Luton Town 1 Chester City 1

Sep 27 2008 by David Triggs, Chester Chronicle

PAUL McManus netted his second goal in seven days this afternoon as the Blues extended their unbeaten run to five games.

Kevin Roberts was sent off late on for picking up two yellow cards but Chester weathered a late barrage from Luton to pocket a valuable point.

City made an assured start and should really have taken the lead in the third minute. Kevin Ellison won possession and ran through on the Luton goal, only for home keeper Conrad Logan to rush out at the forward’s feet and smother the ball.

Ellison passed up another presentable chance on 19 minutes, heading over the crossbar after James Vaughan had latched onto a Ryan Lowe pass and crossed from the right.

As the half wore on, Luton began to look increasingly dangerous down the flanks and Paul Linwood did well to turn a left-wing cross by Lewis Emanuel just past the post on 29 minutes.

Moments later, Chester defender Shaun Kelly – in for the injured Laurence Wilson – headed over a Lowe corner.

The Hatters took the lead four minutes before half time when full-back Claude Gnapka got to the byline and swung in a cross from the right. As Gnapka went clattering painfully into the advertising hoardings, his cross fell to Asa Hall, whose first-time half-volley from the edge of the box went whistling past John Danby in the Chester goal.

City survived an anxious moment on 55 minutes when McManus dived into an ill-advised tackle on Michael Spillane. Referee Chris Sarginson could easily have produced a red card, but instead he issued the teenage striker with a yellow.

Moments later, Ellison hobbled off with an injury and was replaced by Paul Taylor.

Luton should have doubled their tally on 64 minutes, but striker Marc Pugh shot narrowly wide of Danby’s goal after bursting clear of Chester’s back line.

The Blues came close to scoring on 70 minutes when sub Anthony Barry latched onto Lowe’s corner at the far side of the area. The midfielder’s thumping volley was only kept out by a brave goal-line clearance by Keith Keane.

City drew level 14 minutes from time with a rare header from McManus, the smallest player on the pitch. The striker followed up his goal against Shrewsbury last week by heading home Lowe’s pinpoint free-kick from the right flank.

Danby had to be on his toes to parry a Keane volley soon after as the hosts pressed forward in search of a winner, then Hall volleyed wide from 25 yards.

Three minutes from time, Roberts was given his marching orders when a foul on Hall saw him pick up his second yellow card of the game.

Luton threw everything forward in search of a winner but were unable to find a way past Danby.

Deep into injury time, Blues sub Jay Harris dragged a 20-yarder inches wide of the post as the visitors went looking for an unlikely winning goal.

But 1-1 was how it stayed and Chester boss Simon Davies can be satisfied with another hard-working performance from his team.

Luton: Logan, Gnapka, Davis, Keane, Emanuel, Worley, Hall, Jarvis (Charles 80), Martin, Spillane, Pugh. Subs: Brill, Roper, Asafu-Adjaye, Sinclair. Booked: Martin, Spillane. Goal: Hall 41.

Chester: Danby, J Vaughan, Linwood, Kelly, Roberts, S Vaughan, Mozika (Barry 67), Hughes, Lowe, Ellison (Taylor 60), McManus (Harris 90). Subs: Partridge, Rutherford. Booked: McManus, Roberts (x2). Sent off: Roberts.

Attendance: 5,731 (212 away).

Referee: Chris Sarginson (Staffordshire).