York City 0, Luton 0

The Minstermen, though, deserved greater reward for a game in which they dominated for long periods.

Luton, the division’s strongest away team, will have been relieved to have escaped Bootham Crescent with a point, especially after a one-sided second half in which James Meredith and Neil Barrett went agonisingly close to earning three points.

Barrett earned a recall for the Minstermen with Ben Purkiss dropping to the bench, while Michael Gash took the suspended Richard Brodie’s place up front.

Luton included former, on-loan City defender Janos Kovacs in their starting line-up.

Michael Rankine managed the first shot of the night on five minutes, but his firmly-struck volley lacked the direction to beat Hatters ’keeper Mark Tyler.

At the other end, Kovacs headed wide from an Asa Hall cross before Chris Carruthers fired over from 20 yards for City.

Alex Lawless then went close to opening the scoring with three edge-of-the-box efforts in as many minutes.

The former Fulham midfielder bent the first inches wide of Tyler’s left-hand post and then narrowly cleared the crossbar with the next two attempts – one with his right foot and the other with his left.

Tom Craddock was a lively presence on Luton’s left flank and shot wide after cutting inside on 20 minutes.

The commanding Kovacs also headed wide of Michael Ingham’s near post from Kevin Nicholls’ inswinging corner.

Ingham was called on to make his first save of the night, though, on 39 minutes when he stretched out his left arm to push Rossi Jarvis’ long-range strike around a post.

A speculative 35-yard shot by Barrett that bounced wide moments later proved the last action in an attractive half of football.

City had the visitors on the rack at the start of the second half with Rankine leading the line in impressive fashion.

On 53 minutes, Meredith rattled the crossbar with a tremendous 35-yard strike that had Tyler beaten.

David McGurk’s follow-up effort was then blocked and, from Barrett’s consequent corner, Nicholls almost put through his own goal with a diving header that flashed past Tyler’s near post. Moments later, a Rankine 20-yard drive was safely gathered by the former Peterborough ’keeper but, another flag kick saw Barrett’s glancing header, from Carruthers’ delivery, cleared off the line by George Pilkington.

Barrett then missed a terrific chance to give City the lead their dominance deserved, lifting an eight-yard opportunity over after Carruthers’ perfect downward header from a Lawless cross.

Luton foray’s forward were rare, but substitute Claude Gnapka lofted a long-range attempt into the visitors’ end and fellow replacement Matthew Barnes-Homer stabbed lazily wide when well placed.

Lawless, though, went close to earning City a deserved three points on 87 minutes when his angled effort deflected off Shane Blackett, but was kept out by Tyler at his near post.

Match facts

York City 0, Luton 0

York City: Michael Ingham 7, Daniel Parslow 7, Luke Graham 8, David McGurk 8, James Meredith 9, Alex Lawless 8, Levi Mackin 8, Neil Barrett 8, Chris Carruthers 8, Michael Rankine 9, Michael Gash 7.

Substitutions: Richard Pacquette (for Gash, 74), Ben Purkiss (for Barrett, 90).

Not used: Djoumin Sangare, Kevin Gall, Courtney Pitt.

Key: 10 – Faultless; 9 – Outstanding; 8 – Excellent; 7 – Good; 6 – Average; 5 – Below par; 4 – Poor; 3 – Dud; 2 – Hopeless; 1 – Retire.

City’s star man: Meredith – excellent defensively, came closest to a winner.

Luton Town: Mark Tyler, Adam Newton, Janos Kovacs, George Pilkington, Freddie Murray, Rossi Jarvis, Asa Hall (Claude Gnapka, 52), Kevin Nicholls (Shane Blackett, 69), Keith Keane, Tom Craddock, Liam Hatch (Matthew Barnes-Homer, 69).

Subs (not used): Shane Gore, Kevin Gallen.

Bookings: Barrett 64, Keane 90.

Shots on target: City 5, Luton 2. Shots off target: City 7, Luton 5.

Corners: City 5, Luton 3.

Fouls conceded: City 6, Luton 11.

Offsides: City 5, Luton 2.

Referee: Billy Khatib (Sunderland).

Attendance: 3,316 (492 from Luton).

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