Luton v Huddersfield

Going into this match, Huddersfield were a team in turmoil while Luton had just had another great result in the Carling Cup against senior opposition.

Regardless of the fact that Luton had lost every away league m,atch so far, Huddersfield had just lost three in a row.

Luton began with loan keeper Ben Alnwyck replacing Dean Brill, which must have led Brilly to wonder what he has to do to get a run in the side. Brill was excellent on Tuesday against Charlton and his late saves kept the Town in the cup.

Neither side showed much aptitude on a surface which looked like a paddock that hadn't been cut for a month, but with Fojut making his first start for the Town, Luton looked capable of shutting Huddersfield out but without looking too dangerous themselves going forward.

However, a fussy referee penalise Paul Furlong at every opportunity, even when his marker climbed all over him and after the third time issued a yellow card, presumably for persistent infringement, although had referee Whitestone applied that law consistently throughout the match there would only have been the keepers left on the field.

With Furlong being the type of player he is it was inevitable he would commit further transgressions and I was surpried that Kevin Blackwell did not substitute him at half time, as a sending off was odds on!

Somewhat against the run of play some ponderous defending allowed Beckett to score from close range in the 36th minute, which made Luton rue the miss by McVeigh in the opening minutes which would probably have buried the home side given their recent run of form.

Half time was a welcome relief, and it was to be hoped that Blackwell would give them the well earned kick up the backside and get them playing with a bit of effort as they seem to do only at home.

It was not to be! Virtually the first challenge made in the second half by Furlong, who reached into Keogh in an aeriel challenge and the referee could not wait to get his cards out for the theatrical yellow followed by a red card, and Luton's uphill task became an enormous one.

They still flattered to decieve in attack with very little final thrust and Huddersfield were little better, although Ronnie Wallwork, on loan from West Brom, showed a bit of guile and pace and did manage to put the ball into dangerous areas for the Home side.

The introduction of Currie and Talbot at half time did litle to add any potency to the Town forward line and when Fojut made possibly his only mistake of the day when he was robbed in his own half to see Holdsworth play a decent ball to Cadamarteri.

Ben Alnwyck came out and lost his footing trying to narrow the angle and allowed Cadamarteri to drag the ball past him and slot it into the unguarded net for an unassailable 2-0 lead.

Luton played an attacking formation trying to get back into it but apart from a Talbot effort and a miss by Goodall, luton never really looked like saving the game.

All in all it was a pretty dismal effort which leaves Luton hovering dangerously close to the drop zone, with a difficult match at Yeovil to follow on Tuesday.

Luton boss Blackwell has suggested he will make changes for the Yeovil match, but somehow it seems that this is his chosen team and, unless Peschisolido has mraculously recovered from his injury it is difficult to imagine what changes are logical to improve things.

I would suggest the inclusion of Brkovic at some point but I am at a loss to understand why a group of experienced players who can play well at home don't cut it on their travels.

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