Blue Square Bet Premier

Luton Town hit the top of the Blue Square Bet Premier despite being held to a 1-1 draw by nine-man Bath City.

Bath found themselves a man down late in the first half when Charlie Clough was sent off for a foul on Amari Morgan-Smith - his second yellow card.

The Hatters cashed in when Morgan-Smith found the bottom corner to put his side in front on the stroke of half-time.

But Lee Phillips levelled with a low shot before Bath had Paul Stonehouse dismissed too, also a second yellow.

The Hatters went into the game against bottom club Bath just one point adrift of Gateshead, who lost at Lincoln.

The visitors' desperation to move to the summit was evident as they bossed the opening stages, with Amari Morgan-Smith firing just wide early on.

Bath more than holding their own until the 40th minute when Clough was sent off. And, making full use of their one-man advantage, Luton took the lead when Morgan-Smith was on hand to tap home the rebound after Stuart Fleetwood's 25-yard effort hit the post.

Surprisingly, the Hatters opted for a conservative approach in the second period and paid the price when Phillips levelled things up.

Ben Swallow was the orchestrator, sending in a lovely left-wing centre which the striker duly converted.

That was enough to earn City - who also had Stonehouse sent off late on - a point, although Gary Brabin's side still moved to the top of the pile on goal difference.

VIEWS FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Bath City striker Lee Phillips told BBC Radio Bristol:

"It was a really important point.

"We haven't been despondent in the way we've been playing this season, we've been playing very well but we haven't had the rub of the green.

"The goals have been lacking and we've been slack defensively but I feel tonight we've turned a corner."

Luton Town manager Gary Brabin told BBC Three Counties Radio:

"I'm disappointed, I thought we did enough to win it.

"There were a couple of decisions - I think it took a while before the referee started to caution the opposition.

"I said at half-time I was worried about taking our foot off the gas, and that they are going to roll their sleeves up and fight 10 times harder, and that was the case."

Lineup, Bookings (7) & Substitutions (6)

Bath City

  • 01 Garner
  • 02 Simpson
  • 05 Jones Booked
  • 24 Clough Dismissed after an earlier booking
  • 03 Stonehouse Dismissed after an earlier booking
  • 08 Connolly
  • 16 Canham
  • 19 Burnell
  • 23 Swallow
  • 10 Phillips Booked (Murray - 80' )
  • 25 Agdestein (Hogg - 46' )

Substitutes

  • 04 Rollo
  • 15 Preece
  • 07 Murray (Preece - 90' )
  • 11 Hogg
  • 21 Russell

Luton

  • 01 Tyler
  • 15 Howells
  • 17 Antwi
  • 27 Hand
  • 34 Kovacs
  • 07 Lawless
  • 19 Dance (O'Connor - 54' )
  • 20 Kissock (Willmott - 76' )
  • 08 Morgan-Smith Booked
  • 10 Crow (Samuel - 76' )
  • 13 Fleetwood

Substitutes

  • 30 Pilkington
  • 11 Willmott
  • 28 Watkins
  • 14 O'Connor
  • 23 Samuel
Ref: Bankes
Att: 1,158

Match Stats

Shots

10 15

On target

3 9

Corners

4 5

Fouls

11 8

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +4:30 Full time

Full Time The referee blows his whistle to end the game.

90:00 +4:06

Aaron O'Connor crosses the ball, clearance made by Joe Burnell.

90:00 +3:35

Unfair challenge on Sekani Simpson by Janos Kovacs results in a free kick. Glyn Garner takes the free kick.

90:00 +3:11

Centre by Robbie Willmott, clearance made by Gethin Jones.

90:00 +2:02

Aaron O'Connor crosses the ball, Glyn Garner makes a save.

90:00 +0:10

Direct free kick taken by Glyn Garner.

90:00 +0:10 Substitution

Substitution Mark Preece comes on in place of Scott Murray.

90:00 +0:10 Booking

Booking Amari Morgan-Smith is cautioned.

90:00 +0:09

Foul by Amari Morgan-Smith on Lewis Hogg, free kick awarded.

89:27

The ball is swung over by Stuart Fleetwood, save made by Glyn Garner.

88:46

Short corner worked by Amari Morgan-Smith.

88:29

Jamie Hand takes a shot. Glyn Garner makes a save.

87:53

Jake Howells crosses the ball in from the free kick, clearance by Gethin Jones.

87:53 Dismissal

Dismissal Paul Stonehouse is shown a red card.

87:25

Paul Stonehouse challenges Collin Samuel unfairly and gives away a free kick.

86:42

Robbie Willmott produces a cross, Collin Samuel takes a shot. Save made by Glyn Garner.

85:30

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Robbie Willmott, Header from close in by Janos Kovacs misses to the right of the goal.

84:23

Jamie Hand delivers the ball, clearance by Gethin Jones.

82:25

Aaron O'Connor delivers the ball, clearance by Joe Burnell.

79:43 Substitution

Substitution Lee Phillips goes off and Scott Murray comes on.

75:22 Substitution

Substitution Collin Samuel is brought on as a substitute for Danny Crow.

75:22 Substitution

Substitution Robbie Willmott joins the action as a substitute, replacing John Kissock.

75:02

Shot by Jamie Hand from outside the box goes over the target.

74:40

Corner from the right by-line taken by John Kissock, Gethin Jones makes a clearance.

74:24

John Kissock takes a shot. Glyn Garner makes a save.

73:49

Centre by Amari Morgan-Smith, Glyn Garner makes a save.

72:51

Unfair challenge on Marc Canham by Alex Lawless results in a free kick. Glyn Garner restarts play with the free kick.

71:44

Assist by Ben Swallow.

71:44 Goal scored

Goal - Lee Phillips - Bath City 1 - 1 Luton Lee Phillips fires in a goal from deep inside the penalty box low into the middle of the goal. Bath City 1-1 Luton.

71:06

Ben Swallow takes a shot. Save by Mark Tyler.

70:35

The official flags Lee Phillips offside. Will Antwi restarts play with the free kick.

70:13

Stuart Fleetwood takes a shot. Glyn Garner makes a save.

69:40

Amari Morgan-Smith delivers the ball, clearance by Joe Burnell.

67:46

Stuart Fleetwood is caught offside. Indirect free kick taken by Glyn Garner.

67:34

A cross is delivered by John Kissock, Sekani Simpson manages to make a clearance.

67:05

Corner taken by John Kissock, clearance by Gethin Jones.

66:54

Jake Howells sends in a cross, clearance by Joe Burnell.

65:13

Short corner taken by John Kissock from the right by-line.

62:16

Lee Phillips fouled by Janos Kovacs, the ref awards a free kick. Glyn Garner takes the free kick.

61:50

Centre by Amari Morgan-Smith.

60:00

Unfair challenge on Lewis Hogg by John Kissock results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Joe Burnell.

58:07

Free kick awarded for a foul by Lewis Hogg on Jake Howells. Jake Howells takes the free kick.

57:44

The ball is crossed by Ben Swallow, Lewis Hogg takes a shot. Save by Mark Tyler.

56:18

Adam Connolly concedes a free kick for a foul on Jamie Hand. Direct free kick taken by Mark Tyler.

54:12

Marc Canham takes the inswinging corner, Header from deep inside the penalty area by Lee Phillips goes harmlessly over the crossbar.

53:16 Substitution

Substitution Aaron O'Connor replaces James Dance.

52:32

Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Ben Swallow from the right by-line to the near post, Joe Burnell has a headed effort from close range and clears the bar.

52:13

The referee gives a free kick against Alex Lawless for handball. Free kick taken by Marc Canham.

51:36

Ben Swallow takes the inswinging corner, Will Antwi makes a clearance.

47:34

Shot by Ben Swallow from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the target.

45:01

The referee gets the second half started.

45:01 Substitution

Substitution Torbjorn Agdestein goes off and Lewis Hogg comes on.

45:00 +1:55 Half time

Half Time The whistle is blown to end the first half.

45:00 +0:06 Booking

Booking Lee Phillips receives a caution.

44:24

Assist by Stuart Fleetwood.

44:24 Goal scored

Goal - Amari Morgan-Smith - Bath City 0 - 1 Luton Amari Morgan-Smith gets on the score sheet with a goal from inside the area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Bath City 0-1 Luton.

43:49

Stuart Fleetwood takes a shot from outside the area that bounces off the post.

42:57

John Kissock takes a shot. Save by Glyn Garner.

42:10

Paul Stonehouse produces a cross, clearance made by Will Antwi.

41:07

Paul Stonehouse takes a shot and missed to the left of the net.

40:09

Handball by Stuart Fleetwood. Direct free kick taken by Glyn Garner.

39:28

John Kissock crosses the ball in from the free kick.

39:28 Dismissal

Dismissal Charlie Clough is sent off.

39:07

Foul by Charlie Clough on Amari Morgan-Smith, free kick awarded.

37:10

Paul Stonehouse produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that goes wide right of the target.

36:14

The ball is crossed by Paul Stonehouse.

32:53

Foul by Stuart Fleetwood on Torbjorn Agdestein, free kick awarded. Sekani Simpson takes the free kick.

30:21

Foul by Amari Morgan-Smith on Marc Canham, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Paul Stonehouse.

26:30

Strike on goal comes in from Amari Morgan-Smith from the free kick, save made by Glyn Garner.

26:30 Booking

Booking Booking for Paul Stonehouse for unsporting behaviour.

26:09

Paul Stonehouse gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Amari Morgan-Smith.

24:44

The assistant referee flags for offside against Danny Crow. Glyn Garner takes the indirect free kick.

23:23

Amari Morgan-Smith fouled by Joe Burnell, the ref awards a free kick. Amari Morgan-Smith has a direct shot on goal from the free kick, save by Glyn Garner.

22:04

Gethin Jones gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Stuart Fleetwood. James Dance restarts play with the free kick.

21:24

Amari Morgan-Smith produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the right of the goal.

20:20

Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Marc Canham, Headed effort on goal by Joe Burnell from inside the penalty box misses to the right of the target.

18:11

John Kissock has a direct shot on goal from the free kick.

18:11 Booking

Booking Gethin Jones receives a caution.

17:59

Foul by Gethin Jones on Stuart Fleetwood, free kick awarded.

15:45

Adam Connolly has an effort at goal from outside the penalty box which goes wide right of the target.

13:40

Effort from deep inside the area by John Kissock misses to the right of the goal.

13:02

Joe Burnell concedes a free kick for a foul on Jamie Hand. Janos Kovacs restarts play with the free kick.

11:30

Unfair challenge on Joe Burnell by Alex Lawless results in a free kick. Marc Canham takes the direct free kick.

11:03

Stuart Fleetwood takes a shot. Save by Glyn Garner.

8:27

John Kissock takes the direct free kick.

8:27 Booking

Booking Charlie Clough is shown a yellow card.

7:57

Charlie Clough challenges Stuart Fleetwood unfairly and gives away a free kick.

1:30

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on John Kissock by Marc Canham. Direct free kick taken by Jake Howells.

0:00

The ref blows the whistle to begin the match.

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