Hot-shot Taylor earns 10-man Hatters a point

Exeter City 2 Luton Town 2.

Saturday 1 September 2001.

MATTHEW TAYLOR enhanced his reputation as one of the lower divisions' hottest proper- ties by bagging a point-saving brace at Exeter. Joe Kinnear last season described Taylor as one of the best full-backs he has worked with and this campaign he is proving an equally useful left-sided mid-fielder.

The Hatters boss has been so far thwarted in his attempts to sign a natural left-winger but Taylor, who is currently playing in front of the experienced Marvin Johnson, could prove more than an emergency stop gap. His two goals earned the visitors a 2-2 draw at bottom club Exeter despite Paul Hughes' harsh sending off on 46 minutes. Hughes was given his marching order for two minor bookable offences, leaving the Hatters with just 10 men for almost the entire second-half.

Lee Mansell was also no more than a passenger for the last 15 minutes after tearing a calf muscle but being forced to continue because Kinnear had made all three of his substitutions. Those replacements included Andrew Fotiadis, who an angry Kinnear withdrew after just 14 minutes as a substitute because of his lack of a challenge in the build-up to Exeter's second-half equaliser

The Hatters started the game quite slowly but could have gone ahead on 18 minutes when home keeper Arjan van Heusden kept out a close range header from former Exeter defender Richard Dryden after Taylor's left-wing free-kick.

Exeter took the lead 11 minutes later when lone target man Steve Flack capitalised on a misjudgment by fit again Russell Perrett. The Hatters centre-back failed to make contact with an attempted header and Flack collected the ball before bearing down on goal and rifling into the bottom corner

Luton levelled the scores on 35 minutes when Taylor drilled a low left-footed effort from 15 yards inside van Heusden's near post after Matthew Spring and Carl Griffiths both had shots blocked.

Hughes picked up his first yellow card moments later for an innocuous foul. The ex-Chelsea and Southampton midfielder was then sent off by referee Brian Curson seconds after the restart despite appearing to win the ball fairly with a strong challenge on Flack.

But Luton's 10 men rose to the challenge and took the lead on 53 minutes. Stuart Douglas, who was preferred to Steve Howard in Kinn ear's starting line-up, hit a perfect right-wing cross to the far post where the charging Taylor sent an excellent diving header past the helpless van Heusden.

Numerical advantage then began to tell with Martin Barlo firing over a glorious chance and Flack hitting the bar before Exeter equalised in bizarre fashion. A right-wing cross was met by Emmerson Boyce but his clearance cannoned off Mansell and into Emberson's bottom corner

It was the second needlessly com ceded goal of the afternoon and Fotiadis was withdrawn moment later with Kinnear feeling he should have made a better attempt to cut out the cross. Mansell them tore a calf muscle and was pushed upfield to play as a striker.

Luton almost went back in front despite their problems when Tap lor's raid down the left on 79 min utes ended in a firm cross that met the head of substitute Liam Geor and crashed against the crossbar

But Exeter should have won the match in the last 10 minutes, only for a lack of penalty box composure to deny them during a series of farcical goalmouth scrambles.

Match Facts 

EXETER CITY 2 LUTON TOWN 2

EXETER CITY: Arjan van Heusden, Graeme Power, Martin Barlow, Geoff Breslan (Gary Birch, 74), Steve Flack, Barry McConnell, Alex Watson, Jamie Campbell, Glenn Cronin (Andy Roscoe, 60), Christian Roberts (Reinier Moor, 89), Lee Zabek. Subs not used: Andy Walker, Chris Curran.

LUTON TOWN : Carl Emberson, Emmerson Boyce, Russell Perrett, Richard Dryden, Marvin Johnson, Paul Hughes, Lee Mansell, Matthew Spring, Matthew Taylor, Stuart Douglas (Andrew Fotiadis, 56, Peter Holmes 70), Carl Griffiths (Liam George, 57). Subs not used: Mark Ovendale, Steve Howard.

Shots on target: Exeter 6, Luton 5.

Off target: Exeter 7, Luton 1.

Comers: Exeter 7, Luton 1.

Referee: Brian Curson.

Attendance 3088 with 712 away fans