Luton unlucky

After a good performance by a Town side depleated by the two recent sales of prominent players was not enough as they onece again failed to hang on to a winning position.

Two goals in the last three minutes turned the game around for the home side to take three points which was more than they deserved, after a mediocre performance against a game Luton side.

After defending well for 45 minutes the Town were undone on the stroke of half time when the one Baggies player who had shown some quality in the first half, Jason Koumas, slipped between Keith Keane and Ahmet Brkovic to side foot into the net at Dean Kiely's far post.

Up to that point Keane had played Koumas very well and did not look out of place in the side.

West Bromwich Albion upped the pace at the start of the second half, and Luton struggled to get any flowing moves together. Russ Perrett was playing as well as he has done for the Town and Dean Kiely was dominant in his area, and kept the home side at bay during their period of control.

However, Luton gradually came back into the match and a powerful run by the oft-maligned Keane saw him bear down on the Baggies penalty area down the right flank, cut inside and play the ball to Robinson who returned it with one touch. Keane controleed the ball and struck it beautifully inside Hoult's left post.

The equaliser seemed to take the stuffing out of the home side and Luton began to play some excellent football.

Adam Boyd and Richard Langley replaced Brkovic and Emanuel and Boyd's appearance sparked some life into the Town. Within four minutes he chased down a pass in the right channel into the penalty area and slipped the ball across goal to Feeney who netted an easy chance, to give the Town the lead.

WBA heads dropped and Luton dominated play for a good period, and when Morgan cut inside from the left and drove the ball across goal, Bell alloed the ball to pass him on his left then performed a deft flick with his left heel to divert the ball goalwards. Unfortunately it hit the post and came out.

Luton seemed to be in control of the match, and, as the home side became more desperate in the closing stages, the Luton defence stood firm and it really looked as though this time they would hang on to the lead.

However, with three minutes left, Luton were dealt yet another unlucky blow, when Bell was chasing a loose ball with Paul Robinson. Robinson flailed an arm backwards catching Bell under the rib cage and causing him to fall to the ground winded. Firstly, it should have been seen by the assistant referee, and a free kick been awarded to Luton, and, at the very least, Robinson knew he had done it, accidentally or not, and showed a lack of sportsmanship by continuing with play, with the Luton man down.

He managed to get the ball into the danger area and Kevin Phillips took possession in the penalty area but was surrounded by Luton players as he miscontrolled the ball and struggled to regain it. With defenders looking as though they were about to clear he stuck out his left foot and sent the ball through the crowd of players past the unsighted Kiely.

It was a travesty of justice but Luton had to get on with it. However, the goal put new life into the Baggies and as jared Hodgkiss went towards the Luton left bye-line Sol Davis made a desperate challenge which the young defender, on for the injured Curtis Davis, rode well but the ball went out for what would ahve been a goal kick.

The referee however, awarded a free kick much to Davis' dismay and his comment earned him a yellow card.

From the free kick Phillips came in at the far post and headed into the top right corner for an undeserved lead.

Luton fought back and a clever through ball to Boyd saw the substitute ease the ball past the onrushing keeper and then slip the ball into the net from a very acute angle only to see that the Assistant referee had raised his flag for offside. TV replays suggested that it was a very close call, and Boyd was probably level with the last defender at the moment the ball was played. There was enough doubt for the benefit of the doubt to be given to the forward, but when things don't go for you they really don't go for you!

Warren Feeney - 8 - Luton's change of game plan suited Warren and he looked pacy hard-working and dangerous, especially when Boyd came on. (Boyd did enough for me to believe that he and Feeney will work very well together and both will score goals)

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