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VENUE Kenilworth Road ATTENDANCE 6,773 REFEREE G L Ward MATCH DATE 2 December 2008 KICK OFF TIME 19:45

LUTON TOWN Conrad Logan   Claude Gnakpa Keith Keane   George Pilkington   Jake Howells   Paul McVeigh   Kevin Watson   Asa Hall 54   Kevin Nicholls   Rossi Jarvis 25   Lewis Emanuel   Drew Talbot 45   Kevin Gallen   Chris Martin   SUBS NOT USED Dean Brill   George Beavan

AFC BOURNEMOUTH Shwan Jalal   Scott Guyett   Jason Pearce   Ryan Garry   Joel Ward   Mark Molesley   Brett Pitman 90   Danny Hollands   Josh McQuoid   Sammy Igoe 68   Shaun Cooper   Lee Bradbury   Michael Symes 90   Matt Tubbs   SUBS NOT USED Darren Anderton   Ryan Pryce

Match Report	2 December 2008
Luton Town 3 - 3 AFC Bournemouth

LUTON TOWN 3 Ryan Garry (own goal) '18 Kevin Gallen '56 Paul McVeigh (pen) '85  AFC BOURNEMOUTH 3 Mark Molesley '20, '51 Matt Tubbs '76

ALL SQUARE IN BASEMENT BATTLE...

Luton Town twice hauled themselves back from behind to earn a draw after a thrilling encounter with Bournemouth at Kenilworth Road.

Paul McVeigh's late penalty saved the Hatters from a devastating defeat but, in truth, they will see this as two points dropped against their relegation rivals.

The draw is likely to suit Jimmy Quinn's side more, as it now takes them to zero points, with Luton still lagging behind on minus 10.

There were five changes to the side that went down 1-3 at Southend United in the FA Cup on Saturday.

The most notable of which saw talismanic skipper Kevin Nicholls return to lead the side, while there were also starts for George Pilkington and Lewis Emanuel.

Young centre-half Michael Spillane (suspension) and the injured Ian Roper were out, while experienced left-back Sol Davis was missing altogether.

Luton began the game nervously and were guilty of a number of mistimed passes and failed to get any sort of rhythm going.

It was the visitors who had the better of the early exchanges and were being allowed far too much time and room on the ball, that allowed them to fashion a number of half chances.

But, on 18 minutes, the home side managed to take the lead in somewhat fortunate fashion against the pattern of play.

Kevin Gallen played the ball out to Emanuel on the left flank and the resultant cross into the six-yard box didn't appear to be causing too much danger, until defender Jason Pearce deflected it beyond his own keeper and into the net via the left-hand post.

But that lead only lasted a little over a minute as Bournemouth got themselves back on level terms.

Mark Molesley got the better of Jake Howells on the right-hand edge of the penalty area and, after being allowed a free run on Conrad Logan, he fired the ball beyond the helpless Hatters keeper and into the net.

The home side were then handed another blow when Nicholls was forced off with a reoccurrence of his hamstring problem and was replaced by Rossi Jarvis.

On 26 minutes, Chris Martin headed wide from Paul McVeigh's cross while at the other end, Cherries skipper Shaun Cooper was just off target with a free-kick seven minutes later.

Bournemouth were by far the better side and they ended the half strongly and had a number of promising situations in and around the Luton penalty area, while Gallen's through ball almost set McVeigh clear on goal for the Hatters, but the pass just had a bit too much on it.

Luton knew the importance of upping the ante after the break, although they re-appeared for the second-half without one of their better first-half performers in Emanuel, as striker Drew Talbot, who is also trying to regain full match fitness after injury, came on to replace him.

But, despite shooting out of the blocks, the hosts were dealt a cruel blow five minutes after the re-start when they fell behind.

Josh McQuoid led a breakaway move from midfield before slipping the ball into the feet of Molesley and, after cutting inside Logan, he slid the ball in to an empty net for his second goal of the game.

Substitute Talbot almost gave Luton the perfect response a minute later, but his flick towards goal was hacked off the line.

"Gallen let fly with a free-kick pile driver from 25-yards that gave Shwan Jalal in the Bournemouth goal no chance"

But on 55 minutes they were level in spectacular fashion, as loan striker Gallen let fly with a free-kick pile driver from 25-yards that gave Shwan Jalal in the Bournemouth goal no chance, as the long-suffering home faithful started to believe again.

Luton, driven on by their raucous support, were now finally starting to take control of proceedings.

McVeigh's cheeky lob almost caught Jalal off his line, while just before the hour mark, Frenchman Claude Gnakpa surged forward and, after his shot was only part initially cleared, Gallen skied the resulting chance high and wide.

They continued to press, with Talbot's cross flashing across the face of goal on 71 minutes but, as they have done on so many occasions this season, Luton shot themselves in the foot yet again five minutes later, as the visitors took the lead for a second time in the match.

All of Luton's hard work was outdone when Matt Tubbs was left completely unmarked inside the six-yard box and it came as no surprise when he got his head on the end of a cross from the right, diverting the ball across Logan and into the far corner.

"McVeigh buried the ball past Jalal to pull the Hatters level once again"

Things were starting to get desperate for Mick Harford's men, but they were handed an unlikely lifeline on 83 minutes when Gallen was pulled down inside the box and from the resultant spot-kick, McVeigh buried the ball past Jalal to pull the Hatters level once again, as both sides had to make do with a point.

Harford's Comments	2 December 2008
Luton Town 3-3 AFC Bournemouth "I said at the start of the season that our home form had to be top drawer, but it's very poor. We need to improve it and it's going to be tough and it will be a long haul. "If we perform like we did in the first-half we'll be in trouble. If we perform like we did in the second-half, which was much improved, we might get out of it. "It makes it harder when we are not picking up wins. I have the belief and desire, but when those players cross the white line, there's not a lot I can do about it. "To score three at home and not win it is sickening. Bournemouth were very good in the first-half and we weren't. We matched them in the second-half and then when it was 2-2 there was only one team that was going to win it. "We looked like we were on a roll. There was belief and passion, which was missing in the first 45 minutes. "At the moment the nuts and bolts are letting us down, as again we gave a stupid goal away which is a trait of our players at present. "We went for the jugular, but the ball went down the other end for the first time in about 25 minutes and it was just a crazy goal to give away. "We gave their boy a free header in the six-yard box and that doesn't happen to us. We don't score goals like that. "Since the start of the season we have underachieved with the squad we've got. We need to win more games and show the effort we showed in the last 30 minutes of the game."

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