08 December 2020

Coventry and Luton share spoils in drab affair

08 December 2020

Coventry’s new-found defensive miserliness continued as a 0-0 draw at home to Luton gave them a third clean sheet in six games.

Tyler Walker came closest to breaking the deadlock by striking the post in the first half for the Sky Blues, who extended their unbeaten sequence to six matches by virtue of the stalemate.

Mark Robins’ side, who remain 19th, seven points above the bottom three, have conceded just three goals in that run, having shipped 23 in their opening 11 games on their return to the Championship.

Luton, who slipped to 13th, have now won just one in seven and saw their chances restricted with top scorer James Collins unusually wasteful with the limited opportunities which fell their way.

But defences were well on top as each side registered just one shot on target apiece during a fairly drab, yet hard-fought, affair.

Luton looked the more threatening side early on but it was Coventry who fashioned the first real chance after 18 minutes, Callum O’Hare running from deep to unleash a 20-yard shot which was deflected wide by Tom Lockyer.

More O’Hare brilliance set up the next opening five minutes later as he beat two defenders with a jinking run to the edge of the box and fed Walker, who took a touch and drove in a low shot which hit the foot of James Shea’s near post.

A tidy move gave the Hatters their first real sight on goal 10 minutes before the interval as Luke Berry nodded down Jordan Clark’s cross for Collins but he fired his first-time half-volley over.

Luton’s lively winger Harry Cornick fizzed a ball across the face of goal, with Clark and Collins somehow failing to connect, before he tested Sky Blues keeper Ben Wilson from 25 yards.

Collins miscued a decent headed chance from another Cornick cross as the visitors finished the half strongly.

Coventry began the second period brightly as Gustavo Hamer fired a 25-yarder straight at Shea before Max Biamou glanced a header just wide from Fankaty Dabo’s cross.

At the other end, Coventry defender Kyle McFadzean made a crucial near-post clearance to prevent Collins tapping home another low inviting Cornick centre.

Luton came closest to a late winner as Coventry captain Liam Kelly glanced Dan Potts’ dangerous cross just wide of his own goal with a minute remaining.

But each side was ultimately content to settle for a point as Coventry stretched their undefeated run since the international break and Luton avoided a third successive away defeat.

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