Match Report : 04/01/2014

There were three changes to the City starting line-up for this home game against Skrill Premier leaders Luton Town at Gelder Group Sincil Bank Stadium with Mo Fofana and new loan signings Mitch Austin and Delano Sam-Yorke coming in for Danny Rowe and the suspended Bohan Dixon and Ben Tomlinson.

With the pitch passing a pre-match inspection following heavy overnight rain, referee Ross Joyce led the teams out of the tunnel and once the pre-match formalities were carried out play got underway with Luton kicking off.

The first half-chance of the game saw debutant Sam-Yorke get an early touch before linking up with Jon Nolan before Fofana sliced an effort from 25 yards wide of the mark.

In the seventh minute Austin and Sam-Yorke combined before the latter was denied by Mark Tyler who sprinted off his line to clear for a throw-in. When Luton dealt with this danger Nolan dragged Luke Gutrridge to the deck easing the pressure for the Hatters.

Sam-Yorke was certainly looking lively in the first 10 minutes with the big striker curling wide after creating space just inside the box before being inches away from connecting with a Sean Newton following a swift break down the City left.

City had a shouts for a penalty in the 17th minute when Conner Robinson went down in the box waved away whilst at other end Benson was tripped by Foster inches outside area; the challenge earning the Imps' defender a yellow card. The resultant free-kick, taken by Luke Guttridge, clipped the wall and went out for a corner which came to nothing.

Midway through the opening period Andre Gray and Jake Howells combined to win a second corner for Luton which was headed well wide by Benson. After a scrappy spell, the forward-running Scott Griffiths drilled over from 20 yards.

Another corner came Luton's way 10 minutes before the break with Benson stopping low before heading over whilst at the other end City's first flag-kick ended up with Nat Brown heading Newton's great delivery a foot wide.

Sam-Yorke sent at effort wide from the Imps' next attack whilst at the other end some pin-ball in the City box ended up with Howells blasting a shot straight at Tom Miller but the travelling fans' shouts for hand ball were laughed off by the referee.

Shortly after the Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of two minutes were to be added on Brown went down injured in his six-yard box before play restarted with a drop-ball in the Imps' favour.

When play did resume a foul on Sam-Yorke gave Newton the chance to whip in a free-kick but Tyler dominated his area to claim before referee Joyce blew for the break.

HT: IMPS 0 LUTON 0

Both teams emerged unchanged for the start of the second half and with the rain continuing to fall, the Imps restarted attacking the Stacey West Stand.

An early knock to Guttridge forced the Luton man off for treatment and before Peterborough loanee Kane Ferdinand could replaceme him in midfield, Austin was cynically tripped by Griffiths who was booked. The free-kick, taken by Newton, was headed goalwards by Brown and saved well by Tyler.

City's next attack saw Austin come within inches of getting on the end of a Robinson cross and after Andre Gray was booked for kicking ball away after foul on Newton, Robinson volleyed over as the Imps pressed forward again.

With the Imps starting to put the Town defence on the back-foot, visiting centre-back Joe Davis was forced to change his shirt due to blood before Luton were back in numbers to repel a couple of Miller throw-ins.

A scrappy period followed as the game approached its final quarter with a rare Town attack seeing Lawless win a corner off Newton. When City dealt with this danger, a swift break ended up with Austin picking up a knock going in for a sliding 50-50 challenge.

Nick Wright replaced Austin on the right flank a minute later and from a Newton free-kick shortly afterwards Sam-Yorke hooked a volley a foot over before the striker was pulled up for a foul on Griffiths. Sam-Yorke and Wright then linked up well before the former won a corner on the right which was cleared at the near post.

With eight minutes on the clock a sliding challenge on Robinson earned Town skipper Ronnie Henry a yellow card. City then dealt with Luton's fifth corner of the game before breaking through Wright who ran forward but also out of pitch.

Farman was called into action to save low from Gray at his near post before City cleared the corner. This coming 90 seconds before the Fourth Official indicated that a minimum of three minutes were to be added on.

Dan Gray replaced Jon Nolan whilst good defending from Miller saw him intercept a Griffiths cross for a corner which Farman punched away for the last action of game which saw City emerge with another hard-earned point against the table-topping Hatters. 

FT: IMPS 0 LUTON 0