December 7, 2011 10.14 am This story is over 146 months old

Imps defender pleased with home comforts

Hard-fought draw: “We looked like we could have scored again, but it’s a well hard earned point,” says defender Gowling.

Josh Gowling was pleased with City’s second-half response

Lincoln City defender Josh Gowling wants Sincil Bank to become a veritable fortress for his side after helping them to a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Luton Town on Tuesday night.

Blue Square Bet Premier promotion chasers Town looked on course for a fifth away win of the season as striker Danny Crow provided a slender lead nine minutes before the break.

However, some resolute defending at the back helped the Imps gain confidence when going up front in the second half and ultimately led to the equaliser.

Conal Platt began one of his many runs down the left flank on 77 minutes and a looping cross saw centre-back Richard Hinds cropping up in front of the Town goal to head home his first City goal.

City are now unbeaten in three successive home games taking seven out of a possible nine points and Gowling, who was named man of the match, said: “Last year the situation with the home form was a quite dire. We want to make this a bit of a fortress and our base and I think we’re doing that.

“It’s been a hard road this season. We’ve got the belief and the potential but we’re just not quite fulfilling it. To pick up points like these playing against the better teams it just gives you that little extra to see. We were as good as them if not better.”

City boss David Holdsworth was forced into a substitution at the break after a tepid first half Imps performance. Francis Laurent replaced Kyle Perry up front while the hosts also brought on Jamie Taylor in place of Simon Russell midway through the half.

The changes provided a healthy boost to their efforts and they could well have scored more than once. Alan Power was a constant threat down the middle with effective support from Jean-Francois Christophe and Tyrone Thompson.

Laurent had two chances to win three points for the Imps but was unable to reach Jake Sheridan’s low cross on one occasion while a near-post shot in stoppage time could only find the side netting.

Gowling added: “In the second half we settled a bit more got into positions nice and early and I think that gave us the space to go and play.

“We could have done with five more minutes actually! We looked like we could have scored again, but it’s a well hard earned point. They’re up there in the table so it was good for us.”

Things went from bad to worse for Town as they had Alex Lawless and Jamie Hand sent off on second bookable offences on 85 minutes and stoppage time respectively.

Holdsworth said after the game: “Got to be well happy with that, but at the same time a little bit unhappy we didn’t get the three points. Our second-half performance showed a lot of encouragement and lot more spirit.

“I felt we took the game to Luton Town and tonight we showed a lot of character and commitment.”