Half Time Report: Goalless between Luton Town, Notts County

It is goalless between Luton Town and Notts County at the halfway point of Saturday’s League Two clash at Kenilworth Road.

The Magpies began the half brightly and piled on the pressure onto their opponents with a succession of set pieces.

On the whole, the first quarter of an hour or so proved relatively scrappy, before the Hatters upped their game and forced a number of corners, though Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu volleyed over the bar in the 18th minute.

The game opened up around and past the midway point, with Ruddock Mpanzu scuffing an effort wide 23 minutes in before drawing a save from Roy Carroll five minutes later. 

In between the 22-year-old's chances, Izale McLeod shanked a shot over the Luton bar after being put through by Jon Stead.

The Hatters succeeded in getting the back into the back of the net on the half-hour mark, but Cameron McGeehan handled the ball in the build-up and accrued a booking for his troubles.

Notts continued to repel the hosts’ attacks but there was panic when Craig Mackail-Smith got the better of two defenders as he marauded down the pitch, although his 30-yard effort was ultimately stopped by Carroll.

More tenacious play was to follow from Mackail-Smith in the 39th minute, this time down the left, as he got the ball over to McGeehan, who couldn’t get his shot away.

The half ended with both sides on the attack, as Stead was denied by goalkeeper Elliot Justham and moments later lashed a daisy cutter wide, and at the other end Ruddock Mpanzu had arguably one of the best chances to open the scoring when he was clean through on goal but failed to find the back of the net.

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