Nathan Jones unhappy with 'lethargic, grinding, monotonous, horrible' Luton loss
ByPA Sport
Published 28/03/2016 at 17:49 GMT
Luton manager Nathan Jones was unhappy with Barnet's alleged time-wasting and felt individual errors proved costly in the 2-1 defeat at The Hive.
Nathan Jones' Luton were searching for a sixth win from seven games
Image credit: PA Sport
Bees striker John Akinde scored the winner from the penalty spot in the fifth minute of added-on time after Hatters captain Scott Cuthbert handled to leave Jones' men eight points off the Sky Bet League Two play-off places.
In-form Luton, searching for a sixth win from seven games, looked to have earned a point when midfielder Cameron McGeehan smashed in from close-range five minutes from time to cancel out Luke Gambin's opener.
Jones said: "It was a horrible game of football. We knew what it would be like, we knew how they play, what they do.
"I thought we stood up to it for the majority of the game.
"Decision-making cost us.
"Right in the last minute, we're in control of the game, we're going for the winner and then we make a poor decision.
"Scotty (Cuthbert) has been brilliant for us but it's just a bad decision at the end.
"It was a pen, it's just one of those things that happens sometimes, a rush of blood. He knew straight away what he'd done.
"I can't criticise officials, I've got to be careful what I say, but the game management from some people out there wasn't good.
"It was a slow, lethargic, grinding, monotonous, horrible game of football.
"It's a horrible place to come. The way the game goes, it takes an age to get things back into play, the keeper is taking hours.
"I felt we stood up to that but just a few decisions cost us. I'm bitterly disappointed because it was a great opportunity for us today and we didn't take it."
Barnet boss Martin Allen was pleased for match-winner Akinde, who had missed his previous two spot-kicks, and felt his side merited the three points.
"I thought we played very, very well (in the) first half," he said.
"As the game went on, they were bound to come back into it, they're chasing a play-off place.
"We played a couple of days ago and they haven't played for nine days so there was going to be a change in the way the game was going.
"But I thought we weathered that storm really well and then when they scored we could've panicked but we went back on the attack and it was a definite penalty.
"I'm delighted for John (Akinde) to stick that one away. It was never in doubt that he was going to take the penalties for us today and it's a good victory.
"It's a local derby, I know that they've been on a very, very good run of form and been playing very, very well.
"This is our third game in eight days and it takes its toll, it's hard for players to cope with it.
"They had a fantastic support in the ground today. They've backed their team right through but I'm sure every one of them would say we were the dominant team."
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