Birmingham City vs Luton Town FC (12th Feb 2022)

Report | Birmingham City 3-0 Luton Town

The Hatters had a rare off day on their trip to Birmingham City this afternoon, with the Blues completing a double over Nathan Jones' side with victory at St Andrew's.

Goals from Juninho Bacuna, Lyle Taylor and Onel Hernandez brought the Blues' recent struggles to an end, and similarly halted the Hatters' excellent run of form in 2022, which had taken them up to seventh after Tuesday's win over Barnsley although Wednesday's results had seen them drop back down to ninth.

Manager Jones made one change from the side that won in midweek, with Tom Lockyer coming into defence in place of Gabe Osho, who was named amongst the substitutes.

Cameron Jerome was back on the bench against his former club, whilst Harry Cornick and Elijah Adebayo were partnered up-front for the second match in a row.

Town started well on top, with the opening quarter-of-an-hour played almost exclusively in the Birmingham half until the home fans brought the match to a halt by throwing tennis balls onto the pitch from the stands, in protest against the St Andrew's club's owners.

The only opening of note created came in the 12th minute, when Campbell stood a cross up from the right byline, aimed at Adebayo, whose flick landed at Amari'i Bell's feet, but the ex-Blues left-back couldn't get enough purchase on his effort to really trouble keeper Neil Etheridge.

Town seemed to be knocked out their stride by the hold-up, especially when a steward came several yards onto the pitch to pick up a solitary tennis ball just as Adebayo looked to fashion an opportunity to cross on the left edge of the penalty area.

Referee Darren Bond stopped the game again, awarding a drop-ball, and from that point on the early momentum stalled.

It was the hosts who took a 25th-minute lead with their first real foray in the Town box, Gary Gardner crossing from the right and Lyle Taylor reacting first to the loose ball at the near post, with Burke and Lockyer around him, and laying it back for Bacuna to rifle into the roof of the net,

The Hatters mounted an immediate response, Adebayo flicking on Shea's long kick forward into the path of Bell, but the wideman's cross-shot was held by Etheridge when a cut-back towards Cornick at the far post might have been a better option.

Just 15 seconds into the second half the Blues' lead was doubled, Lansbury inadvertently prodding a Jeremie Bela ball infield past Burke, who was coming out of the back line to intercept, to present Taylor with a clean run on goal, slipping his finish low past his former AFC Wimbledon team-mate Shea.

Kal Naismith attempted to force a brerakthrough for the Hatters in the 56th minute, driving forward into the Birmingham half and unleashing a low left-footed drive that whistled just past Etheridge's left post.

Jones made a double substitution a minute later, bringing on Fred Onyedinma and Carlos Mendes Gomes in place of Lansbury and Lockyer.

It was almost three in the 64th minute, when Jordan Graham's free-kick was spilled by Shea, under pressure from Kristian Pedersen, but Adebayo got back to deny Bacuna a second of the afternoon by clearing his weak effort off the line.

Tje respite was brief, however, and it was three by the 69th minute, however, when Graham's cross from the right flicked off Burke's head in the six-yard box and Hernandez was lurking at the far post to finish past Shea.

There was to be no way back for the Hatters, who saw substitute Osho booked for a late foul on Bela, with attentions now turning to next Saturday's visit to Kenilworth Road of West Brom, who moved back above tenth-placed Town on goal difference.

Goals:

BC - Bacuna 25, Taylor 46, Hernandez 69

Nathan Jones on Birmingham defeat

Manager Nathan Jones spoke of his disappointment after today's 3-0 defeat against Birmingham City.

A good run of form had taken the Hatters to within one point of the play-off places but a first defeat in five league matches at the hands of Birmingham brought that run to an end.

Speaking post-match, the gaffer said: "We've still got matches to come, we played well last month and we started well this month but we saved our two worst, most inept performances for Birmingham. We've conceded five at home, three today and you are thinking, we didn't get dominated.

"For the first 20 minutes I thought we were outstanding and then the tennis balls came on and suddenly the momentum changed. We didn't defend well enough today, the first goal is poor, second goal is even worse, and then we we're chasing the game and they got a third but that is what happens, that is the Championship.

"The first goal was poor, it was a calamity in the box and then you think come on second half and then 15 seconds in, we conceded again. We actually started well after that but it was one of those days today."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSaOYAW-mv4 – Nathan Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghdNw1R6AHk – match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=calTxbqo0Wk – Allan Campbell interview

Luton suffer a severe case of the Blues for the second time this season with hefty defeat at Birmingham

Championship: Birmingham City 3 Luton 0

Luton will be glad to see the back of Birmingham City this season after they lost their five game unbeaten run with yet another heavy defeat against the Blues this afternoon.

Battered 5-0 on home soil in August, the hosts racked up another three goals without reply at St Andrew's, as a dejected Town suffered their heaviest loss on the road this term.

The Hatters made just one change to the side who beat Barnsley 2-1 in midweek, Tom Lockyer returning at the expense of Gabe Osho who dropped to the bench.

It had looked like Town settled quickly against their struggling hosts, on the back of a four game winless run themselves, and whose fans were noticeable by the lack of noise emanating around St Andrew's as the players walked out, plus the ensuing hush that followed during the opening stages.

Luton had by far the better of proceedings without being that threatening, Amari'i Bell's instinctive toepoke when a ball dropped to him inside the area, the only real chance of note.

There was a brief stoppage when the Blues supporters, increasingly disenchanted with the manner in which the club is being run by their 'faceless' board, threw a number of tennis balls on to the pitch.

With an errant one launched on to the field as Adebayo was attacking on the left, a steward bizarrely decided that was the moment to run on and reclaim it, getting close enough to almost tackle Town's furious leading scorer, referee Darren Bond signalling a drop-ball.

After failing to even remotely test the visitors, Blues went ahead with their first attack on 25 minutes, Luton's usually solid defence being anything but on this occasion from Garry Gardner's right wing cross.

Lyle Taylor nipped in to win the ball and with James Shea unable to take it off his toes for fear of bringing him down, he teed up deadline day signing from Scottish Premier League side Rangers, Curaçao international midfielder Juninho Bacuna, who simply lofted his shot into the roof of the net.

The Hatters looked for a way back, Bell escaping on the left moments later, only to put his cross-shot too close to Etheridge.

A poor first half drew to a close, as with the second period no more than 15 seconds old, the Blues added to their tally, Henri Lansbury's touch wrong-footing his defence, sending Taylor clean through and as he usually does against Luton, comfortably beat Shea to find the net.

Hatters responded well though, Allan Campbell slicing a chance wide, before Reece Burke's wonderful crossfield ball was met on the run by James Bree, whose control was perfect, but he couldn't lift his shot over the oncoming Etheridge.

In a complete polar opposite to the first period, the game became an exciting and increasingly stretched encounter, Harry Cornick's touch letting him down he might have been in, Etheridge just about dealing with a difficult backpass.

Blues had chances too, Lockyer almost giving them an opening with his far too casual clearance, Gardner dragging wide as well.

Still Luton pressed, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu releasing Adebayo, whose near post cross was diverted behind by Campbell.

Jones then went fully on the attack just before the hour, bringing on Carlos Mendes Gomes and Fred Onyedinma for Lockyer and Lansbury.

If anything though, it led to another spell of pressure for City, as they would have had a third had Adebayo not been well positioned on the line to clear from Bacuna, although Shea looked to have been fouled when trying to claim the free kick.

The hosts then made their momentum pay, killing off any hopes of an unlikely comeback with 21 minutes to go, on-loan Norwich City winger Onel Hernandez left unmarked at the back post to collect a cross, take a touch and roll past Shea.

Confidence boosted, Bacuna unveiled some trickery on the byline to find Taylor and his curler was saved at the second attempt by Shea, while all the hosts players were encouraged to shoot, Jeremie Bela not missing by much.

Thankfully, Town kept their composure in the final stages this time to ensure it wasn't as embarrassing a defeat as in Bedfordshire, although they did drop to 10th in the table, and four points adrift of the play-off positions.

Blues: Neil Etheridge, Maxime Colin, Kristian Pedersen, Ryan Woods, Jeremie Bela (Jordan James 90), Teden Mengi, Gary Gardner ©, Juninho Bacuna (Ivan Sunjic 76), Jordan Graham, Onel Hernandez, Lyle Taylor (Lukas Jutkiewicz 74).

Subs not used: Connal Trueman, Remi Walker, Marcel Oakley, Tate Campbell.

Hatters: James Shea, James Bree, Amari'i Bell, Reece Burke, Tom Lockyer (Carlos Mendes Gomes 57), Kal Naismith (C), Henri Lansbury (Fred Onyedinma 57), Allan Campbell, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Harry Cornick (Gabe Osho 75), Elijah Adebayo.

Subs not used: Jed Steer, Dan Potts, Cameron Jerome, Danny Hylton.

Booked: Osho 88.

Referee: Darren Bond.

Jones felt first half tennis ball protest affected his side although also labelled Luton's defending 'inept' during City loss

Reaction from Hatters chief to St Andrew's defeat

Luton boss Nathan Jones felt his side turned in an ‘inept’ performance during their 3-0 defeat at Birmingham City this afternoon, although also thought the first half protest from home supporters played its part in their five game unbeaten run being unceremoniously ended.

After a positive start to the contest, with the Hatters looking the more likely of the two sides, creating some half chances and winning a number of decent free kicks and corners, they had quietened a largely sedate home crowd.

However, the match was then halted around the 15-minute mark when the Blues supporters threw tennis balls on to the pitch from the stands as they continue to protest against the club's board who they have labelled 'faceless owners.’

To make matters worse, Luton then saw a promising attack through Elijah Adebayo halted when a steward bizarrely stepped on to the field of play to try and pick up one of the leftover balls, almost getting close enough to tackle Town's top scorer.

Once play restarted for a second time, the visitors fell behind a few minutes later, Gary Gardner's cross not properly cleared, Lyle Taylor teeing up Juninho Bacuna to score.

When asked if he thought the incident affected his team, Jones said: “That’s what I felt, and then the steward's stepped on the pitch, but protests are protests.

“We can’t do anything about that, we can't affect that, we needed to adjust, but it did seem to kill our momentum and then shift it.

"But if we defend the box better, because it was only once we really had to do that first half, and then we come in half time, there’s no real problem.

"It's a difficult game because the way the wind was and the way the pitch was, it was never going to be a classic, so credit to the Birmingham fans there, they've done well.

“I thought we were really on the front foot, we must have had six, seven corners or free kicks, we really put pressure on them and maybe a bit more quality.

"The pitch was really lively, so it's difficult to display any real quality because of the swirling wind and it being a firm pitch.

"But it killed our momentum, then with the tennis balls and when the steward came on the pitch inexplicably.

"From there on, they had one opportunity in the first half, it wasn’t really an opportunity, we didn't defend well enough and that was that.”

Despite only trailing 1-0 at the break, Luton still had every chance of coming back in the second half, but those hopes were dashed immediately, Henri Lansbury diverting a pass into the path of Taylor who went clean through to beat James Shea.

Onel Hernandez rolled home a third late on, as the Blues subjected Town to their worst defeat on the road this season, as they had done on home soil too, with a 5-0 triumph at Kenilworth Road back in August.

Jones continued: "We’ve set our stall up to come out really aggressive second half and in 15 seconds you’re 2-0 down and it’s game over.

"We were never ever going to score two goals today and I’m very reluctant to not give Birmingham credit because they must have done something right.

"But we really were inept in terms of our performance and that's not been us, we’ve been really proactive in recent weeks, we’ve had a great run, but today we’ve been poor.

"We’ve saved our two most inept performances Birmingham.

"They were better than us at home, today, they haven’t had to work hard for anything really.

"Apart from the first 20-odd minutes and when the tennis balls came on we were excellent, but apart from that we’ve not defended our box well which we’ve been very good at lately and that was the tale today."

Asked for his thoughts on the first half incident, Blues boss Lee Bowyer added: "We scored not long after and I think the goal changed the game.

"They started better than us, we were finding our feet, then we got the first goal and went on from there, grew in confidence the more the game went on."