Kettering Town (Home)

LEAVING work at 5.10pm, we had high hopes that we would see a return to winning ways and a home victory at last. With our new signings Matthew Barnes-Homer and Ashley Cain both likely to play, we expected a home victory against another promotion-chasing side.

A cold and very wet Luton greeted us as we arrived in Bedfordshire and parked at the train station. We headed straight for the “Whitehouse” for a couple of pre-match drinks, and met my dad in the pub, who was joining us for the game.

Walking up the wet Kenilworth Road at 7.20pm, we were all optimistic that the new signings would kickstart our season and provide us with some fresh impetus. Our home form had been dire this season and surely tonight would be the turnaround.

We picked up my dad’s ticket from the ticket office and then headed through the turnstiles. We all bought some food and then made our way to our seats (at which point Batesy was all excited because he’d purchased some old Luton shirt from a stall outside the club shop for £5 (geek).

The teams came out and we realised that Barnes-Homer and Cain were both only substitutes and Mark Nwokeji, on-loan from Dagenham & Redbridge, and who’d scored in the FA Cup draw at Rotherham United on Saturday, wasn’t even on the bench. Why? I really don’t see the point in loaning someone and then not even having them on the bench. Added to the fact he’d scored on the Saturday, it made even less sense. We also noticed Asa Hall and Ed Asafu-Adjaye were not substitutes either, which also baffled us. I rate Ed highly, he’s a solid young defender and Asa Hall, although he hasn’t set the world alight this season, does score goals from midfield at home and must surely be worth a place on the bench?

Confused by Richard Money’s team selection, our doubts were well founded as we started woefully and continued to play poorly throughout the match. The biggest frustration for me was that we continually lumped the ball forward in the air, which is bread and butter for these big defenders at this level, not least former Hatter Ian Roper, who possesses absolutely no pace, but who’s one attribute is his aerial strength. All of our coaches know about him. So why did we play right into his hands and aim high balls at two small strikers in Gallen and Craddock? Sometimes I wonder whether the manager/coaches tells them to do it or the players are just thick. Not only is it dreadful to watch, it is also completely ineffective.

Kettering also included in their side former Hatter Sol Davis at left-back and he looked solid enough. He got a good reception from the Luton Town fans and applauded the fans prior to kick-off, at half-time and full-time. A nice gesture from a player who obviously has an affection for the club.

We were limited during the first-half to only a couple of half chances, which both fell to Tom Craddock. However, our overall play was extremely poor and, in my opinion, we didn’t really look like scoring.

The second-half continued in the same fashion and we went a goal down when a poor headed clearance by Alan White fell straight to Richie Partridge on the Kettering winger cut in from the right and curled a fine effort into the top far corner. I noticed that every single Kettering player celebrated their goal, apart from Ian Roper and Sol Davis, who both just stood in the halfway line. I thought that was very good of them – they obviously know everything we’ve been through the last few years and didn’t want to rub it in.

From that point onwards we played even worse. Rather than responding in a positive manner, our heads seemed to go down and the match frustratingly petered out into a non-event as far as we were concerned. Of course, it was perfect for Kettering, who just sat behind the ball and saw the game out.

Matthew Barnes-Homer came on for the final 20 minutes or so but had little impact and was given no service. Ashley Cain did not even come onto the pitch.

At the final whistle, there were a lot of boos and chants of “What a load of rubbish”. It really was a very, very poor performance and I’m not sure how much more of this garbage I can watch. We don’t seem to have made any improvements at all.

We walked out of the ground moaning with other Luton Town supporters about what we’d just seen and reflecting on the fact that the side with the biggest reputation and playing budget in this whole league was sitting in eighth position in the Blue Square Premier table – four points outside the play-offs. It really does beggar belief. 16 points behind leaders Oxford United and we have absolutely no chance of winning this league now. Can it get any worse?

Richard Money said after the game we had played well and he was “disappointed with the fans’ reaction at the end.” What game was he watching and what does he expect? It is utter rubbish. No passion, commitment, skill, enthuiasm, quality – nothing. We’re hopeless.

Walking back to the car in the bitter cold and swirling rain after a home defeat to Kettering Town. A brand new low. That’s now home defeats to Stevenage Borough, Rushden & Diamonds and Kettering Town. How much more can we be expected to take?

James