PENALTY BLUNDER COSTS HATTERS
ALAN Sheehan got leaders Luton out of jail with an injury-time equaliser against Cheltenham but perhaps the most relieved man at the ground was referee Mark Heywood because, in the pantheon of fourth-tier officiating calamities, his took not only the biscuit but the tin too.
The hard-working Robins found themselves in dreamland after Joe Morrell’s 30-yard stunner gave them a half-time lead.
But the man in the middle made the second half all about him – ruling out an Olly Lee equaliser in favour of awarding Luton a penalty they didn’t want.
A split second before the ball was sent into the net by Lee, Will Boyle was adjudged to have fouled James Collins who then watched stopper Scott Flinders keep out his spot-kick and remarkably turn the rebound over the crossbar to safety.
Soon after, the League Two tabletoppers were reeling when they gave Mohamed Eisa the freedom of Kenilworth Road to head the Robins further ahead.
Luke Berry quickly reduced the deficit, bashing in a bouncing cross.
But the Hatters’ desperation was palpable until skipper Sheehan headed in Luke Gambin’s corner in second-half stoppage time.
But the focus turned quickly back to public enemy number one, Mr Heywood, who trudged off the pitch to a cacophony of boos and jeers from the home faithful.
Luton manager Nathan Jones said: “The game turned in that three-minute period. That’s really why we haven’t won the game.
“I can’t say too much about the referee but I never come off the pitch with this referee and say: ‘you’ve had a really good game there’.
“But all he had to do was wait. The only reason we’re talking about it is because we’ve missed a penalty.
“We still should score that penalty and then marked him down at the end of the game but he’s only got to let it go a second and it’s a goal.
“He didn’t need to give the penalty. If he waited, saw how it panned out – as he’s given it as he’s seen the shirt grab – he knows it’s a pen, so let it pan out. But he didn’t and it’s disappointing.
“It’s a good point in the end after being 2-0 down. If you’d have said we could have a point after they scored the second one, I’d have taken it.”
Cheltenham boss Gary Johnson responded: “I didn’t think that was a penalty.
“I’d be really upset if I was the Luton manager and had the ball in the net.
“But he’d already blown and so, he’s got to give the penalty because he’d already blown before the ball went into the net. “Of course, I’d be like Nathan. “I’m sure he was very upset. I didn’t look at him. “We can take positives from it. “I’m not going to be going home and kicking the cat– if I had one.” Luton: (4-4-2): Stech 5, Justin 6, Sheehan 7, Rea 6, Stacey 6, Berry 7, Downes 6, Shinnie 5 (Jervis 57 5), Lee 6 (Gambin 77 6), Cornick 6, Collins 5 (Hylton 57 6) Subs not used: Mullins, D’Ath, Jones, Shea Cheltenham: (4-1-4-1): Flinders 7, Chatzitheodoridis 6 (Rodon 77 5), Boyle 6, Grimes 6, Moore 6, Atangana 6, Pell 6, Morrell 6, Winchester 7, Dawson 6 (Onariase 90+7 N/A), Eisa 6 (Odelusi 81 5) Subs not used: Wright, Sellars, Graham, Lovett