LUTON Town boss Richard Money declared his “pride” with his side’s performance – despite seeing Richard Brodie’s late goal condemn them to a 1-0 defeat.
The Hatters manager might have felt his team were unfortunate to leave Bootham Crescent trailing at the half-way point of the play-off semi-final, but said the game was still “well in the balance”.
“I’m proud,” Money stated. “All you want is to go into the play-offs with your players in good form, playing well and then perform – and my God have we performed.
“I have said to them in the dressing room ‘play as one on Monday and we will all be very happy’.”
Looking back on Richard Brodie’s late strike, which gave the Minstermen a priceless advantage, Money added: “I’m disappointed. He’s had one kick Brodie, and scored. Shane Blackett has made one mistake in the whole 90 minutes and it has cost him.
“Players will rally. We will get round Shane and we will pull him up for Monday. Just give us some more of the same.
“If the game had finished 0-0, it might have been one of the best 0-0s I have ever seen in my life.”
He continued: “The rain actually gave it a really nice top and enabled both teams to move the ball around really well.
“I thought it was a fantastic advert for Blue Square football. That game would have graced League One, in my opinion.”
Money revealed Claude Gnakpa was not taken off because of injury, suffering instead from a touch of cramp, while Freddie Murray, scythed down by Adam Smith almost immediately after the Minstermen winger came on as a second-half substitute, was also expected to be fine.
Money was not happy with the challenge, though.
“I don’t know what the directives are but I wouldn’t want to see a worse tackle than that to deserve a red card,” he added.
“It was a poor challenge.”
Looking ahead to Monday’s pivotal second-leg, Money said there was plenty to play for.
“I think Monday will be a sell-out,” he said. “There’s going to be a fantastic atmosphere. We are really looking forward to it and the game is still well in the balance.”
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