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Another draw on the road and our second 2-2 in eight games after going 111 without one. Once again, it was another game where we’ve led and not taken three points although when you go behind in the 92nd minute escaping with a point must almost feel like a win. It’s a return to the Jersey Mike’s Trophy this weekend, a game intelligently switched from midweek as it suited both clubs, and the visit of Luton Town, the current holders although it was called a different name when they won it of course.
This is probably a game that we need to win if we’re to have any chance of progressing in the competition and with no other game now until next Saturday, I was kind of expecting Danny to treat this like a league fixture and play our strongest team but after listening to his pre-match interview yesterday I don’t think that will be the case. We may pick a slightly stronger/more experienced team than we did against Peterborough, but I still think a number of youngsters to feature so I’m expecting the U’s to lineup as follows:
Lo-Tutala
Hunt Tucker Kuffour Jr Terry
Digby Perry
Thorn Lubala
Harvey
Ihionvien
Subs
Akande, Connolly, Payne, Williams (Jaden), Oni, Sesay, Roberts
This isn’t the team I’d pick if I wanted to win the game, far from it in fact and I’ve just realised I don’t have a defender on the bench so at least we’re going for it in that respect. As far as I’m aware Smith and KVY are both injured and will miss out. It’s been announced that Leake requires surgery and will be out for some time, but Bishop is back training now which is great news. I’m not sure whether Chiwome is injured or just out of favour. The available squad is growing with recent additions and players returning from injury and I do wonder whether Chiwome, Ihionvien, Digby and Williams will be included much going forward.
Not sure there’s anyone in the current Luton squad who has previously played for the U’s but they do have Jamie Donley (on loan from Tottenham) who grew up in Colchester and played for Colchester Villa. Players that come to mind having played for both clubs are Alec Chamberlain, George Moncur, Rowan Vine, Tony Thorpe, Wayne Andrews, Dean Morgan, Chris Coyne, Aaron Skelton, Cohen Bramall, Luke Gambin, Cameron McGeehan and Joe Taylor who was a lot more successful for us than he was for them. Most of these have been in the last 20 years and I’m sure there are plenty more due to the geographical proximity.
The weather at the JCS tomorrow is set to be cloudy and warm at 21 degrees with a gentle breeze from the west-south-west. Luton aren’t a team we’ve played a great deal, especially recently, only 28 meetings in total of which we’ve won nine to Luton’s 10. Of the six meeting in the last 20 years, we do have four wins to their two though. I know Luton have a few players away on international duty but they do take this competition pretty seriously so I’m expecting them to pick a strong team tomorrow and one that’s probably too strong for the team I’m expecting us to field so I’m going to go for a 1-2 defeat with our goal being a late consolation from substitute Oni.
Games against Luton - one date is etched in my memory, on Tuesday 12th September 2006 at Kenilworth Road. This was in the Championship, Luton had started well and were just outside the play-offs, we were just outside the relegation zone. It was always going to be a difficult match, so as I took my place amongst the 429 faithful, it was more in hope than expectation. With regard to the played for both category in the Hatter's squad that season, they had Chris Coyne, Rowan Vine and of course Dean Morgan.
My expectation took control after 32 minutes when, after considerable pressure, Parkin headed home for Luton. Hope was, however, rekindled when Jamie Cureton blasted in an equaliser on 40 minutes with a 25-yard rocket. But we were still under pressure.
However, cometh the hour, cometh the man. My Matches of Yesteryear blog picks up the story from here.
Into the second half, Aidan Davison had already pulled off a number of saves, to give a glimpse of what was to come, but after our equaliser he really came into his own. Wave after wave of Luton attacks crashed against the rock that was Aidan Davison, but he had it all that night. Acrobatic and sublime flying stops that would grace the Premier League, gnarly one-on-one's diving at the feet of on-rushing forwards, dangerous crosses plucked out of the air as if he was picking apples – Davison withheld everything that Luton threw at him. Luton’s manager, Mike Newell, put it quite simply “In the second half we created a number of chances and that is something of an understatement”. We rode our luck a bit too, Richard Langley missing a 50th minute penalty (hitting the bar), Edwards also hit the bar, and Rowan Vine had a goal disallowed in the 53rd minute for offside.
This isn’t the best photo, again from an archived newspaper report, but it conveys the right impression – Aidan defiantly in the thick of things, refusing to let anything past him.
The local press described it as the “The Aidan Davison Show!”, and I remember at the time the Luton messageboarders were unanimous that they’d never seen such a performance in their life. Aidan was quoted as saying at the time (and very modestly) “It's a long time since I've had so much to do, you have to go back a long time, to the days when I was at Bolton. I remember a game against Tranmere that was similar, which we actually won, but this was just as hectic. In fact, we were under even more pressure tonight. The luck went our way, and it was a good team effort. Luton kept pressing, and we could not relieve the pressure. However, I don't regard this as one of the very best performances of my career, because I was far too over-worked. I had too much to do. Strange as it may sound, I think some of my best games have come when I haven't had that many saves to make, because of the organisation of the defence. We need to tidy things up a little over the coming weeks, but we have a relatively inexperienced team, and the lads are learning all the time. It's a steep learning curve at this level, but we showed in this game that we really want to stay in this division”.
Luton Town 1 (Parkin 32’) Colchester United 1 (Cureton 40’)
We would go on to finish 10th in the Championship, just a few points outside the play-offs for the Premier League. Luton were relegated.
Incidentally, only S3 is open for ticket sales, but it’s looking quite full. Luton have apparently sold more than 500 tickets, so with the West Stand included, probably be around 2,000 attendance. Not bad considering it’s the EFL Trophy, probably more than double what we’d normally get.
0-0 at halftime, and quite an entertaining game to be honest. Luton are the better side at the moment, but not by much, and neither side have created any really clear cut chances.
U's lose in the penalty shootout, but a great equaliser from Brad to give us that chance. For those that care, I believe we still have a chance of getting through to the knockout stages, but I think it relies on Ipshit U21s beating Posh, and then Luton beat Posh and we beat the tractor boys - there might be other scenarios, so happy to be corrected.
Ideal opportunity to gain some zip and rhythm through the team but was sadly lacking except one move near half time . Expected to much time on the ball. Also an opportunity to gain an extra point with penalty win . Only quality was Cole pen in shoot out
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