FA Trophy, round two: Hinckley United 0 (0) Luton Town 0 (0)
LUTON Town and Hinckley United will have to do it all over again on Monday after misfiring Hatters were held to a goalless draw in their FA Trophy second round match tonight, writes Mike Simmonds.
In truth, the visitors, who appeared distinctly disinterested for the majority of the evening, were thankful to goalkeeper Mark Tyler for earning a replay as Hinckley, led by fleet-footed striker Andre Gray, always looked the more likely to score.
Town boss Gary Brabin made nine changes to the side that beat Stockport County 1-0 as only James Dance and Stuart Fleetwood remained.
That meant starts for Tyler, Curtis Osano, Ed Asafu-Adjaye, Alex Lacey, JJ O’Donnell, John Paul Kissock, Robbie Willmott, while teenagers Alasan Ann and Colby McAdams made their full debuts.
Unfortunately Ann’s stint lasted a mere five minutes as he injured his ankle in the opening salvos and, despite trying to play on, limped from the field to be replaced by 18-year-old Jake Woolley, who made his bow for the club.
Kissock almost broke the deadlock is stunning fashion on eight minutes, when his long ranger was superbly tipped over the bar by the arching Denham Hinds.
Town should have been behind when Lacey dallied over a long ball and Gray nipped in, but Tyler was out to bravely deny the striker.
Woolley came within inches of a goal on 20 minutes when McAdams was sent clear down the right and his lovely cross was met by the striker, who found the side-netting.
O’Donnell stormed forward and arrowed a shot wide, while Fleetwood took Willmott’s pass in his stride but put his effort too close to Hinds.
Hinckley looked a better side than their 20th placing in Blue Square Bet North suggested as Gray found space only to send a shot into the night’s sky.
Fleetwood’s dinked header was hacked off the line by Paul Lister, before both the striker and Dance miskicked, allowing Hinds to tumble on the loose ball in a rare attacking foray.
The Knitters enjoyed a fine spell just before the break with Gray proving a constant menace as first he induced Asafu-Adjaye into a crucial sliding challenge before belting a strike past Tyler and into the corner, only to see his moment of glory cut short by the linesman’s flag.
Just before the break, Willmott found Kissock with a clever corner and the midfielder jinked his way into a shooting position only to tamely find Hinds.
Gray continued to be a menace in the second half as he broke away to face Tyler one-on-one, but the keeper spread himself well to save, while the forward’s rebound was wide of the mark.
The striker was through once more moments later and cut the ball back to find Sam Belcher, whose shot was blocked by team-mate Danny Newton.
Tyler had to come to the rescue once more when Gray neatly found Craig Farrell, who had his close-range blast parried behind.
Luton tried to regain a foothold in the game as Fleetwood’s deflected drive was well handled by Hinds, while 17-year-old Jerry Nash was introduced for his Luton debut on the hour, replacing McAdams.
On 75 minutes, the visitors came close to taking the lead when Willmott’s cross was flicked over his own bar by Mark Dudley, while after a mazy Kissock run, Woolley blasted off target.
Fleetwood almost snatched a late, late winner but Hinds was out to block, before the keeper could have been left with egg on his face when Dance charged down a clearance, but it rebounded away from danger.
Newton almost won it in sensational style in the dying seconds, with a mazy run and goalbound shot that hammered into Lacey and away, leaving Hatters with another match they could really do without.
Knitters: Denham Hinds, Sam Belcher (Jake Holt 72), Mark Dudley, Richard Lavery, Paul Lister, Calum Flanagan, Lloyd Kerry, Andy Gooding (C, Daniel Bragoli 67), Craig Farrell, Andre Gray, Danny Newton. Substitutes not used: Rob Oddy, Tom Byrne.
Hatters: Mark Tyler (C), Curtis Osano, JJ O’Donnell, Alex Lacey, Ed Asafu-Adjaye, James Dance, John Paul Kissock, Colby McAdams (Jerry Nash 60), Stuart Fleetwood, Alasan Ann (Jake Woolley 5). Substitutes not used: Lewis Kidd, Charlie Smith, Brett Longden.
Bookings: Gooding 59.
Referee: Darren Bond.
Assistant Referees: James Wilson and Richard Woodward.
Fourth official: Andrew Fox.
Attendance: 754.
Star Hatter: Mark Tyler.