Luton Town 2 Cheltenham 1

Last updated : 12 October 2002 By Footymad Previewer

Luton Town enjoyed a fourth successive league victory by beating bottom of the table Cheltenham 2-1 at Kenilworth Road.

Cheltenham had taken a surprise early lead courtesy of Russell Milton's 13th minute strike, but second-half goals by Chris Coyne and Andrew Fotiadis secured maximum points for the Hatters.

Matchwinner Fotiadis was the most relieved man in the stadium at the end of the game, having missed two gilt-edged opportunities to score earlier.

Milton fired Cheltenham in front when he sent a low 15-yard shot across Luton's French goalkeeper Cedric Berthelin and into the bottom corner.

Lee Williams had created the chance with a forceful run into the home penalty box.

Fotiadis squandered his first chance of the afternoon after 19 minutes when he broke the offside trap but lobbed over Cheltenham keeper Steve Book and the crossbar when rounding Book would have been the better option.

Luton's top scorer Steve Howard headed across the crossbar seconds later after Emmerson Boyce's cross. Australian defender Coyne levelled the scores on 55 minutes when his 25-yard shot took a deflection on its way into Book's bottom corner.

Fotiadis then wasted a second opportunity to get on the scoresheet when substitute Peter Holmes released him clear on goal.

But the former England schoolboy international delayed his shot for an eternity before sending a weak effort straight at Book.

Fotiadis belatedly, netted on 70 minutes when he shot into the bottom corner on the turn after Book had beaten out substitute Dean Crowe's effort from an acute angle.

The visitors sent on striker Damien Spencer and played three up front for the last ten minutes, but it was Luton who went closest to getting another goal when Crowe headed wide of a gaping net in injury time.

Cheltenham boss Graham Allner revealed afterwards that captain Mark Yates was dropped to accommodate new signing Richard Forsyth