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 5,492 REFEREE J Singh (Middlesex) MATCH DATE 18 October 2008 KICK OFF TIME 15:00

LUTON TOWN Conrad Logan   Michael Spillane Harry Worley   Ian Roper   Jake Howells   Garreth O'Connor   Wayne Andrews 24   Asa Hall   Keith Keane   Rossi Jarvis   Paul McVeigh 71   Tom Craddock   Chris Martin   SUBS NOT USED Dean Brill   Jordan Patrick   Sol Davis

ACCRINGTON STANLEY Kenny Arthur   Chris King   Colin Murdock   Kieran Charnock   Phil Edwards   John Miles   Jimmy Ryan   John Mullin   Rostyn Griffiths   Paul Mullin   Terry Gornell   SUBS NOT USED James Bell   Callum Higginbotham   Andy Procter   Andrew Smith   James Speare

Match Report	18 October 2008
Luton Town 1 - 2 Accrington Stanley

LUTON TOWN 1 Asa Hall '34  ACCRINGTON STANLEY 2 Paul Mullin '16 Terry Gornell '54

HAPLESS HATTERS LOSE AT HOME AGAIN...

Things went from bad to worse for hapless Luton Town as they capitulated to a 1-2 home defeat against minnows Accrington Stanley in their first ever competitive meeting.

The Hatters struggled to stamp their mark on this game as stubborn Stanley frustrated them throughout and starved them of possession.

Some shoddy Luton defending twice handed the visitors the lead and all Luton had to show for their efforts was Asa Hall's fine first-half volley.

Injury-ravaged Luton were forced to make two changes from the team that lost so disappointingly 1-2 at home to Darlington last weekend. Ian Roper came in at the back for fractured ankle victim Edward Asafu-Adjaye, while Middlesbrough loan striker Tom Craddock made his full debut in place of suspended Frenchman Claude Gnakpa.

Manager Mick Harford also included 16-year-old schoolboy striker Jordan Patrick on the bench for the very first time.

And Craddock almost made an immediate impact on three minutes when he appeared to be obstructed in the area but nothing was given. The ball then ran to Chris Martin on the edge of the area, but his effort was deflected over the bar.

A poor back header almost let Martin in again on seven minutes, but Minnows keeper Kenny Arthur just beat the young striker to the ball, although the Stanley stopper was injured in the challenge.

"Accrington were enjoying the greater share of possession and they unsurprisingly took the lead on 16 minutes"

Despite the early chances, Accrington were enjoying the greater share of possession and they unsurprisingly took the lead on 16 minutes. Harry Worley's poor defensive header went straight to James Ryan and Paul Mullin turned his low cross from the right home from just a few yards out.

Luton finally found a bit of urgency and could have equalised on 19 minutes. Keith Keane's free-kick was headed back across goal by Worley but, stretching for it, Martin could only head over the bar.

Luton were at sixes and sevens at the back and some more haphazard defending from Jake Howells and Worley almost let the visitors in again moments later.

The hosts were struggling to put two passes together and the crowd began to get restless as the half wore on.

The Hatters almost got themselves back into the game after half an hour when Conrad Logan's big kick downfield ran all the way through to Craddock, but he could only shoot into the side-netting from a narrow angle.

But just as things were looking dire the Hatters equalised in spectacular fashion on 34 minutes. Howells put in a telling cross from the left and Hall met it with a looping volley that spun over Arthur and into the far corner of the net.

Stanley were straight back at the Hatters as they put in a number of dangerous crosses, Logan having to palm one over the bar and claw away a misplaced Roper header.

Hall went close again with another volley on 38 minutes. Substitute Wayne Andrews combined well with Michael Spillane on the right, but Hall could only side foot over from the edge of the box.

Craddock almost marked his debut with a goal on 39 minutes but, having rounded Arthur, his fine strike was ruled out by the linesman's flag as the half ended all square.

Luton looked lively right from the start of the second-half and could have had a penalty after just two minutes when Andrews forceful run was brought to a premature end in the box, but nothing was given.

However, the Hatters were looking shaky at the back and Accrington almost pulled ahead again on 52 minutes when Paul Mullin's header sent Terry Gornell clear, but Logan did well to save at his feet with the linesman flagging for off-side.

Seconds later Luton worked a decent shooting chance on the edge of the area, but Hall's long range effort flew wide.

"More slipshod defending from the Hatters allowed Stanley to take the lead again on 54 minutes"

More slipshod defending from the Hatters allowed Stanley to take the lead again on 54 minutes. The impressive Paul Mullin was allowed to head a free-kick back across goal and Gornell was on hand at the far post to power home from close range.

Chasing the game game Luton began to turn the screw, Craddock having a shot deflected wide on 58 minutes and Spillane heading over the subsequent corner.

Paul Mullin could have made it three on 61 minutes but Luton had a let off when his free header looped just over the bar.

Luton were struggling to create chances against a well-drilled Stanley outfit and Martin could only send a rasping 30-yard effort wide on 65 minutes.

Ryan's long ranger was almost fumbled into the net by Logan with 14 minutes left, while Martin went unrewarded seconds later when he went down in the area after bursting into the box.

Andrews was just unable to capitalise on Craddock's flick on two minutes later, while Luton should have levelled with six minutes left. Craddock twisted and turned into the box and, although Arthur got a hand to his shot, the ball rebounded to Andrews who could only stab wide from three-yards out.

Luton piled on the pressure in the closing stages and Arthur produced a great one-footed save to deny Hall with a minute left and Craddock was just unable to capitalise on the loose ball.

Paul McVeigh almost opened up Stanley at the death, but they were just able to clear behind. Cradock then sent a woeful free-kick over the bar as Stanley clung on for victory.

Harford's Comments	18 October 2008
Luton Town 1-2 Accrington Stanley "It's hugely disappointing. I thought we didn't start particularly well and they deserved to go 1-0 up. We looked sloppy and sluggish. "We never passed the ball well this afternoon. We could have ground something out but we didn't. "It's a bit of a low. Coming down to League Two we should be beating this sort of team. "At the moment we're asking boys to do men's jobs and some of them are finding it difficult. "Wayne Andrews had a great chance to score at the end and it's one of the few opportunities we created. We weren't good in the final third today. "When we don't play well we need to grind results out which we aren't doing at the moment. "Garreth O'Connor wanted to go out there and give it a go, but he didn't last very long. "If Tom Craddock plays we need good possession because he will make those runs. "Ropes is Ropes. Ropes is not great on the eye, but he is solid and dependable, boots things and keeps things organised. "There's nothing we can do about it. It's gone, it's history that game. "We never passed the ball, turned them or get in behind them. "Claude Gnakpa will come back into the squad for Tuesday’s game at Grimsby Town and will play on today's performance."

Click Here to search for other reports for matches involving Accrington Stanley.