The Hatters Herald - Things not going well at the Kenil!!!
It has been a bit of a bad time for Luton and manager Andrew Hepburn. The team is in desperate need of players to strengthen and they need to start winning again after a disasterous run of form. Here is a runodwn of the latest games......
League One
Luton v Doncaster - (H) Mon 1st January 2007
Hepburn was looking to build on what was a magnificent effort from his team to beat Barnsley in the last game. They entertained Doncaster and struggled to overcome a determined Doncaster team. The finishing from the Luton team was worse than woeful at times and the team are crying out for a striker who can score on a regular basis. If they had a striker who could do that this game owuld have been over in twenty minutes. But that was not the case and Luton fell behind as Doncaster hit them with a quick counter and it was one nil. It was the same story in the second half as Luton pressed and pressed but could not find a way past the Doncaster keeper. Dean Morgan finally found a way through twenty minutes from time but failed to build on that and had to settle for a draw. Two dropped points and Hepburn was not a happy man when he left the pitch.
Final Score - Luton 1 v 1 Doncaster Goals - Luton - Morgan (69) Goals - Doncaster - Roberts (27) Att - 9281 MOM - Ian Walker (Rotherham) FA Cup 3rd Round
Man City v Luton - (A) Sat 6th January 2007
A game they were not expected to win and they did not in the end but for sixty minutes or so they put up a good fight. Luton were severely hampered in their fight as Trevor Sinclair and Kevin Foley were forced off early in the first half. It took City forty two minutes to breakthrough and Eero Peltonen was the man that gave them the lead. Early in the second half Luton were given a lifeline as Leon Barnett scored his first goal for the club via the penalty spot. For a few minutes there was some belief that Luton could do the impossible but in the end they were well beaten as City scored two late goals and Luton were out of the FA Cup.
Final Score - Man City 3 v 1 Luton Goals - Man City - Peltonen (42,78), Wright - Phillips (67) Goals - Luton - Barnett (pen,51) Att - 43455 MOM - Richard Dunne (Man City) League One
Luton v Brentford - (H) Wed 10th January 2007
Luton failed to break down a sturdy, determined Brentford defence. Brentford even got two players sent off and Luton still struggled to break them down. Again it was a mixture of woeful finishing and good goalkeeping that kept Luton out but with a two man advantage Hepburn was again left frustarted at his team's lack of firepower in front of goal.
Final Score - Luton 0 v 0 Brentford Sent Off - Skulason, O'Connor (Brentford) Att - 8255 MOM - Tony Stokes (Brentford) League One
Huddersfield v Luton - (A) Sat 13th January 2007
A dogged performance from Luton who almost came out on top in this one. They defended superbly well up until the last minute that denied them three points. Luton started well and Dean Morgan put them ahead with a well taken goal. Huddersfield saw more of the ball throughout the game but could not break down a determined Luton defence. It was more of the sae with Luton soaking up the pressure and hitting on the break. It was all going to plan until the last minute when Hudderfield hit Luton ont he counter to salvage a draw.
Final Score - Huddersfield 1 v 1 Luton Goals - Huddersfield - Brandon (90) Goals - Luton - Morgan (46) Att - 15967 MOM - Heikkinen (Luton) League One
Luton v Stoke - (H) Sat 20th January 2007
Afterwards Hepburn described this as the worst perfromance he has seen as Luton manager and it was truly awful. Stoke dominated the game and deserved to win more than 3-0. Luton just never got going at all and paid a very heavy price.
Final Score - Luton 0 v 3 Stoke Goals - Stoke - Millar (18), Hoefkens (pen,37), Kennedy (78) Sent Off - Heikkinen (Luton) Att - 9320 MOM - Carl Hoefkens (Stoke) LDV Vans Trophy Semi Final
Brentford v Luton - (A) Wed 24th January
If Hepburn thought the last game was bad this was ten times worse as yet again the Luton team just crumbled before Hepburn's eyes. it was schoolboy defending at times and Luton could not string two passes together for ninety minutes. Brentford played well it has to be said but Luton's performance allowed them to. It could have been a cricket score, such was the ease that Brentford were opening up Luton. They settled for three and Luton were sent tumbling out the cup!!!!
Final Score - Brentford 3 v 0 Luton Goals - Brentford - Brooker (23), Watts (pen,40), Ide (83) Att - 4436 MOM - Michael Turner (Brentford) League One
Walsall v Luton - (A) Sat 27th January 2007
Another really poor performance from Luton as they failed to beat lowly Walsall. It was indeed Walsall that dominated this game and if it was not for Robert Beckwith in the luton goal it could have been another heavy defeat for Luton. Luton't play off hopes are diminishing every game they play at the moment as they are just not playing well at all. A lucky point and Hepburn really needs to do something to get his team winning again. it was a poor end to a poor month for Luton.
Final Score - Walsall 0 v 0 Luton Sent Off - Hurst (Luton) Att - 6166 MOM - Robert Beckwith (Luton)
Luton really have had a miserable time of it lately both in the league and the domestic cups. Hepburn is looking to bring in new players and has done and will strive to improve Luton's league position and who knows they may still get to the play offs.
Transfer News
Hepburn has been busy in the transfer window as he trys to strengthen his feeble squad. Here is who he brought in:
Trevor Sinclair AM RLC - 40k from Man City
Joe Carter - Harris SC - 9k from Portsmouth
Zico Tumba AMC - Free Transfer from Gretna
Steve McMillan D/WBL - 20k from Wolves
Kyle Wilson SC - 400k from Crewe
Kenny Lunt AMRC - 450k from Crewe
Two fantastic signings in Wilson and Lunt who Hepburn sees as first team regular with huge parts to play in Luton's push for promotion.
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