This match report was kindly provided courtesy of the superb Luton Town news Website www.lutontoday.co.uk.  Lutontoday.co.uk kindly allow us to use their match reports, and, as Hatters fans, we'd urge you to check out their excellent Website, which always contains up-to-date Luton Town news, views and match reports.  The photos are also with the kind permission of Luton Town Football Club and their excellent photographer Gareth Owen.

VENUE Kenilworth Road ATTENDANCE 6,371 REFEREE R Olivier (Sutton Coldfield) MATCH DATE 16 February 2002 KICK OFF TIME 15:00

LUTON TOWN Carl Emberson   Chris Coyne Russell Perrett   David Bayliss   Matthew Taylor Adrian Forbes Dean Crowe 73   Matthew Spring   Kevin Nicholls   Jean-Louis Valois   Steve Howard Gary McSwegan   Emmerson Boyce 57   SUBS NOT USED Aaron Skelton   Mark Ovendale   Paul Hughes

SCUNTHORPE UNITED Tom Evans   Nathan Stanton Mark Jackson   Pat McGibbon   Andrew Dawson   Matthew Sparrow   Alex Calvo-Garcia Wayne Graves Lee Hodges 84   Peter Beagrie   Steve Torpey   Brian Quailey   SUBS NOT USED Craig Dudley   Mark Anderson   James Cotterill   Christopher Bennion

Match Report	16 February 2002
Luton Town 2 - 3 Scunthorpe United

LUTON TOWN 2 Steve Howard '36 Matthew Taylor '78  SCUNTHORPE UNITED 3 Peter Beagrie '9 Wayne Graves '45 Matthew Sparrow '90

LATE GOAL SEALS THE POINTS FOR SCUNTHORPE...

The Hatters were at their best two weeks ago, four points behind leaders Plymouth but just fourteen days later, the Hatters put in possibly their worst performance of the season, lost 3-2 at home and trailed Plymouth by a margin of thirteen points.

It was basically a day when nothing went right for the Hatters, a combined patchy performance and too many players having an off day.

Scunthorpe were up for this, Peter Beagrie at 36 looked like one of the best players in the Division with a inspired performance which boosted the Iron's playoff hopes.

With the Hatters first-half performance at Glanford Park in mind, Joe Kinnear dropped Emmerson Boyce, who was given the run-around by Beagrie that day and opted for Chris Coyne at right back. Kinnear also included new loan signing from Hearts - Gary McSwegan who was given the number 42 shirt! Apart from these two changes the team remained the same from the one who should have won at Rochdale.

The Hatters did OK in the first period, looking lively going forward, Valois turning on the style, Forbes bombing down the right and Steve Howard putting in another quality performance. However the midfield failed to pass accurately and the defence looked uncomfortable trying to accommodate centre-back Coyne at right-back. Beagrie was everywhere and United looked impressive coming forward especially from young right back Nathan Stanton.

It was Stanton's impressive play down the right they brought the open goal. Beating Matthew Taylor he whipped in a low cross which the Hatters failed to clear and ball fell kindly fell to Peter Beagrie who never looked likely to miss who then preceded to do his trademark summersault celebration.

"But in truth the Hatters dominated the first period and for all their attacking got a deserved equaliser"

But in truth the Hatters dominated the first period and for all their attacking got a deserved equaliser. Spring found Forbes who played a good early ball into the box, McSwegan left it for Howard who duly belted the ball past Evans for the equaliser - Howard's tenth of the season.

Scunthorpe always looked a threat on the break and Beagrie nearly set up Quailey but he somehow headed wide.

But a moment of indecision from the Luton defence gifted Scunthorpe a second goal moments before the break. Bayliss tried to sheppard the ball behind for a goal kick but he failed to do so, Beagrie nipped in, squared the ball to Quailey, who with a bit of time steadied himself to fire the second goal in from close range.

The second-half was much the same with the Hatters dominating. Joe Kinnear introduced Dean Crowe for McSwegan and also brought on Boyce, and pushed Taylor on in left midfield. 

It seemed to work Taylor and Valois began to torment the visitors but failed to get the goal with Crowe, Valois and Howard all having half chances.

The equaliser duly arrived with twelve minutes left, Taylor heading into the top right hand corner after a Howard had headed back across goal following a Spring cross.

"Beagrie, who had tormented the Hatters all afternoon, set up Scunthorpe's winner"

But Luton's performance was summed up in the last minute when Beagrie, who had tormented the Hatters all afternoon, set up Scunthorpe's winner, Steve Torpey heading down the Beagrie cross and Matthew Sparrow - unmarked - smashed the ball past Emberson for a deserved winner. The Hatters drop to third, Mansfield and Plymouth both win and now the Town are looking nervously over their shoulder...possibility of the play-offs...?

Baz's Day...	16 February 2002
Luton Town 2-3 Scunthorpe United Travel - Arrived at the ground at 2. Hatters Fans - Around 6,700. 359 from Scunthorpe. Not very vocal, just when the Hatters equalised and went for the possibly winner after the second equaliser. Most people walked out when the third United goal went in. Scunthorpe Fans - 359. Quite vocal and noisier than the Hatters fan for long spells. Food - Purchased a chicken and mushroom pie and a coffee before the game. Last Word - A lacklustre performance from the Hatters who deserved to lose. A draw may have been fair but Scunthorpe were up for this one, whereas the Hatters were not. We're now third, THIRTEEN points behind Plymouth.

Kinnear's Comments	16 February 2002
Luton Town 2-3 Scunthorpe United "It was individual errors. Players have been honest enough and put their hands up. And it’s hurt us big time on Saturday because they were ridiculous goals to give away. But we didn’t play well anyway for whatever reason. Same players, same team. Players picked up a few knocks I suppose you could say. Some are complaining of this, that and the other. But we were very disappointing. I don’t think it was complacency. I think they were the better team. The expectation level for us is high and everybody thinks that we can just walk over anybody we play. But if they think that, they can’t see the same game as I see. I see danger in every team we play. “But I believe in the players. I still believe that we’re good enough to go up and I do believe that we’ll go up automatically. Nothing has changed my mind on that view. I’m not panicking. I don’t listen to people in the media or anybody else. I make the decisions. People only know what they see on the day. They haven’t got the knowledge of seeing what the players have done prior to that. Everything’s instant today. Everybody just goes by what they saw on Saturday. Two weeks ago nobody would have asked me about making changes. After Plymouth they all said: ‘Oh what a magnificent performance. This is a fantastic team. You beat Plymouth out of sight’. Now two games later they’re asking me to make changes. Where’s the thinking? “Alan Neilson from Grimsby is very much in my thoughts. I could make a decision today, but I’ve never been one to panic. I’ll wait and see and maybe something else is round the corner. Who knows. Because I’ve made numerous enquiries for other players that I haven’t named. One of them might be persuaded to sell or take. I’ve enquired about two Watford players. One of them is Marcus Gayle. He’s one that I’d dearly love to sign and bring here because I think he would be a sensation. He’s got all the attributes - he’s brilliant in the air, he’s got great pace. For whatever reason he may have gone off the boil at Watford, but he’d be ideal for us, though I doubt if we could afford him permanently because he must be on £10,000 a week.”

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