Birmingham City vs Luton Town FC (25th Feb 2023)

Report | Birmingham City 0-1 Luton Town

Carlton Morris' 13th goal of the season - and Ethan Horvath's 13th clean sheet - proved everything but unlucky for the Hatters, who brought a deserved three points away from Birmingham on a tough afternoon at St Andrew's.

Morris headed home Alfie Doughty's cross in the 47th minute to secure maximum points for the Town, and earn a first win in four matches, although the game was soured by the top scorer having to leave the action through injury in the second half.

Recent performances had merited more, and manager Rob Edwards made one change with the suspended Tom Lockyer replaced by Alfie Doughty, who returned to the starting line-up after coming off the bench against Burnley last weekend.

Fred Onyedinma replaced the number 45 and returns to the substitutes' bench having missed out against the Clarets

Midfielder Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu captained the side for the second time, the first being in the 1-0 win at Coventry last March, as the Hatters looked to return to winning ways after three league games without taking maxiumum points.

Amari'i Bell made a brave block from Tahith Chong's early shot, but Town settled quickly and were playing the better football when Jordan Clark did well on the right to set the ball back for Cody Drameh to deliver a cross that found Elijah Adebayo's head, but the striker couldn't find the target.

Clark then had a tame shot that was comfortable for John Ruddy to gather, before Scott Hogan headed Lukas Jutkiewicz's cross well wide for Birmingham in the 23rd minute, shortly after Doughty had become the first player into referee David Webb's book for a trip on Chong.

The Hatters' flying left wing-back was soon making inroads at the other end of the pitch, nutmegging his way past Maxime Colin before delivering an inviting cross for Adebayo, who headed over at the far post.

Town were creating all the decent openings in the game, with Bell switching the play for Drameh to deliver a low cross - after trading passes with Adebayo - for Clark to strike at goal, although for once the midfielder miscued from 12 yards out.

The breakthrough came two minutes into the second half, and just after Clark had danced his way to the byline and cut a ball back that Birmingham managed to clear, it was top scorer Morris who made it 13 for the season, meeting another wonderful cross from Doughty with a downward header that bounced up and past Ruddy into the top corner.

Clark tested Ruddy again with a shot from just outside the area, before the Hatters had to reshuffle the pack with Burke picking up a knock that forced his substitution on 56 minutes, Allan campbell coming on in his place with Mpanzu dropping back to right-sided centre-half.

Morris was soon step-overing his way to the left byline and zipping a ball across the six-yard box that just eluded Campbell and Adebayo, with George Hall grateful to clear at the far post.

Mpanzu might have been moved back, but the skipper for the day delivered another delicious cross in the 62nd minute that once again found Morris climbing highest, only for his glancing header to drift just wide of the far post.

Birmingham made a triple change on 66 minutes, and one of the replacements - Marc Roberts - was soon the centre of attention for a terrible challenge on Morris, with both feet off the ground, that eventually resulted in the Town striker's early exit through injury.

Somehow referee Webb only saw fit to show the centre-half the same colour card that he had Doughty for his first offence, a tame trip on Chong in the first half.

Roberts was almost ibn the right place to profit from a goalmouth scramble on 77 minutes, with Kevin Long heading Juninho Bacuna's free-kick back across goal and Mpanzu, Bell and Campbell all playing a part in blocking the Blues' path before Drameh led the ball away from Roberts at the far post to avert the danger.

The hosts came closer than ever to levelling in the 79th minute when Hogan headed Chong's right-wing cross against the bar, but Town's makeshift defence - a midfielder, a left-back and a centre-half who also plays midfield between them - stood firm with Drameh and Doughty excellent alongside them.

Substitute Cauley Woodrow hit a powerful 25 yarder that Ruddy almost fumbled over his line with 90 minutes up, but the Hatters had done enough to see out another big win to keep them inside the play-off places ahead of Tuesday's live Sky game against fifth-place Millwall.

Goals: Morris 47

Att: 16,866 (1,838 Hatters)

Reaction | Rob Edwards on Birmingham victory!

Manager Rob Edwards was pleased with his sides battling performance at St Andrew’s as Luton Town got back to winning ways in the Sky Bet Championship.

Carlton Morris netted his 13th goal of the season in the second half but was later forced off through injury and will be assessed ahead of Tuesday’s match against Millwall.

Providing an update on the striker first and foremost, Edwards told BBC Three Counties Radio: “He’s hurt his shoulder. We don’t know what the extent of that is yet, he’s going to have to get an X-Ray. I do think the challenge was a poor one, I know it happened quickly so it was a difficult one for the ref but it wasn’t a yellow card. It’s disappointing because we could lose him now and we know how important he is for us but what it does is give opportunities to other people.”

Reflecting on the match, the boss said: “Today I don’t think was ever going to be pretty if I’m being honest, pitches at this time of the season all around the country are quite difficult to play on and Birmingham are fighting for their lives as well, as are we all fighting for something. It was going to be a challenging game but to come out on the right end of it is very pleasing.”

After securing three points for the first time since the start of the month against Stoke City, Edwards admitted: “I wasn’t concerned because the performances have been a really high level. Coventry, Preston and Burnley, we played really well in all three of those games so I wasn’t concerned from a performance point of view but of course we all want three points, we all want to win, it makes us feel a lot better on a Saturday evening and we can sleep a little easier!

“We know how important the points are in every single game going forward. Today we had to grind it out a little bit, but we showed some really good moments at key times.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lIce6fKrAI – Rob Edwards interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbGEuzcnLZo – Full time scenes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-yj-_f0e30 – match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhhvC7D5Mpw – Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLVnkwuhQ4s – Reverse angle

Morris on target as Luton finally give City the Blues: Birmingham City 0 Luton Town 1

Striker Carlton Morris scored his 13th goal of the season as Luton ended a run of three games without victory to finally register victory over Birmingham City this afternoon.

The Hatters, who lost 8-0 on aggregate last term, including a 5-0 hammering on home soil, hadn't managed to score against their opponents in the last three games.

Although Town won 1-0 in the Covid season, when there were no fans present, they hadn’t tasted victory at St Andrew’s with supporters attending since 1986, when club legend Mick Harford scored twice, but that was to change thanks to Morris' goal early in the second period.

Prior to that, Town boss Rob Edwards made one change to his side from the 1-0 defeat at Burnley, Alfie Doughty in for the suspended Tom Lockyer.

The Hatters had to make a late alteration on their bench before kick-off too, Dan Potts dropping out and Louie Watson in.

Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu took the captain’s armband in the absence of Lockyer and Potts, one of his first duties to block a shot from Tahith Chong that looked like it might test Ethan Horvath.

Town had the better of proceedings, although their opportunities were half-chances at best, an off balance Elijah Adebayo heading wide and then the lively Jordan Clark shooting tamely at John Ruddy from the edge of the box.

With 23 gone, a first half that was struggling to get going for the Hatters saw Lukas Jutkiewicz get to a loose ball on the left and cross for Scott Hogan to get his header all wrong, nodding well wide.

It took Luton a good half hour to really create an effort of note, Doughty doing impressively to send over a cross from the left and Adebayo rose highest, but failed to keep his header down, his struggles to hit the target in recent matches continuing.

Town then put another good move together in the 40th minute, Drameh's low cross from the right picking out an unmarked Clark on the penalty spot, but his attempt got stuck under his feet and was easily cleared.

After the break, Clark wriggled his way through to cross just in front of his team-mates, before the first half frustration was immediately over on 47 minutes.

Doughty's deep ball from the left was met by Morris, his downward header bouncing up off the turf and into the top corner to break the deadlock.

Clark went close to making it a quickfire double, spinning on the edge of the box only for Ruddy to gather at the second attempt.

Luton were then dealt a blow with Reece Burke, who had looked to finally be over the injury worries that have blighted his time at Kenilworth Road, was forced off after picking up a knock when challenging Hannibal Mejbri.

It meant that skipper for the afternoon Mpanzu dropped into the right-sided centre half role, the first time he had played there in almost a decade, with Allan Campbell on and moving into midfield.

The captain was almost the architect for a second on 61 minutes, whipping in a magnificent first time cross from the right, Morris getting in front of his man to glance a header narrowly wide.

Blues made a triple sub with 64 gone, one of them, Marc Roberts, fortunate to stay on for more than 60 seconds or so, with a disgraceful challenge on Morris that was easily worthy of a red, referee David Webb in the perfect position to somehow dish out only a yellow.

After receiving lengthy treatment, the forward tried to continue, but following Drameh's penalty appeals being turned down, it became apparent his afternoon was over, Cauley Woodrow on for the final 18 minutes.

Roberts almost made Town pay for the officials' leniency, Juninho Bacuna's free kick leading to an almighty scramble that saw Roberts who else, go close.

They went even closer on 75 minutes, Chong's excellent right wing cross met by a header from Hogan that hit the top of the bar, Horvath eventually grabbing the loose ball.

Town had a real opening to extend their lead when Adebayo brought Drameh's ball out of the sky wonderfully, but with Woodrow in acres of space to his left, opted to go it alone and was dispossessed.

Luton were almost gifted a pressure relieving second with two to go, Woodrow unleashing a 30-yard snapshot that the experienced Ruddy made a complete Horlicks off, just about grabbing the ball as it went to cross the line.

With seven minutes of stoppage time added on by Webb, Town saw them out with very little alarms to pick up what was a big three points, and stay in sixth place, ahead of Tuesday night's game in hand against fellow play-off chasers Millwall.

Blues: John Ruddy (C), Maxime Colin, Hannibal Mejbri (Alfie Chang 64), Scott Hogan, Lukas Jutkiewicz, Harlee Dean (Jordan James 90), Tahit Chong, Gary Gardner (Juninho Bacuna 64), Emmanuel Longelo (Jordan Graham 86), Kevin Long, George Hall (Marc Roberts 64). Subs not used: Neil Etheridge, George Friend.

Hatters: Ethan Horvath, Cody Drameh, Reece Burke (Allan Campbell 56), Tom Lockyer (C), Gabe Osho, Amari'i Bell, Marvelous Nakamba, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Jordan Clark, Elijah Adebayo, Carlton Morris (Cauley Woodrow 73). Subs not used: James Shea, Luke Berry, Louie Watson, Joe Taylor, Fred Onyedinma.

Bookings: Doughty 19, Roberts 66.

Referee: David Webb.

Attendance: 16,866 (1,838 Hatters).

Luton chief felt Blues defender Roberts deserved a red card for his challenge on Morris

Substitute escapes with a yellow at St Andrew’s

Town boss Rob Edwards felt Birmingham defender Marc Roberts should have been sent off for his challenge on Luton match-winner Carlton Morris this afternoon.

The visitors had taken an early lead in the second half through Morris’s excellent 13th goal of the season, his downward header bouncing into the top corner from Alfie Doughty’ left wing cross.

With 64 minutes then gone, Roberts was brought on as part of a triple substitution, but just over 60 seconds later, he went flying in on Morris, with a knee high challenge right in front of the official, only to escape with a caution.

Morris tried to continue, but was eventually forced off, with Luton’s head of physiotherapy Simon Parsell tweeting: “Just witnessed the worst tackle.

"Followed by the worst refereeing decision.

"How can u get away with that. @LutonTown.”

It was an opinion that Edwards clearly agreed with, saying: “He's hurt his shoulder, we don't know what the extent of that is yet, we’ll have to get that scanned.

"I do think the challenge was a poor one and I know it happened quickly.

"It’s difficult for the ref sometimes, but it wasn't a yellow card so that’s disappointing, because we could lose him now and we know how important he is for us.

"What it does is give others opportunities and I thought Cauley Woodrow was excellent when he came on, really, really good.

"We know he's a top player so if we’re without Carlton for a period of time then we've got to rally which we did today.”

Asked if the official had given a reason for his leniency afterwards, Edwards added: “He felt that he got the ball but we feel that it warranted a red clearly, so maybe when he sees it back he’ll think differently.

"Again I’m not one for coming out and criticising refs as I know it’s a difficult job, and you won’t really see me doing that but I think in this instance, he got it wrong.

“I’m not going to talk about them in general.

"It is a difficult job, things do happen very, very quickly.

"The frustrating thing today is it’s my team and my players, we want to protect them and we want to keep our best players fit.

"Carlton is one of our best players, so let’s just hope he’s all right.”