There are 0-0 draws and then there is this thrill-free snooze-fest against Coventry City.
Before this bore-draw, Hatters manager Nathan Jones prophetically questioned whether you could call football elite professional sport in this unprecedented season when the pandemic-induced fixture pile-up was affecting quality.
At the nomadic Sky Blues’ temporary home of Birmingham, the hypothesis was proven to dreary, dour and very dull destruction.
But, after Town’s two preceding away day defeats in Wales – where the games against Cardiff and Swansea were effectively lost inside the first two minutes – this was an improvement in outcome, marked by a fifth clean sheet in the Championship and first for understudy keeper James Shea.
However, at the other end, it was also a third straight blank drawn on the road – and fifth on their travels in total – and that rarely looked likely to end, even against the leakiest defence in the division, albeit against one that has now gone unbeaten in six outings.
Assistant manager Mick Harford said: “(To) come away from home and keep a clean sheet, we are delighted but we just need to improve in the final third, in terms of creating chances and getting in better positions.”
The only real Luton chance fell to James Collins in the first half, but the striker scooping Luke Berry’s headed knockdown high over the bar from seven yards was as pulse quickening as it got, bar some promising though fruitless crosses from Harry Cornick.
That was all in the first half, where Coventry’s Tyler Walker hit the Hatters upright, and though Town shaded the contest at that stage, there were few redeemable qualities about the second period.
The highlight – or lowlight is probably a more accurate description – was a muted hullabaloo after Dan Potts was booked for a perfectly good tackle. That was more frustration than the usually mild-mannered first-team coach Paul Hart could take and he too went into whistle-happy referee Andy Woolmer’s book. The official then let the left back get away with a genuine foul, moments later.
A late Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu cross was almost turned into an own goal, but there was not even a calamity on the cards to lift this contest.
Harford told lutontown.co.uk: “It was just one of those nights, we got in good positions, but things just petered out and we gave the ball away cheaply. Overall, to come away from home, to what I believe is a Coventry City team evolving in the Championship, like ourselves, it’s a tough game so overall we’re delighted with a point.”
PLAYER RATINGS:
JAMES SHEA – 5
A first clean sheet for the keeper since returning to the side. Not unduly troubled by Coventry.
TOM LOCKYER – 6 (star man)
Cool, calm and collected, the Wales international was so comfortable in defence, his most prominent role was with the ball at his feet, trying to get Luton going.
SONNY BRADLEY – 5.5
A remarkable return for the club captain after the devastating death of his father. He didn’t put a foot wrong. Huge credit to him.
DAN POTTS – 5.5
His third appearance of the season and the clean sheet will be a confidence booster. He picked up a very harsh caution and then would’ve been fearing the worst, moments later, when he went flying in with a late challenge, which was an actual foul. The referee thought nothing of it though. Bizarre. Good for Potts but bemusing officiating.
JORDAN CLARK – 5
Operated more as a wing back alongside a three-man backline and had one of his quieter outings at the sharp end, but worked hard none the less.
GLEN REA – 5
Dropped into the back three and did the gritty stuff well, helping to limit the Coventry.
JOE MORRELL – 5
Only his third start for Luton and his first full 90 minutes for anyone in the Championship, this stop-start contest didn’t play to the Wales international’s free-flowing abilities, but he kept things ticking over in the midfield.
PELLY-RUDDOCK MPANZU – 5.5
Full of endeavour, the midfielder was one of the better performers in the second half and tried to make things happen, seeing a late cross almost turned in by a City defender.
LUKE BERRY – 5
Not one of his most productive attacking displays, but he did tee up James Collins for the big miss of the game. Replaced by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall on 71 minutes.
HARRY CORNICK – 5.5
Looked most likely to create something in the first half but his team-mates couldn’t make the most of his crosses. Quiet in the second half.
JAMES COLLINS – 4.5
Keeps getting in the right positions but couldn’t hit the target and would be expected to at least have done that with the best Luton chance of the game, which blazed high over the bar.
SUBSTITUTES:
KIERNAN DEWSBURY-HALL – 4
Coming off the bench for the first time, he entered a game of low quality and couldn’t turn that tide in his 19 minutes on the pitch. His set-pieces weren’t of their usual quality.
SAM NOMBE – N/A
Vital minutes for the young striker, but five was not enough for a rating.
Unused subs: Ryan Tunnicliffe, Elliot Lee, George Moncur, Harry Isted, Brendan Galloway, Kazenga LuaLua, Sam Beckwith
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