Kenneth E End
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- Luton Town
Old adversaries from non league collide again tomorrow with the affair set to be a lot less controversial and intense than previous meetings. Being 150 miles between the two clubs, the rivalry and bitterness between the clubs in recent years would surprise many, but a run of coincidences and possibly fate made a number of games tough affairs on and off the pitch.
The catalyst was an unsavoury incident after the second leg of the play off semi final in 2010. Richard Brodie was on fire that season; he enjoyed rubbing his victim's noses in it. On this occasion he had a dig at a ball boy to really fire the crowd up, who's team were already chasing the game. But that was no excuse for what followed. Around 200 Luton fans invaded the pitch and marched towards the visiting supporters. A number of missiles were thrown at supporters and players, who had to duck for cover in a small medical room near to the pitch.
The next season, 6000 home supporters and 200 hardy souls from York travelled to Kenilworth Road despite a blizzard being forecast. Many wouldn't have been surprised if the game had been postponed or abandoned right at the start, with snow already falling. Half time came and the snow increasingly causing problems on the pitch. Sensibly, the game was abandoned 10 minutes into the second half and fans were able to make treacherous trips home. What happened next was a bitter dispute between the two boardrooms; the visitors making the case that any replayed trip should be treated like a cup tie despite it being a home League game for Luton, who wanted to give ST holders admission for free. Luton won the 'replay' 5-0.
The next season, the two sides collided in a Wembley play off final. The two sides had 'kissed and made up'. The boardrooms could do nothing about a decision that occurred at the start of the second half. Matty Blair wrongly allowed through to tap in a winner, despite being a clear yard offside, although many Luton supporters myself included had no idea until the train journey home what happened.
Anyway, that is bygones being bygones.
Luton come off an excellent run of form having won the last 4 League games in the process being top scorers, whereas the visitors having won only 1 in their last 8 in the division. The home side have a woeful recent record against the Minstermen, having only won once in 13 games since 2009 - and that 5-0 game above was after York had Michael Ingham sent off with no keeper on the bench.
The home side have a number of injury concerns, notably Craig Mackail-Smith who came off injured against Hartlepool last week. Top scorer Jack Marriott will deputise up front.
The catalyst was an unsavoury incident after the second leg of the play off semi final in 2010. Richard Brodie was on fire that season; he enjoyed rubbing his victim's noses in it. On this occasion he had a dig at a ball boy to really fire the crowd up, who's team were already chasing the game. But that was no excuse for what followed. Around 200 Luton fans invaded the pitch and marched towards the visiting supporters. A number of missiles were thrown at supporters and players, who had to duck for cover in a small medical room near to the pitch.
The next season, 6000 home supporters and 200 hardy souls from York travelled to Kenilworth Road despite a blizzard being forecast. Many wouldn't have been surprised if the game had been postponed or abandoned right at the start, with snow already falling. Half time came and the snow increasingly causing problems on the pitch. Sensibly, the game was abandoned 10 minutes into the second half and fans were able to make treacherous trips home. What happened next was a bitter dispute between the two boardrooms; the visitors making the case that any replayed trip should be treated like a cup tie despite it being a home League game for Luton, who wanted to give ST holders admission for free. Luton won the 'replay' 5-0.
The next season, the two sides collided in a Wembley play off final. The two sides had 'kissed and made up'. The boardrooms could do nothing about a decision that occurred at the start of the second half. Matty Blair wrongly allowed through to tap in a winner, despite being a clear yard offside, although many Luton supporters myself included had no idea until the train journey home what happened.
Anyway, that is bygones being bygones.
Luton come off an excellent run of form having won the last 4 League games in the process being top scorers, whereas the visitors having won only 1 in their last 8 in the division. The home side have a woeful recent record against the Minstermen, having only won once in 13 games since 2009 - and that 5-0 game above was after York had Michael Ingham sent off with no keeper on the bench.
The home side have a number of injury concerns, notably Craig Mackail-Smith who came off injured against Hartlepool last week. Top scorer Jack Marriott will deputise up front.
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