Luton 3 Coventry 1 - 23/12/2006
Luton 3 Coventry 1 - 23/12/2006
Luton Town: Dean Kiely, Leon Barnett, Kevin Foley, Markus Heikkinen, Lewis Emanuel, Dean Morgan (Warren Feeney 81), Steve Robinson (Chris Coyne 63), David Bell, Ahmet Brkovic (Richard Langley 83), Carlos Edwards, Rowan Vine
Subs not used: Marlon Beresford, Adam Boyd
Booked: Leon Barnett 63, Markus Heikkinen 23, Dean Morgan 54, Rowan Vine 40
Goals: Brkovic 46, Vine 66, Morgan 68
Coventry City: Luke Steele, Richard Duffy, Elliott Ward, Mikkel Bischoff, Clive Clarke, Colin Cameron (Darren Currie 74), Stephen Hughes, Michael Doyle, Dele Adebola (Adam Virgo 74), Leon McKenzie, Stern John (Kevin Kyle 74)
Subs not used: Marcus Hall, Christopher Birchall
Goal: Brkovic(OG) 59
Attendance: 8299
Referee: A Taylor
Teamtalk
Ahmet Brkovic got on the scoresheet for both sides before further goals from Rowan Vine and Dean Morgan gave Luton a 3-1 win over Coventry.
Brkovic cancelled out his own first-half stoppage-time strike when he became the became the only player to beat inspired Hatters keeper Dean Kiely, and Vine and Morgan piled on the misery for Coventry with two goals in two minutes after the break.
Coventry's players are banned from boozing over the Christmas period, but manager Micky Adams may feel like drowning his sorrows with his side having leaked eight goals in their last two games.
Adams, still smarting from last week's 5-0 drubbing by West Brom, made four changes with Baggies goalkeeper Luke Steele in the starting line-up after rejoining the club on emergency loan on Friday.
Luton, who were unchanged with stroke-victim Sol Davis' anticipated return put on hold, created the first opportunity when top scorer Vine broke down the left and shot at Steele, who made a nervous initial save but gathered the ball at the second attempt.
Kiely's heroics then kept the scores level with the Luton goal leading a charmed life for the majority of the first half.
First, the hosts failed to deal with a Michael Doyle corner and, with the ball bouncing around the penalty area, Leon McKenzie hooked it towards goal only to see the on-loan Portsmouth keeper fling out a hand to make a superb point-blank save.
And moments later Kiely conjured up a double save to keep out headers from Stern John and Dele Adebola before McKenzie, with the goal gaping, shanked the ball over the top from just six yards.
McKenzie then planted a weak header straight into Kiely's arms from a Stephen Hughes corner before Vine, in a rare Luton attack, was adjudged offside as he tucked away Carlos Edwards' deflected shot.
Kiely came up with yet another superb save, clawing away Hughes' free-kick which looked destined for the top corner, before Luton took the lead seconds before half-time.
Brkovic twisted and turned just inside the area before sending a low shot past Steele and inside the right-hand post.
Luton could have gone two up after the break, but Vine's shot deflected off Mikkel Bischoff and over, before Brkovic forced a sprawling save from Steele with a low drive.
Brkovic went from hero to zero on the hour when, under pressure from the considerable presence of Adebola, he inadvertently headed Hughes' free-kick past Kiely, who got a touch but could not keep the ball out.
But the Croatian midfielder was breathing a sigh of relief five minutes later when Edwards wriggled clear down the right and crossed for Vine to slide the ball past Steele.
And just two minutes after Vine's 11th goal of the season, Morgan grabbed his fourth with a curling free-kick which he bent round the wall and past Steele's outstretched left hand.
City substitute Kevin Kyle headed straight at Kiely late on, but even with four minutes of stoppage time added on the demoralised visitors never looked like getting back into the game.
CCFC
More away day blues for City as they lose by three goals to one against Luton Town.
The home side led at the break despite the Sky Blues having much the better chances after Ahmet Brkovic's late goal but the Croatian turned past the superb Dean Kiely to pull City level. Two goals in quick succession from Rowan Vine and Dean Morgan finished off the sky Blues who now go into two home games in need of a couple of positive results.
Micky Adams rang the changes after last week's humiliating defeat at West Brom. Luke Steele lined-up in goal after rejoining City on an emergency loan from the Baggies, replacing the injured Andy Marshall between the sticks.
Mikkel Bischoff made his full debut for the Sky Blues in place of the suspended Robert Page. Stephen Hughes was also recalled to the starting eleven and Leon McKenzie returned after a one-match ban, with Marcus Hall and Darren Currie dropping to the bench.
Luton had the first sight of goal after a mistake from Bischoff let Luton's leading scorer Rowan Vine through but his run made the shooting angle difficult and Steele gathered the effort. Stern John had City's first shot on goal in the tenth minute, forcing Dean Kiely to get down to his 20-yard shot after neat build-up from the Sky Blues.
On 20 minutes Michael Doyle whipped in a teasing cross with the Luton defence putting it out for a corner. The resulting corner saw Elliott Ward's header fly narrowly wide of the upright.
Minutes later McKenzie forced Kiely into a smart point blank save after he connected with Richard Duffy's free-kick. The City right-back then had the keeper scrambling with a low shot from the edge of the area which curled off target.
New recruit Steele was called into action for the Sky Blues when he saved at the feet of Dean Morgan on 27 minutes. The 'keeper required lengthy treatment after the save which resulted in strapping on his left knee.
Kiely produced a stunning double save on 31 minutes with the former Charlton custodian blocking a powerful downward header from Stern John before getting to his feet to stop the rebound from Colin Cameron.
McKenzie went agonisingly close for the Sky Blues when he had a free header from a Stephen Hughes free-kick but the former Norwich player could only direct his header towards the Luton 'keeper.
The Hatters thought they had broken the deadlock when Vine had a goal disallowed for being offside just before the interval. Moments later City had a free-kick on the edge of the Luton penalty area when Cameron was upended by Barnett, the resulting free-kick from Hughes forcing Kiely into another fine save, as he tipped the shot over the bar.
After bossing practically much of the half, City were caught by a sucker punch in stoppage time when Ahmet Brkovic managed to escape a number of challenges from Coventry players before planting his shot in the far corner from 18 yards.
The Hatters had grown in confidence having scored at such a key time and Vine was causing City's defence plenty of problems with his pace and direct running and Steele was forced into an excellent stop from goalscorer Brkovic as the home side threatened to extend their lead early in the second period.
But on the hour mark the Sky Blues were level as Brkovic headed past his own keeper. Hughes delivered a wicked free-kick into the area following a foul from Barnett and the Luton midfielder rose with McKenzie but saw his header fly past Kiely.
It was only five minutes until Luton were ahead again and it came from Vine who tucked away Carlos Edwards' low centre even though Steele appeared to get something on his close range shot. And two minutes later it was 3-1 to the home side as Dean Morgan smashed home a 25-yard free-kick following a handball from Hughes to virtually kill-off City's hopes of making a comeback.
With 15 left on the clock Micky Adams made a double switch with Adam Virgo and Kevin Kyle replacing strike duo John and Adebola.
But the Sky Blues had little by way of response after Luton had established a two-goal advantage and they go into their Boxing Day fixture against Ipswich desperately in need of a pick-me-up.
4thegame
Two goals in three second-half minutes helped Luton Town collect a much-needed three points against Coventry City.
Rowan Vine's 11th of the season and a stunning Dean Morgan free-kick gave Town the win against the Sky Blues and spared the blushes of Ahmet Brkovic, who netted at both ends.
The Croat put the Hatters 1-0 ahead completely against the run of play with a dipping 20-yard effort on the stroke of half-time.
But he then diverted a header past Dean Kiely on the hour to put the visitors level.
Luton were thankful for a man-of-the-match performance from Kiely, who kept his side in the game with a string of superb first-half saves.
The game kicked off amid gloomy conditions and Luton were the first to sniff out an opening in the fourth minute. Mikkel Bischoff completely missed Steve Robinson's curling pass down the left channel allowing Vine to run in on goal and hit an angled 20-yard drive that Luke Steele gathered at the second attempt.
The visitors though gradually took control and, after Leon Barnett had moved quickly to stop Leon McKenzie running on to Michael Doyle's tenth-minute pass, Stern John tested Kiely with an 18-yard snap-shot seconds later.
The Sky Blues' former West Ham man Elliott Ward then went close with an eight-yard header from a Stephen Hughes corner that flashed just past the post in the 21st minute.
Kiely then had to be alert to block McKenzie's effort from point-blank range after Bischoff had headed on Richard Duffy's deep free-kick into the box.
The Hatters continued to be pressed back and Duffy was next to try his luck with a 20-yard right-foot volley that whistled a foot wide after Kevin Foley had half-headed clear from the full-back's initial chip into the penalty area.
Coventry kept coming and only a miraculous double save from Kiely kept the game goalless in the 31st minute. Foley lost the ball far too easily to McKenzie on the left, and the former Norwich man crossed for Dele Adebola to flick on for John, whose six-yard header was blocked by Kiely.
Then, as the ball fell for Colin Cameron, Luton's on-loan Portsmouth stopper somehow blocked the rebound, before Cameron then sliced over on the stretch.
Another Coventry attack saw McKenzie head straight at Kiely from ten yards in the 34th minute from Hughes' free-kick on the right.
Luton finally got their act together a minute before the break when Lewis Emanuel's driving run down the left led to Lewis Edwards hitting a 25-yard shot that deflected into the path of Vine, who slid the ball home only to be ruled offside.
In stoppage time Kiely continued his heroics with a superb fingertip save to tip Hughes' curling 30-yard free-kick over the bar.
Incredibly the Hatters went into the break a goal up when they scored in the second minute of added-on time completely against the run of play.
Brkovic, who had been largely anonymous for most of the half, dispossessed Cameron and held off Bischoff before despatching a dipping 20-yard effort that went over Steele and nestled in the far corner of the net.
The second period began quietly with a 30-yard Cameron effort and a deflected Vine shot all to show from the first ten minutes of action.
Steele was then called into action in the 57th minute as he pushed Brkovic's 18-yard strike past the post before Brkovic netted again on the hour - only at the wrong end.
The Croat was back doing his defensive duties as Luton faced up to a Hughes free-kick 40 yards out but, as the winger challenged McKenzie for the cross, the ball flicked off his head and found the back of the net off the underside of the crossbar despite Kiely almost keeping the effort out.
Town reshuffled by bringing on Chris Coyne for the ineffective Robinson, moving Barnett into midfield. And the move paid off as the Hatters scored twice in three minutes to seal the points.
Firstly Edwards, who had hardly been involved in the action, received the ball out wide in the 64th minute and crossed for the onrushing Vine to net at the second attempt.
In the 66th minute Luton were in the driving seat when Town won a free-kick for a Hughes handball and Morgan stepped up to arrow a superb drive into the far corner from 25 yards to the delight of the home faithful.
Coventry made a triple substitution as they chased the game, bringing on Adam Virgo, Darren Currie and Kevin Kyle but, apart from a 25-yard Hughes shot well fielded by Kiely late on, they never looked like fighting back.
Town boss Mike Newell said: "It's a great result, but you have to say they were the better team in the first half.
"We were thankful to Dean Kiely, but that's what goalkeeper's are there for.
"The goal came at a crucial time and changed the course of the game for us and I have to say we played some better stuff in the second half.
"People start moaning and groaning when we don't beat teams, but you only have to look at their bench and the players they've got and the players that have got Premiership experience - we haven't go that." City boss Micky Adams said: "The players have come off shaking their heads. They can't believe they've lost 3-1.
"Luton's goalkeeper was man-of-the-match and rightly so for his first-half performance.
"We won't be changing things though, we'll go about the next game as we do every other.
"If we play like we did in the first half we'll end up winning more than we'll end up losing away from home."
Luton Town: Dean Kiely, Leon Barnett, Kevin Foley, Markus Heikkinen, Lewis Emanuel, Dean Morgan (Warren Feeney 81), Steve Robinson (Chris Coyne 63), David Bell, Ahmet Brkovic (Richard Langley 83), Carlos Edwards, Rowan Vine
Subs not used: Marlon Beresford, Adam Boyd
Booked: Leon Barnett 63, Markus Heikkinen 23, Dean Morgan 54, Rowan Vine 40
Goals: Brkovic 46, Vine 66, Morgan 68
Coventry City: Luke Steele, Richard Duffy, Elliott Ward, Mikkel Bischoff, Clive Clarke, Colin Cameron (Darren Currie 74), Stephen Hughes, Michael Doyle, Dele Adebola (Adam Virgo 74), Leon McKenzie, Stern John (Kevin Kyle 74)
Subs not used: Marcus Hall, Christopher Birchall
Goal: Brkovic(OG) 59
Attendance: 8299
Referee: A Taylor
Teamtalk
Ahmet Brkovic got on the scoresheet for both sides before further goals from Rowan Vine and Dean Morgan gave Luton a 3-1 win over Coventry.
Brkovic cancelled out his own first-half stoppage-time strike when he became the became the only player to beat inspired Hatters keeper Dean Kiely, and Vine and Morgan piled on the misery for Coventry with two goals in two minutes after the break.
Coventry's players are banned from boozing over the Christmas period, but manager Micky Adams may feel like drowning his sorrows with his side having leaked eight goals in their last two games.
Adams, still smarting from last week's 5-0 drubbing by West Brom, made four changes with Baggies goalkeeper Luke Steele in the starting line-up after rejoining the club on emergency loan on Friday.
Luton, who were unchanged with stroke-victim Sol Davis' anticipated return put on hold, created the first opportunity when top scorer Vine broke down the left and shot at Steele, who made a nervous initial save but gathered the ball at the second attempt.
Kiely's heroics then kept the scores level with the Luton goal leading a charmed life for the majority of the first half.
First, the hosts failed to deal with a Michael Doyle corner and, with the ball bouncing around the penalty area, Leon McKenzie hooked it towards goal only to see the on-loan Portsmouth keeper fling out a hand to make a superb point-blank save.
And moments later Kiely conjured up a double save to keep out headers from Stern John and Dele Adebola before McKenzie, with the goal gaping, shanked the ball over the top from just six yards.
McKenzie then planted a weak header straight into Kiely's arms from a Stephen Hughes corner before Vine, in a rare Luton attack, was adjudged offside as he tucked away Carlos Edwards' deflected shot.
Kiely came up with yet another superb save, clawing away Hughes' free-kick which looked destined for the top corner, before Luton took the lead seconds before half-time.
Brkovic twisted and turned just inside the area before sending a low shot past Steele and inside the right-hand post.
Luton could have gone two up after the break, but Vine's shot deflected off Mikkel Bischoff and over, before Brkovic forced a sprawling save from Steele with a low drive.
Brkovic went from hero to zero on the hour when, under pressure from the considerable presence of Adebola, he inadvertently headed Hughes' free-kick past Kiely, who got a touch but could not keep the ball out.
But the Croatian midfielder was breathing a sigh of relief five minutes later when Edwards wriggled clear down the right and crossed for Vine to slide the ball past Steele.
And just two minutes after Vine's 11th goal of the season, Morgan grabbed his fourth with a curling free-kick which he bent round the wall and past Steele's outstretched left hand.
City substitute Kevin Kyle headed straight at Kiely late on, but even with four minutes of stoppage time added on the demoralised visitors never looked like getting back into the game.
CCFC
More away day blues for City as they lose by three goals to one against Luton Town.
The home side led at the break despite the Sky Blues having much the better chances after Ahmet Brkovic's late goal but the Croatian turned past the superb Dean Kiely to pull City level. Two goals in quick succession from Rowan Vine and Dean Morgan finished off the sky Blues who now go into two home games in need of a couple of positive results.
Micky Adams rang the changes after last week's humiliating defeat at West Brom. Luke Steele lined-up in goal after rejoining City on an emergency loan from the Baggies, replacing the injured Andy Marshall between the sticks.
Mikkel Bischoff made his full debut for the Sky Blues in place of the suspended Robert Page. Stephen Hughes was also recalled to the starting eleven and Leon McKenzie returned after a one-match ban, with Marcus Hall and Darren Currie dropping to the bench.
Luton had the first sight of goal after a mistake from Bischoff let Luton's leading scorer Rowan Vine through but his run made the shooting angle difficult and Steele gathered the effort. Stern John had City's first shot on goal in the tenth minute, forcing Dean Kiely to get down to his 20-yard shot after neat build-up from the Sky Blues.
On 20 minutes Michael Doyle whipped in a teasing cross with the Luton defence putting it out for a corner. The resulting corner saw Elliott Ward's header fly narrowly wide of the upright.
Minutes later McKenzie forced Kiely into a smart point blank save after he connected with Richard Duffy's free-kick. The City right-back then had the keeper scrambling with a low shot from the edge of the area which curled off target.
New recruit Steele was called into action for the Sky Blues when he saved at the feet of Dean Morgan on 27 minutes. The 'keeper required lengthy treatment after the save which resulted in strapping on his left knee.
Kiely produced a stunning double save on 31 minutes with the former Charlton custodian blocking a powerful downward header from Stern John before getting to his feet to stop the rebound from Colin Cameron.
McKenzie went agonisingly close for the Sky Blues when he had a free header from a Stephen Hughes free-kick but the former Norwich player could only direct his header towards the Luton 'keeper.
The Hatters thought they had broken the deadlock when Vine had a goal disallowed for being offside just before the interval. Moments later City had a free-kick on the edge of the Luton penalty area when Cameron was upended by Barnett, the resulting free-kick from Hughes forcing Kiely into another fine save, as he tipped the shot over the bar.
After bossing practically much of the half, City were caught by a sucker punch in stoppage time when Ahmet Brkovic managed to escape a number of challenges from Coventry players before planting his shot in the far corner from 18 yards.
The Hatters had grown in confidence having scored at such a key time and Vine was causing City's defence plenty of problems with his pace and direct running and Steele was forced into an excellent stop from goalscorer Brkovic as the home side threatened to extend their lead early in the second period.
But on the hour mark the Sky Blues were level as Brkovic headed past his own keeper. Hughes delivered a wicked free-kick into the area following a foul from Barnett and the Luton midfielder rose with McKenzie but saw his header fly past Kiely.
It was only five minutes until Luton were ahead again and it came from Vine who tucked away Carlos Edwards' low centre even though Steele appeared to get something on his close range shot. And two minutes later it was 3-1 to the home side as Dean Morgan smashed home a 25-yard free-kick following a handball from Hughes to virtually kill-off City's hopes of making a comeback.
With 15 left on the clock Micky Adams made a double switch with Adam Virgo and Kevin Kyle replacing strike duo John and Adebola.
But the Sky Blues had little by way of response after Luton had established a two-goal advantage and they go into their Boxing Day fixture against Ipswich desperately in need of a pick-me-up.
4thegame
Two goals in three second-half minutes helped Luton Town collect a much-needed three points against Coventry City.
Rowan Vine's 11th of the season and a stunning Dean Morgan free-kick gave Town the win against the Sky Blues and spared the blushes of Ahmet Brkovic, who netted at both ends.
The Croat put the Hatters 1-0 ahead completely against the run of play with a dipping 20-yard effort on the stroke of half-time.
But he then diverted a header past Dean Kiely on the hour to put the visitors level.
Luton were thankful for a man-of-the-match performance from Kiely, who kept his side in the game with a string of superb first-half saves.
The game kicked off amid gloomy conditions and Luton were the first to sniff out an opening in the fourth minute. Mikkel Bischoff completely missed Steve Robinson's curling pass down the left channel allowing Vine to run in on goal and hit an angled 20-yard drive that Luke Steele gathered at the second attempt.
The visitors though gradually took control and, after Leon Barnett had moved quickly to stop Leon McKenzie running on to Michael Doyle's tenth-minute pass, Stern John tested Kiely with an 18-yard snap-shot seconds later.
The Sky Blues' former West Ham man Elliott Ward then went close with an eight-yard header from a Stephen Hughes corner that flashed just past the post in the 21st minute.
Kiely then had to be alert to block McKenzie's effort from point-blank range after Bischoff had headed on Richard Duffy's deep free-kick into the box.
The Hatters continued to be pressed back and Duffy was next to try his luck with a 20-yard right-foot volley that whistled a foot wide after Kevin Foley had half-headed clear from the full-back's initial chip into the penalty area.
Coventry kept coming and only a miraculous double save from Kiely kept the game goalless in the 31st minute. Foley lost the ball far too easily to McKenzie on the left, and the former Norwich man crossed for Dele Adebola to flick on for John, whose six-yard header was blocked by Kiely.
Then, as the ball fell for Colin Cameron, Luton's on-loan Portsmouth stopper somehow blocked the rebound, before Cameron then sliced over on the stretch.
Another Coventry attack saw McKenzie head straight at Kiely from ten yards in the 34th minute from Hughes' free-kick on the right.
Luton finally got their act together a minute before the break when Lewis Emanuel's driving run down the left led to Lewis Edwards hitting a 25-yard shot that deflected into the path of Vine, who slid the ball home only to be ruled offside.
In stoppage time Kiely continued his heroics with a superb fingertip save to tip Hughes' curling 30-yard free-kick over the bar.
Incredibly the Hatters went into the break a goal up when they scored in the second minute of added-on time completely against the run of play.
Brkovic, who had been largely anonymous for most of the half, dispossessed Cameron and held off Bischoff before despatching a dipping 20-yard effort that went over Steele and nestled in the far corner of the net.
The second period began quietly with a 30-yard Cameron effort and a deflected Vine shot all to show from the first ten minutes of action.
Steele was then called into action in the 57th minute as he pushed Brkovic's 18-yard strike past the post before Brkovic netted again on the hour - only at the wrong end.
The Croat was back doing his defensive duties as Luton faced up to a Hughes free-kick 40 yards out but, as the winger challenged McKenzie for the cross, the ball flicked off his head and found the back of the net off the underside of the crossbar despite Kiely almost keeping the effort out.
Town reshuffled by bringing on Chris Coyne for the ineffective Robinson, moving Barnett into midfield. And the move paid off as the Hatters scored twice in three minutes to seal the points.
Firstly Edwards, who had hardly been involved in the action, received the ball out wide in the 64th minute and crossed for the onrushing Vine to net at the second attempt.
In the 66th minute Luton were in the driving seat when Town won a free-kick for a Hughes handball and Morgan stepped up to arrow a superb drive into the far corner from 25 yards to the delight of the home faithful.
Coventry made a triple substitution as they chased the game, bringing on Adam Virgo, Darren Currie and Kevin Kyle but, apart from a 25-yard Hughes shot well fielded by Kiely late on, they never looked like fighting back.
Town boss Mike Newell said: "It's a great result, but you have to say they were the better team in the first half.
"We were thankful to Dean Kiely, but that's what goalkeeper's are there for.
"The goal came at a crucial time and changed the course of the game for us and I have to say we played some better stuff in the second half.
"People start moaning and groaning when we don't beat teams, but you only have to look at their bench and the players they've got and the players that have got Premiership experience - we haven't go that." City boss Micky Adams said: "The players have come off shaking their heads. They can't believe they've lost 3-1.
"Luton's goalkeeper was man-of-the-match and rightly so for his first-half performance.
"We won't be changing things though, we'll go about the next game as we do every other.
"If we play like we did in the first half we'll end up winning more than we'll end up losing away from home."
posted by SkyBlueSnowy at 7:43 pm
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