Luton Town vs Argyle (Carling Cup) - preview

By: Jim | August 12th, 2008

Seven years ago, Luton came down to Home Park for a game that, some would say, was the catalyst for all the success the club has enjoyed in that period. Luton were expecting to take the division by storm and had set a cracking pace: Argyle had recovered after a shaky start and were looking to challenge for the play-offs. The Hatters’ then-manager, Joe Kinnear, had made a number of derisory and ill-conceived comments about the Greens, doing Sturrock’s team talk for him, and the rest, as they say, is history. Despite falling behind to a 13th minute Dean Crowe goal (Crowe had earlier that season rejected Argyle after only a few days’ trial), the Greens fought back and strikes by Martin Phillips and David Friio ensured we went in at half-time 2-1 up. 2-1 up, but a man down: Mickey Evans having been unjustly sent off for a supposed elbow on Luton centre back Russell Perrett. In the second half, Luton laid siege to the Argyle goal but a combination of heroic defending and a little bit of luck saw us home. That season was defined by the race for the title between the two sides, Argyle sneaking it by 5 points - 102 to 97.

Fast forward seven years. While both sides have been promoted to the Championship, only Argyle have managed to stay there. Luton’s demise has been dramatic and unpleasant, relegated two divisions in as many seasons and staring a third in the face due to an unprecedent points deduction, for a combination of illegal payments to agents and entering administration (again). They started their League Two campaign on Saturday on -30, and their defeat at home to Port Vale has kept them there.

Whilst even the hardest-hearted Pilgrim can sympathise with Luton’s plight, we need to keep focussed on the business in hand tonight. We could really do with a decent run in the Carling Cup, both as way of getting our signings familiar with each other, and to act as a filip for the fans (and for the money). To that extent, I hope Sturrock plays most of the first team tonight. Craig Cathcart is expected to get his first start; McNamee and Sawyer are still injured; Larrieu may well get the nod over Stack; Puncheon could do with starting; and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to give Yala Bolaisie a run-out. Rotate the strikers a little bit and you end up with a possible line up something like:

Larrieu

Duguid
Cathcart
Seip
Paterson

Clark
Walton
Summerfield
Puncheon

MacLean
Easter
——————-
Stack
Mackie
Folly
Doumbe
Barker
Fallon
Bolaisie

Passions will no doubt be running high. The Kennel is a tight little ground and the Hatters fans a passionate lot. Anyone expecting a walkover is likely in for a disappointment - Argyle will need to be at their most professional to get through this - anything less and a shock is very possible.