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Match Reports

MATCH REPORT & GALLERY | BLACKPOOL 0 LUTON TOWN 0

22 September 2018

Match Reports

MATCH REPORT & GALLERY | BLACKPOOL 0 LUTON TOWN 0

22 September 2018

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The Hatters picked up a good point at Blackpool this afternoon as it was only a brilliant performance from Tangerines keeper Mark Howard that denied Nathan Jones' side from picking up all three.

Town's Elliot Lee, Jorge Grant and James Collins all went close to finding a winning goal at Bloomfield Road, but it wasn't to be as a near 1,400 travelling supporters roared the Hatters on.

The visitors came under a bit of pressure early on when Liam Feeney was slipped through by former Hatter Mark Cullen with five minutes on the clock, but Dan Potts slid in excellently to take the ball away from the winger to stop the attack.

Cullen tried to take advantage of their early pressure and wasn't too far away just three minutes later as he was unable to divert Ollie Turton's decent low cross past Shea, instead clipping it wide of the near post.

The Hatters started making inroads and with 15 minutes gone Howard spared defender Ben Heneghan's blushes – the keeper doing well to keep out the ex-Motherwell man's deflected block going into the back of his own net, after Jack Stacey had put in a terrific low ball after cutting in from the by-line.

Jorge Grant looked sharp and teed up Andrew Shinnie to shoot from the edge of the box after 21 minutes, but it was a comfortable save for Howard.

Grant then gave the Hatters the best opportunity of the first half exchanges as he pinched the ball in midfield, with him and Elliot Lee going through against one Blackpool defender, he gave the ball to Lee who saw his curling effort expertly palmed away by Howard.

Feeney – who helped Cardiff City to promotion to the Premier League last season – went close to breaking the deadlock with half an hour gone when he saw his effort from 22 yards well tipped over by James Shea.

James Collins went close to grabbing his first goal in League One for the Hatters just 70 seconds into the second half when he nodded down Grant's ball before doing well to get a shot away under pressure, but it was a comfortable save for Howard.

Grant again was creating the hosts trouble shortly after – this time he chipped it over a defender before hammering it from just inside the box on his left foot from a bit of an angle, but Howard palmed it down before gathering.

With the hour mark just past, Collins did well to win a corner out on the far side, Grant whipped it in, Dan Potts rose highest and the ball looked destined to beat Howard, Collins got a touch on it though and sent the ball wide for a goal-kick.

The Hatters edged closer to finding the lead in the 73rd minute when Mpanzu powered forward, outmuscling Jay Spearing to get the ball through to Lee, the striker looked to fire it into the bottom left corner, but his deflected strike was saved by Howard who dived to his right when the ball looked destined to beat the stopper.

With two minutes to go, Lee went desperately close to smashing in a late winner as he cut onto his right foot, before dancing along the edge of the box and letting fly from 20 yards, but Howard again denied the Hatters the goal their play deserved as he dived to his right to palm it away.

The result means the Hatters have now kept two consecutive clean sheets, as they slipped down a place into 12th in the third tier.

BLACKPOOL XI: Howard, Heneghan, Delfouneso (Nottingham 70), Spearing ©, Cullen (Gnanduillet 80), Thompson, Tilt, O'Sullivan, Turton, Feeney, Bola.

ON THE BENCH: Boney, O'Connor, Dodoo, Nottingham, McLaughlin, Gnanduillet, Guy.

YELLOW: Heneghan

TOWN XI: Shea, Stacey, Pearson, Bradley, Potts, Rea (C), Mpanzu, Grant (Cornick 74), Shinnie, Lee, Collins

ON THE BENCH: Isted, Justin, Cornick, Senior, Jarvis, Read, Sheehan.

ATTENDANCE: 4,124

AWAY: 1,382


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