Luton turn on the style... but no cigar for Allen
MARTIN ALLEN’s latest reign as Barnet boss started with defeat as Danny Hylton ended his goal drought to put Luton back on top of League Two.
Allen is back for his FIFTH spell in charge and has been asked to produce another miracle for the north London club as they look to retain their Football League status.
But the task was made even harder after they came up against a rampant Luton side who are looking to secure an automatic promotion spot.
With Accrington Stanley not in action this weekend, Luton took full advantage as Hylton netted his first goal since the start of January, and James Collins added a second to clinch a crucial three points and reclaim top spot on goal difference.
In stark contrast, Allen has got a major job on his hands to keep Barnet in the division after he made another shock return to the Bees to replace Graham Westley, who lasted just two months after securing two wins from 11 games.
The Mad Dog is no stranger in trying to keep his beloved Bees in the Football League after he defied all the odds to keep them in League Two back in 2012.
The former West Ham star is back once again and the challenge could not be harder as his side remain seven points adrift of safety and are enduring a shocking run of form which has seen them win just two of their last 17 games.
The Barnet chairman Tony Kleanthous could not have been clearer in his message to Allen on his return, saying he needed to “clear the decks, get everyone focused and win matches”.
Desperate times call for desperate measures and Allen responded straight away by reducing his squad to just 20 players, allowing four players to leave on loan.
The 52-year-old would have certainly wished for an easier first game.
Nathan Jones’s Luton side have hit a sticky patch in recent weeks with no win from their previous five games but had a major point to prove in front of the televised cameras.
As expected they bossed the early exchanges with the outstanding Olly Lee producing two great chances to score in the first 20 minutes.
First, he curled a shot just wide and then later fired a low 25-yard shot which produced a fine save from Craig Ross, diving low to his left-hand side.
Lee went even closer on 38 minutes when he struck a superb 35-yard volley which flew inches past the post.
Luton finally found the breakthrough on 47 minutes when Alan Sheehan’s free-kick was headed back across goal by Dan Potts and Hylton made no mistake from close-range — directing a header into the back of the net for his 18th goal of the campaign .
Any hopes that Barnet had of staying in the game were dashed when Collins doubled Luton’s lead on 67 minutes, after he burst clear and fired home a shot through the hands of Ross.
Then Alan McCormack almost made it three but his thunderous shot produced a superb save from Ross. JIM BENTLEY was delighted with the spirit of his Morecambe side after a second successive clean sheet saw them pick up another point in their push for safety.
Adam McGurk almost claimed a late victory for Morecambe with a 25-yard freekick which struck the crossbar.
Lee Frecklington (above) then nearly won it for Lincoln, but he fired inches wide.
Bentley said: “We have KEITH CURLE is not giving up Carlisle’s play-off hopes, despite only picking up a point against Cambridge.
Richie Bennett’s opener was cancelled out by George Maris in a second successive home draw to leave the Cumbrians six points outside the play-off places in 10th.
But Curle said: “We will give it everything we have got. There is a good work ethic in the changing room and a seventh game undefeated had three games at home this week, on a difficult pitch, and I think you could see how much effort the lads had put in at the end of the game.
“They were absolutely shattered because it was a really physical game and they gave everything against a really good Lincoln side who play at a terrific tempo.” Lincoln manager Danny Cowley said: “We are four games unbeaten now with eight points from the past four games. It is still all to play for.”
run shows the backbone in the squad.
“I want to win every game until the end of the season. If there’s a stumble and a fall in results then we will be knocking on the door.”
Cambridge’s interim boss Joe Dunne said: “David Forde made some good saves, but that isn’t the story of the game and we are pleased with a point.
“We need to continue the run we are on and, hopefully, turn those draws into wins. We had our chances and the home crowd got edgy.”