On a cold but fine day, the Rovers journeyed to Luton to play the local team in a League game for the first time in 34 years. This meant, of course, that Rovers manager Dave Penney would be pitting his talents against the wiles of former Rovers colleague, Mike Newell, now the manager of Luton Town. It was also a return for Michael McIndoe to the club where his football career started. The Rovers made two changes from last week's team. Simon Marples returned at the expense of Jamie Price and Jermaine McSporran replaced James Coppinger, who failed a fitness test prior to the game. For Luton Town, midfielder Steve Robinson was out with injury but Kevin Nicholls was fit again to replace him. Star man, Croatian Ahmet Brkovic, passed a fitness test to take his place in the team that had won three games on the trot.

The Rovers set the ball rolling but were soon pushed on to defence as the home team went for the jugular. Vine had a shot from 18 yards saved by Warrington and Underwood headed a cross from the right past a post. Their plan was obviously to get an early goal and then see the visitors crumble but the Rovers were made of sterner stuff than that and defended stoutly. It was ten minutes before the visitors made their first real incursion on the Luton goal when a low cross from McSporran was put out for a corner, which was cleared. Two minutes later and the Rovers had a scare when Brkovic swung in a free kick from the right, which was missed by Warrington and, fortunately for the Rovers, everybody else in a crowded goalmouth. Shortly afterwards Howard was just short of getting on the end of a cross from Sol Davis on the left. On 22 minutes the Rovers relieved the pressure on their defence by getting into the home penalty area. A cross from McSporran was sliced high up into the air by Curtis Davies giving Roberts the chance to head goalwards but Beresford was there to catch the ball. Five minutes later, with the Rovers getting more and more into the game, having survived the early onslaught, a free kick on the right by McSporran was put out for a corner by Curtis Davies. From the corner kick the ball came out to Ryan but his drive from distance was blocked, going out for another corner. Just past the half hour, a link up down the left by McIndoe and Blundell saw Blundell try his luck from an angle but the ball went out past the far post. Luton were not out of it by any means, with Brkovic nearly in on goal but he only got a corner. Then a high ball was launched into the Rovers penalty area, with Warrington and Howard going up for it. Warrington tried to catch it but, under challenge, dropped it then quickly dived on the loose ball. With five minutes left to the break, a long cross from the right was headed back across goal by Howard for Vine and then O'Leary to force the ball home but last ditch defending saw the ball go out for a goal kick. Curtis Davies was then cautioned for bringing down Blundell on the right as he was about to race through from a long pass from Fenton. This seemed to upset the home crowd on that touchline and objects were thrown on to the pitch in Blundell's direction. McIndoe's inswinging free kick went through to Beresford for an easy catch. With the last kick of the half, Ryan made room to fire in a shot from 30 yards but was wide of the far post.

The second half started with Luton stepping up a gear and going for an early goal. On 52 minutes, Underwood hit a terrific free kick that Warrington had to dive to palm away for a corner. From this, Howard hooked the ball just over the bar from close range. This sustained pressure was relieved by Ryan chipping a ball over the Luton back line for Blundell but it was just too far and Beresford collected it easily. A series of corners to the home team followed, with Howard heading wide and then laying a ball back for Vine but he put it over the bar. However, on 61 minutes, the home team were awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area slightly to the left of goal. NICHOLLS took the kick and floated it over the wall and into the top left hand corner with Warrington scrambling to get there but he didn't have a chance. Immediately Warrington had to save from Vine but the Rovers began the fight back, with Ravenhill going down the right, turning inside his marker and getting in a left foot shot, which Beresford saved. McIndoe then went on a run down the left but Curtis Davies blocked his thunderbolt of a shot. The match had now settled at this stage to a more even battle. Luton had got their nose in front and were more relaxed although still dangerous as Warrington found out when he saved from Underwood. On 72 minutes, the Rovers keeper was again called upon to make a flying save to pusha piledriver from Holmes away. Five minutes later and Warrington was there again to foil Brkovic from getting on the scoresheet by parrying his well-executed overhead kick out for a corner, which the keeper had to push away at the near post. On 82 minutes the Luton fans were stunned into soporific silence when the Rovers attacked down the left with Ravenhill. The ball broke to ROBERTS, who, from ten yards, coolly rifled the ball between the oncoming keeper and the near post.

This brought the home team out of their lethargy as they once again upped their game into top gear. A rocket shot from Holmes cracked against the bar after Morley had blocked a shot from Curtis Davies. Then Nicholls hit a post with an effort from 25 yards and Brkovic fired well wide from the rebound. At the other end, in a rare foray, McSporran also fired wide from distance. Then in added-on time a long ball out of a hard-pressed Rovers defence gave Ipoua a clear run on goal, with the whole Luton defence well upfield. However, he was chased down by a lightning-fast Sol Davis, who managed to touch the ball away from the Rovers forward before he got a strike on goal. The final whistle went with the thousand or so Rovers fans raising the roof as they celebrated their team's outstanding fight to take a point back home from the most outstanding team in the Division.

Luton, of course, regarded this as two points lost, especially since their nearest challengers, Tranmere Rovers, claimed all three points in their match against Milton Keynes Dons. They certainly had the chances to win comfortably but the Rovers set their stall out to fight them every inch of the way and in no way made it easy for them. As one Luton fan commented " the Rovers were the toughest opponents they had faced at Kenilworth Road. They tried hard to stop Luton playing flowing football and defended brilliantly". They did indeed and gained a bonus with a well-taken goal by Roberts. It would be a happy coach on the way back up the M1.

Dave Penney  "I thought we matched them at times and could have won the game but we defended well against a very good side although we did have that bit of good luck at times. I was dissapointed with the refreeing decision that seem to alwyas go against us but we have to be pleased coming here and gettinga point. The fans were something else and gave the lads fantastic support throughout the game."

Major problem with the PTV servers meant that no live commentaries were heard throughout the League as mnay could not log on to the World sites. We are sorry about this but it was out of our control.

Rovers: - Andy Warrington: Simon Marples, Nick Fenton, Dave Morley, Tim Ryan; Jermaine McSporran, Paul Green, Ricky Ravenhill, Michael McIndoe; Gregg Blundell, Neil Roberts.

Sub used - Gui Ipoua for Blundell 89 mins.

Subs not used - Adriano Rigoglioso, Chris Beech, Jamie Price, Michael Ingham gk.

Luton Town - Marlon Beresford; Kevin Foley, Curtis Davies, Chris Coyne, Sol Davis; Ahmet Brkovic, Kevin Nicholls, Stephen O'Leary, Paul Underwood; Steve Howard, Rowan Vine.

Subs used - Peter Holmes for O'Leary 70 mins; Keith Keane for Underwood 75 mins; Enoch Showunmi for Brkovic 89 mins.

Subs not used - David Bayliss, Dino Seremet gk.

Cautions - Curtis Davies.