 Wednesday, 31st Mar 2010 17:02 Goals from Ronan Murray and Lee Martin (pen) weren’t enough to prevent Town’s reserves from falling to a 3-2 defeat to Luton at Portman Road this afternoon. The Hatters fielded a more experienced side including former Southampton and Newcastle man Alan Neilson, now a coach at Kenilworth Road. Both sides had early chances, Jack Ainsley having an effort saved and Lee Martin coming close to getting a toe to Reggie Lambe’s cross from the left. At the other end, Richard Wright saved well from Ty Ateino, before Lee Martin shot not far wide of the Luton goal. Town were forced into an early change when centre-half Troy Brown picked up a blow to the mouth and was replaced by Rory McKeown, just back from a spell away with the Northern Irish U17s. Luton ought to have gone in front just after the half hour when Matthew Barnes Homer headed wide when well placed. However, a Hatters goal wasn’t too much longer in coming, Barnes Homer sending in a ball from the left which Ryan Charles hit into the ground, back across Richard Wright and into the net. Reggie Lambe, who was somewhat controversially wearing yellow boots, might have put the Blues back on terms almost immediately but shot wide with a hint of a Luton handball inside the area in the build-up. Steve Foley’s men did pull level on 39 when Billy Clark played a peach of a pass into the path of Ronan Murray running in from the right. The Irish U19 international reached the ball ahead of Luton keeper Shane Gore and headed it into the net. The visitors were back in front within three minutes. Richard Wright initially caught a corner but collided with McKeown and dropped the ball. The Blues repeatedly failed to clear and eventually the ball reached the edge of the area where former Norwich man Rossi Jarvis lashed a shot through a crowd of players and into the net. Town almost equalised for a second time five minutes into the second half when Ronan Murray picked up a loose ball and took it to the edge of the area before hitting a fine shot which beat the keeper but cannoned off the post and away. The Blues eventually added their second goal of the match from the penalty spot in the 65th minute. Murray had found Martin inside the area but Luton keeper Gore saved the former Manchester United man’s shot. Martin won the race to the loose ball and was upended by the keeper. Amazingly referee Matt McLaughlin a matter of feet away waved away the protests but the linesman some yards off eventually persuaded him it was a penalty. Martin hit the spotkick low to the keeper’s right and into the net. The closest Town came to a third goal came on 77 when Tom Eastman blocked a goal-bound shot and half-time sub Devann Yao took the ball practically from one end of the field to the other before hitting a shot over the bar, with Reggie Lambe in space to his right calling for a pass. The match seemed destined for a draw when, moments before the fourth official raised his board, Mark Nwokeji powerfully headed home a cross from the right giving Richard Wright no chance and winning Luton’s second string their first points of the season. There were few stand-out performances for the Blues in a disappointing overall display. Ronan Murray once again toiled gamely up front but largely on his own with Martin playing a role behind him. Martin himself was once more unconvincing taking on opposition against whom he really ought to have excelled. Richard Wright will be unhappy at the manner in which the second goal was conceded, while the likes of Reggie Lambe, Jack Ainsley and Devann Yao seem unlikely to win extensions to their Town contracts from the watching Roy Keane on the strength of today’s showing. Reserves: R Wright, Ainsley, Dunbar, Hyam, Brown (McKeown 14), Eastman, Brandon (Yao 46), Clark, Murray, Martin, Lambe. Unused: McLoughlin, Lavery.
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