Luton Town 1-2 Darlington

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Posted at 11:29 AM GMT, Sunday, 12th October 2008

Substitute Gregg Blundell fired Darlington to their first win at Kenilworth Road and piled the misery onto Luton Town. The Hatters remain well adrift at the bottom of League Two but their performance belied their lowly position as they went toe to toe with Darlington for much of the game.

The final thirty minutes and the introduction of the former Chester man saw the game swing firmly in the visitors favour as they created a host of chances to regain a lead which had been given to them by the on-loan Billy Clarke. The home side equalised fifteen minutes before the break but as the second half wore on Darlington looked increasingly dangerous and increasingly more likely to seal the win.

Quakers, without winger Franz Burgmeier who was on international duty with Liechtenstein, started brightly and dictated possession early on and after quarter of an hour the visitors took the lead. The energetic Rob Purdie sent a free kick from the left flank to the near post where Clarke made the most of a static defence to send the ball over the advancing Conrad Logan for his eighth goal of the campaign.

Luton proved they were no push overs and enjoyed a better close to the first forty-five minutes increasing the pressure on Darlington ensuring they were unable to break out of their own half for long spells. Asa Hall let fly with an effort from distance which flew past the post. Keith Keane and Claude Gnakpa combined well to cross for Ed Asafu-Adjaye a minute later but Quakers keeper Simon Brown did well to clear the danger.

The possession finally told however as the home side restored parity on thirty-one minutes. Darlington conceded a free kick wide on the right and Rossi Jarvis dispatched for Gnakpa to power a header into the back of the net. Darlington might have retaken the lead before the interval as Logan saved Clarke's turn and shot. Luton though created the better chances before the break and Chris Martin eight minutes before the interval was well blocked by Brown after being teed up by teenage left-back Jake Howell.

The second half was a much closer affair as both sides battled to regain the initiative. The final half an hour and the introduction of Blundell saw Darlington take more of a grip on proceedings and they carved out a number of clear cut chances. Purdie was at the centre of one of the best moves the game produced. On seventy minutes he left Harry Worley standing as he cut inside from the right and fired a shot goalwards which dipped and hit the top of the crossbar.

Having pegged Darlington back in their own half for long spells in the first period it was now the host's turn to struggle. The arrival of Blundell coincided with Darlington stretching the play and putting their opponents under the cosh.

Liam Hatch was the next to go close on seventy-five minutes. He headed wide from close range after Clarke's cross from the left before Blundell, bursting into the box, produced a smart save from Logan ten minutes from time. Hatch also unintentionally blocked another effort whilst skipper Steve Foster went close as well.

Having stepped up the pressure in the final stages of the game Darlington finally made their second half superiority pay off. Jason Kennedy's pass released Blundell who made absolutely no mistake as he powered the ball past Logan. Luton, who were without some of their more experienced players, still had time to rattle the bar through Hall but Darlington were well worth their win in a tough encounter.

Luton Town: Logan, Asafu-Adjaye (Charles 58), Worley, Spillane, Howells, Gnakpa, Keane, O'Connor (Pugh 58), Hall, Jarvis, Martin. Subs Not Used: Brill, Roper, McVeigh.

Darlington: Brown, Austin, White, Foster, Ryan, Kennedy, Purdie, Ravenhill, Poole (Blundell 60), Clarke (Hulbert 90), Hatch. Subs Not Used: Kazimierczak, Miller, Proudlock.

Luton bookings: None.

Darlington bookings: Ryan, Austin, Hatch.

Goals: Clarke 15th min (1-0), Gnakpa 31st min (1-1), Blundell 90th min (2-1).

Att: 5,560.