Luton v Gillingham

Luton dominated the game and won in a canter against a poor Gills team, with an excellent strike from David Bell, Paul Furlong’s first goal for the Town and a penalty from Matthew Spring.

An injury to Dean Brill saw manager Kevin Blackwell sign Cardiff keeper David Forde on a month’s loan late on Friday, but the Gills hardly tested him so we know nothing more about his quality than we did before the game.

Luton began the match playing some very smooth football and on another day might have scored 7!

Drew Talbot was given his first start of the season when Paul Peschisolido failed to recover from the knock he received at Swindon and he took his chance to show how much he has developed since last season. He ran his legs off and was unlucky not to have scored, while Paul Furlong had his best game for the Town since he arrived.





avid Bell returned to the team at the expense of Steve Robinson who dropped to the bench.

As Luton piled on the pressure from the start it became clear that their skill was going to be too much for a scratch Gillingham side who had not yet scored this season.

A cross from Bell was cleared to Spring, who lobbed the ball back towards goal and Dave Edwards tried to turn and shoot but it went wide.

In another quickfire attack the ball reached Coyne and he side footed over the bar when he should have at least worked keeper Simon Royce.

Currie was again instrumental in providing plenty of half chances with his trickery and accurate crosses and one such was neatly flicked on by Talbot and at the far post Edwards arrived a split second too late to convert the move.

It was all Luton and debutant loan keeper Forde had only back passes to keep him occupied.

On 17 minutes, Bell picked up the ball on the left, cut inside and as the defence opened up he kept going forward and shot firmly past Royce for the opening goal.

The goal seemed to settle the home team and their play became more relaxed so it was quite a surprise when a rare foray forward resulted in a corner to the away side. It was even more of a surprise when the pinpoint cross from the corner by Southall was met with a perfectly timed arrival by Bentley who, leaving Forde with no chance, equalised.

It was totally against the run of play and Kevin Blackwell was left shaking his head in disbelief.

Luton carried on as they had before the setback and took only five more minutes to restore their lead.

Currie tormented the Gills defence, made space and drilled a shot goalwards but it was half blacked and fell to Talbot who coolly chipped a cross to Furlong who, having earlier missed a golden opportunity hitting the keeper in a one on one, this time headed home with the away keeper drawn out of the equation by the good cross.

Furlong was in the thick of things and might have scored again a few minutes later when a Coyne free kick found him in space and a quick turn and shot shaved the post. If that one had gone in it would have gone a long way towards silencing his doubters.

Luton continued to press and David Forde at the other end was largely a spectator.

Gillingham might have opened the second half with an equaliser when Graham found himself with time and space and shot past Forde from distance, but fortunately also past the post.

Just after the hour Goodall went off for what seemed to be ages while a head injury was stitched and Blackwell appeared to order a substitution the changed his mind back and forth several times before finally deciding to make the change, just as Goodall came dashing out of the tunnel to reconvene.

While he was off, Graham missed another opportunity when Forde saved a speculative effort and Cogan fired over when well positioned to do better.

Luton had gone off the boil, or perhaps more accurately had boiled over in the searing heat, and against a better team might have found themselves losing their advantage. The visitors certainly seemed to sense that there might be something in the game for them and began to pressurise the Town more as the game wore on.

With about ten minutes to go, some good interplay between Currie and Furlong led to an opportunity for David Bell but his shot, which had goal written on it was deflected wide.

With Paul McVeigh on for the tiring Talbot, Luton seemd to be revitalised and Jackson found him with a route one pass and he skilfully drew a rash challenge in the box from Bentley for a penalty kick. Spring strode up and smashed it past the unlucky Royce for the third Town goal. The shot was at the perect height for the keeper and he seemed to get a good hand to the ball but the power of the shot had enough momentum to find the net.

All in all it was a good afternoon’s work by the Town and a comfortable victory, but they will need to be sharper with their chances at Elland Road next week against 100% Leeds United.

Luton: Forde, Goodall, Coyne, Perry, Bell, Currie, Jackson, Edwards (Hutchison 86), Talbot (McVeigh 65), Spring, Furlong (Andrew 81)

Subs not used: Robinson, Keane

Gillingham: Royce, Armstrong, Lomas, Cox, Crofts, Bentley, Facey, Southall, Brown (Hamilton 40), Graham (Cumbers 85), Cogan

Subs not used: Stone, Clohessy, Stille



Referee: Andy Penn West Midlands – didn’t notice him very much which is always a good sign!