The game started with Mansfield really exerting some physical pressure as expected, on our midfield and defence but thankfully we managed to survive that always critical 20 minute onslaught away from home. Well maybe that 20-minute line was a bit hopeful as the physical onslaught continued and the Stags took the lead on the 23rd-minute. The goal came about from a nicely flighted free kick that really should have been routine stuff for a decent defence in the air but we are lacking in that aerial power department and the ball found its way through for Bennett to prod the ball home from close range. Yes, not a bad free kick; yes, Mansfield were very tall and physical and sadly again yes, we are simply not strong enough in the air when defending set pieces. The Hatters tried to counter on several occasions but the going was simply really tough against a side where similar to the Barnet game, the home coach had effectively nullified Nathan's style of play. We reached half-time with Mansfield clearly in control and our central defence/centre midfield finding it difficult to cope. Yet another similarity with the Barnet game was the fact that Pelly was the only Luton midfield player able to stand up to the bullying: don’t flog him off Nathan, Pelly is a quality powerhouse! Would we be able to turn things around in the second half? Well we started to come more into the play and our full backs were now getting forward but then “ home alone” Shinnie pulled up approaching Becher’s Brook and for him, his day at the races was over. Not a big loss in truth as he had been bullied out of the game all afternoon: decent at home but ineffective away from home against the big powerful boys that close him down on instruction in this case, from Mr Evans. Shinnie was replaced by new boy Berry and the struggling McCormack replaced by Rea. Immediately the slight change of shape as we moved to a back three, seemed to take us up a gear. Berry although being a quarter of a foot away from six foot, really got stuck in and played some nice close passing football. We started to punch forward but on the 70-minute mark, a cracking good through ball from the home side caught us out and former Luton employee Angol galloped away from Cuthbert to nicely slot the ball past Stech: credit where it’s due, that was a good goal and to be fair Angol was a threat all afternoon. NJ realising there was nothing to risk, sent on Cornick for Olly Lee: incidentally, Olly had tried like hell all afternoon. Cornick started to link well with Berry and Stacey and was really tearing into the Mansfield defence who just could not cope with him. Some of the crosses he made from just about the corner flag goal line were absolute quality and on reflection, I really hope that Nathan does not fine him for any more than ½ an hours wages for playing so wide; come on Harry, this is Luton my son, we don’t do wide! From one clever Stacey cross , Collin's does what he is good at, connected and buried the ball into the net. Wow, we were waking up and taking the game to Mansfield. Then with a minute of normal time remaining, Dan Potts got in a cross for Danny boy to equalise: joy and elation! Where would it all end? Then Pelly surges into the area and fires one wide of the post: if Carling did match endings then……… Joy then turned to despair when the referee decided Cuthbert had handled in the area and we have an injury time penalty against us but let's not worry as “one flew over the cuckoo's nest” Stech turned the ball away; love the bloke he is totally nuts. So, there we are, for definite a point won against a very tough set of big Stags. Overall impression: I thought I would simply reproduce my gut feeling notes that I placed on 262 last night whilst warming a nice glass of soft red in my non-typing hand; it helps after a game and maybe gut reaction is as valued as overnight considered reflection. I try not to post my thoughts on a match day but hell, why not, so here goes: You can argue as much as you like about statistics regarding our goals conceded over the last two years; I really don't care. I take the approach of simply commenting on what I see in front of me at games and what I saw today was: The Negatives:
Overall, I am happy with a point and will accept the good feeling from a great fight back but NJ needs to keep trying, as I believe he is, to toughen up that centre back partnership especially when we meet the more physical sides. Some thoughts on individual performances: Stech: full marks for a good penalty save under tremendous pressure. He also made another top notch save in that second half. Stacey: had a lot to contend with and overall did well in that second half really getting forward. Cuthbert: not his best game but made some decent tackles on the deck. He could do with a bit more physical support alongside him. Sheehan: like Cuthbert, not his best afternoon and whilst having an abundance of skill on the ground, he is simply not strong enough in the air against many L2 sides. Potts: probably our bravest and most decisive defender yesterday and got forward well. McCormack: tried hard, shouted a lot but was under continuous pressure and never really dominated. Pelly: the only midfield player from the starting 11 to have the muscle to stand up to the Mansfield bully boys; note, I am not being critical of Evans here, he simply understands lower league football. O Lee: found the battle a touch tough but give him credit for never giving up. Shinny: we know he is a skilful lad and great at the Kenny but away from home in L2 maybe a different story Hylton: although obviously not yet back to his best, showed real determination and skill in that second period and took his goal well. Collins: like others, he was well marked by Evans’s boys but took his chance like a real striker should. Subs: Berry: not much of him in terms of height but he really got stuck in and made some decent play. Living where I do, I may have seen more of Berry than a lot of Luton fans and in my view, that was an excellent piece of business bringing Berry to Luton. Rea: he reminds me of the departed Jonathan Smith in that he always gives 100% despite his footballing limitations: relatively young and will continue to improve. Cornick: what a quality wide player; surely he will not be allowed to go the Gambin route to central midfield obscurity!
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Hi there, welcome to my site where I chronicle various things about the Hatters, a team I have followed since the mid 60’sArchives
December 2017
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