An off piste/often pissed take on the goings on at Luton Town FC. This first column takes a view from the terraces of Town’s 3-3 season opener against Middlesbrough.
The first day of the football season is always a momentous day. But when it’s also your first game back in the Championship after 12 years away it’s gonna be a particularly special occasion. So, excitement for Middlesbrough’s visit to Kenilworth Road was at fever pitch.
As the curtain-raiser for the entire Football League season it was played on the Friday night in front of the Sky Sports cameras. As a result, that day at work was a nightmare. Constantly checking the time to see if it was home/booze time yet until, finally, at 2:40, tools were downed.
A frankly reckless drive home, a shower, a shave, a slightly nervous poo and a change of clothes later and I was en route to the pub, where my perfectly timed arrival matched England batsman Rory Burns go to his ton in the Ashes to precipitate some serious glugging business.
It didn’t seem five minutes since we were in the same boozer over-celebrating Luton’s League One title win after the Oxford game, but it was like we’d never been away. Same old faces and same jovial banter (or out-and-out abuse, in the case of the ever eloquent JF). Same old Luton Town, mate.
We marched up Hazelbury Crescent full of anticipation and Kenilworth Road, the old girl, as she so often is on evenings like this, was rocking.
Kenilworth Road, the old girl, as she so often is on evenings like this, was rocking
You know you’re becoming an old fucker when a bloke you remember starting his career as a player is now a manager, but Jonathan Woodgate’s Middlesbrough were in no mood to roll over, though, taking the lead through a header from the second phase of a corner, which I’m sure would’ve disappointed new manager Graeme Jones, who was looking sharp in his best Hugo Boss polo. It’s too early to judge him on his managerial abilities, but he has my respect as a dresser and I can’t help but feel that will be going straight on his CV should he ever bother to read this tripe.
Luton rallied though and Sonny Bradley found himself in space just outside of the box. “Shoooooot,” shouted seemingly every Luton fan in the ground, except me, who muttered to my pal Shed: “Yeah, don’t actually shoot though,” just as the defender unleashed an unstoppable half volley in to the top corner with his left peg. Chaos ensued, the roof was raised, strangers were embraced, seats were fallen over and one or two known faces from the Block ended up on the playing surface (inadvertently, I think, and even if it wasn’t I’m no grass, so we move on).
A few minutes later the decibel levels were raised even higher when debutant full back Martin Cranie rose highest to nod in another Andrew Shinnie corner and Luton were ahead. Raucous scenes ensued again, all round the ground, and the atmosphere was electric.
Sadly it wasn’t to last very long. With eight minutes to go til half time Shinnie dithered in possession 25 yards from his own goal and was tackled. A tame shot was struck at our new goalkeeper, the €1.5million record signing Simon Sluga’s near post which should’ve been saved comfortably but the keeper’s feet were all over the shop and the ball trickled through him. The Croatian international’s reaction said it all, punching the post so hard I’m amazed he didn’t break his hand à la Alex Lawless at York in the dark, dark days of the non-league. It was a poor error but, he’d made a great save a moment or two prior and then was pretty excellent afterwards, so don’t worry about him, he’ll be fine.
Half time came and went with no sign in a let up to the intensity of the game. They hit the bar early in the second half and Sluga had to be alert on more than one occasion to keep the scores level. Luton still looked threatening when they got forward as well, with James Collins blatantly punching one in from a right wing cross from the ever lively Callum McManaman, which made me chuckle.
Luton were also robbed of a blatant penalty when Dan Potts, upfield for a set piece was tripped in the box. It looked a penalty from 70 yards away in the Block and having now seen a replay it looks even more so now. In fairness to the ref, his view may have been impeded but the linesman was literally stood ten yards away and looking straight at the incident. Get that man an eye-test.
One thing you couldn’t miss was Boro taking the lead through an absolute belter. Their lad hit it from about 30 yards and at first it looked destined to land in executive box one, but it somehow bent and dipped into Sluga’s top corner. The lad’s name was Wing but I’ve no clarification yet on whether he’s left or right leaning.
Boro had the wind in their sails now and a couple of saves from Sluga kept us in the contest. However with the clock ticking down, Cranie lunges into a slightly rash looking challenge on the edge of the box. It looked in the area from the Block in real time but outside of it on the replays, so fuck knows, frankly. All that mattered was the ref pointed to the spot. Ridiculously named Watford wrong ‘un Britt Assombalonga stepped up to finish us off but his penalty blazed over the Oak Road stand and in to Badar’s Halal Butcher’s on Ash Road. A terrible penalty and it may well have been the inspiration we needed to go and get an equaliser.
The introductions of George Moncur and Harry Cornick had given us fresh impetus going forward and with five minutes remaining Collins won a header. Cornick squared to Potts (what the fuck he was doing that far up the pitch is anybody’s guess but fair play to him). Potts’ shot was blocked but the ball fell perfectly for Collins to stroke in and send Kenilworth Road into a state of delirium once more.
It all got a bit too much for one fan from the Block who raced on to the pitch, goaded the away fans, gave a steward the slip before finally slipping over and being hauled away by the law. First nick of the 2019/20 season goes to Luton Town. Is there anything we can’t do?
Collins could have won it at the end, but Darren Randolph saved well. Anywhere else is a goal and absolute bedlam begins in the home ends, but we couldn’t complain too much. A 3-3 draw was probably about right but, more to the point, the Hatters showed they could mix it with the best of them in this league.
We move on to Cardiff this Saturday and as I finish these Amstel-infused ramblings we’ve just announced the signings of Aston Villa right back James Bree and the attackers Izzy Brown and Luke Bolton from Chelsea and Manchester City, respectively.
I think we’d all agree these are shrewd bits of business. This author is feeling quietly confident we can do well this season, but if the Boro game is anything to go by it’ll be one hell of a ride.
On we drink.