Hatters go down 1-0 in 'Sub-Zero' Derby

Last updated : 22 September 2008 By Steve Moore

Bottom versus third from bottom and yet, because of this circus act that is the League Two points deduction race. It should really be seventh against eighth.

It shows too, Rotherham is by far the best footballing side I've seen this season and would be certainties to push for promotion. Quick, slick, on-the-ground passing that isn't meant to come from a side in this division. Yet, for the first half an-hour, although not exactly going with the Millers, Luton were certainly living with them.

Then, just a couple of minutes after Jarvis had been nodded in the head by Keano, he whipped a great ball in and from the resulting corner, Spillane only just headed over.

This sparked a hectic 10-minute spell where a Marc Pugh cross was missed by everybody, Gnapka got booked for arguing once to often with the referee, Keane hit a 25-yard piledriver at Warrington and Rotherham almost scored but for a great block by Asa Hall. After that, time for everyone to have a rest for half time.

It took 5 minutes of the second half before the first chance, which fell to Luton as good interpassing gave Parkin a chance on the edge of the box, which he shanked almost into the steeplechase water jump pit. This was followed, straight after by a Michael Cummins header.

This was replicated on the 55-minute mark as Martin's wayward speculative effort was taken straight up the other end for Rotherham to head over. Only, this time Luton replied, as Pugh got away down the left and his cross whistled across the six yard box begging for a touch that wasn't forthcoming.

Then the killer blow, with just under 65 minutes gone, Alex Rhodes gets a cross all wrong on the left, it lobs Brill Seaman-style into the net and Brill smacks his back against the far post to boot.

Then, eight minutes later, Luton had a double let-off. Firstly, Claude Gnapka should have been sent off for an awful tackle, Reuben Reid had a shot from point-blank range saved brilliantly by the seemingly recovered Brill.

Thank goodness they took Gnapka off for 'Rio' Charles immediately afterwards.

Rotherham were starting to overwhelm the Hatters and Luton had a third let-off when they cleared a shot off the line, then a forth when a poor defensive header let Reid strike a piledriver that was wonderfully saved by Brill.

In desperate need of something to happen, Watson and Ed came on for Hall and Watson. With just 10 minutes left, a central midfield pairing of Keane and Watson is not one that strikes you as having loads of goals in it.

It didn't, and Spillane basically summed the entire Luton day up by shepherding the ball out well before accidentally tripping over it and conceding a corner, topped off by Luton losing the ball through dallying in the penalty area when they did get a chance in added time.

ROTHERHAM

Warrington

Lynch—Sharps—Fenton--Nicholas

Harrison—Mills—Cummins

Rhodes---Reid--Broughton

LUTON

Brill

Gnapka---Worley-Spillane---Emanuel

Jarvis—----Hall---Keane----Pugh

Martin----Parkin