Bulls denied all three points by late questionable goal

Josh O'Keefe and Chris Carruthers Waiting To Kick-Off

Hereford United came away from Kenilworth Road having earned a draw when a late controversial David Martin equaliser cancelled out Marlon Jackson first half strike.

With Marley Watkins ruled out through injury and Ryan Bowman still not recovered from illness there were starts for Chris Curruthers and Marlon Jackson as Martin Foyle set a 4-3-1-2 formation with Connor at right back and Samuel Clucas given freedom behind the strikers.  Former Bulls Janos Kovacs (injured) and Stuart Fleetwood both failed to make the Luton matchday squad.

Andre Gray’s driven cross was deflected for a corner which Bittner came confidently to collect before Alex Lawless drove an effort across the goalmouth but out for a goal kick.  A period on ping-pong in midfield preceded a foul on Curruthers from which Jackson’s free kick cannoned off a defender for a Bulls’ corner.  

Referee Awards Bulls A Free Kick After Carruthers Was Fouled

Curruthers and Jackson combined to create an opportunity for Sharp and his shot was cleared off the line as The Bulls made a bright start to the match.

Joe Connor made a good clearance at the back post before Chris Sharp saw his first time shot screw wide of the upright.  Josh O’Keefe had a shot block after Clucas got behind the defence and Sharp lifted the rebound over the bar before, on the break, Jake Howells shot over when cutting in from the left.  Then, on 23 minutes The Bulls took a deserved lead.

Marlon Jackson Making The Run For Hereford's Goal

Jackson received the ball from Kingsley James ten yards inside the Luton half, beat two players and outpaced the Luton rearguard before slotting home to beat Tyler at the near post.

Jackson Celebrates With Graham, James, O'Keefe and Sharp

Mendy fired straight at Bittner and Gray over hit a cross as The Hatters attempts to get back into the game were thwarted by some resolute defending and good pressure from the midfield trio in which Kingsley James appeared to be covering every inch of the pitch.  Connor and Jackson combined well on the right for Clucas to shoot just over and Bittner had to get down quickly to save from Howells.

Stam’s back post header from a corner on the right was blocked on the line and then Jackson’s good work on the right produced a cross to Sharp and his header was only kept out by a last second clearance by Goodman.

HT Luton 0 Bulls 1

The Bulls had been the better side in the first period and started the second half in similar fashion.  Sharp’s on-target shot was blocked away for a corner before another Sharp effort was just wide.  Gray and Smith both tested Bittner with shots from distance as Luton applied their first period of sustained pressure.

Bittner Collects Whilst McNulty Looks On

Graham and Stam cleared crosses from Mendy and Henry before Scott Rendell, who had been well marshalled by The Bulls’ central pairing, left the field with a knock to be replaced by Alex Wall.

Jackson moved to a wider position on the right to leave Sharp up top on his own and the former Telford man was applauded for a host of long runs to keep the home defenders busy.  The aging and overweight McNulty was given a particularly torrid time by Sharpie.

Chris Sharp and Steve McNulty

A Luton cross from the right was cleared at the back post by Connor and Stam headed off the line before Jonathan Smith saw his shot come back off the angle of bar and upright as the hosts upped the tempo in search of a leveller.  At the other end, Jackson broke clear before pulling the ball back to Clucas but Sam’s shot was slightly miss-hit and Tyler was able to save low down.

Stefan Stam took a heavy knock from a late challenge and limped for a while before appearing to run it off.  Then Clucas sent Chris Sharp away and his fierce shot from the corner of the box took a deflection off Martin, which Tyler just managed to tip onto the bar.

Luton applied late pressure and after a couple of troublesome corners eventually got goal in strange circumstances with less than three minutes of normal time remaining.

The Ball was cleared but fell to Martin just outside the box and with The Bulls’ defence pushing up two players were left in an offside position.  When Martin’s shot came in, Bittner’s view was clearly impeded by the Luton player stood in his line of sight and the ball crept just inside the post.

James Bittner's Protests Came To Nothing

Despite Bittner and Connor’s protestations, the referee and his assistant conspired to allow the goal.  Four minutes of added time only served to test the nerves of the travelling 220 in the away end while the balance of the total of 6001 seemed relieved not to have lost after being dominated in the first half.

FT Luton 1 Bulls 1

Hereford: - Bittner, Connor, Graham, Stam, Musa, O’Keefe, James, Curruthers (Heath 76), Clucas, Sharp (Smikle 89), Jackson.  Unused Galoinagh, McDonald, McQuilkin

Luton : - Tyler, Taylor (Martin 73), McNulty, Howells, Henry, Goodman, Lawless, Mendy (O’Donnell 73), Smith, Rendell (Wall 62), Gray. Unused Brill, Rowe-Turner.

The Bulls had enough chances in the first half to put this one to bed.  Two goal-line clearances and the slice that came back off the bar would have seen us home but The Hatters increased pressure after half time when they created an equal number of opportunities meant that, overall, a draw was probably a fair result.  The Bulls will, however, feel a little hard done by given the circumstances surrounding the eventual equaliser.

BN MOM - Kingsley James

Interesting beers in The Bricklayers Arms.

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