Bolton Wanderers vs Luton Town FC (17th Jan 2024)

Report | Hatters fight back to book fourth round spot

Bolton 1 Charles 10

Town 2 Chong 14, Ogbene 57

Just like the first game, the Town were taking this tie seriously – the line-up named by Rob Edwards showed an intent to win the game – and that’s exactly what his side did, earning a fourth round tie at either Crystal Palace or Everton a week on Saturday.

However, after ten minutes, that seemed some way away. The Trotters, riding high in League One, took the early initiative when strikers Victor Adeboyejo and Dion Charles combined for the latter to steer home from close range.

The opener warmed the hearts of the majority of 10,000 fans who braved the icy conditions but the Hatters quickly poured cold water on the hosts’ electric start. Ross Barkley broke up play; the ball breaking to Chiedozie Ogbene and then Jordan Clark, the midfielder teeing up Tahith Chong whose fine footwork opened half-a-yard of space for him to steer an angled left-foot shot home for 1-1.

Back in the game so quickly was important – a fact not lost on Edwards afterwards – and as the first half wore on the Town grew in stature and created numerous opportunities to take the lead. However, for all their patience on the ball, those were only half-chances and Bolton were relieved to get in at the break level.

Three minutes after the restart the Town came close to getting their noses in front twice in the space of a matter of seconds when substitute Ryan Giles’ cross caused confusion in the Bolton box and Clark’s shot came back off the post. The ball then found its way to Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu whose drive was blocked by the home defence.

Despite that frustration, the Town didn’t wait long for that elusive second goal when, on 57 minutes, the comeback was complete. Carlton Morris, the late hero at Burnley on Friday, was the creator, spinning down the left to cross for Ogbene to fire home from close range to give the Hatters the lead in the tie for the first time.

Ahead, the Hatters dug in to see off Bolton’s hunt for an equaliser to take the tie to extra time. With 16 minutes left it looked as though the Trotters had levelled when Charles turned home from inside the six-yard box only for a very, very late offside flag to frustrate the hosts and 2-1 it stayed.

The Hatters made changes in as time ticked down but that disallowed goal knocked the stuffing out of the Trotters and the Hatters comfortably saw out the final moments. Job done and a place in the fourth round in the bag.

Town: Krul; Ogbene, Doughty (sub Giles 46); Mengi (sub Bell 46), Osho, Burke (sub Brown 75); Mpanzu, Barkley, Chong (sub Townsend 74), Clark (sub Adebayo 81); Morris.

Subs not used: Kaminski, Potts, Berry, Woodrow.

Attendance: 10,878, including 751 braving the elements in the away end shouting for the Hatters.

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsPcPmpa33s – match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx7TxmMbLr4 – extended highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dg7lTFh-Yo – match highlights with commentary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKhChw1XACc – behind the scenes

Rob reflects on replay victory

Town manager Rob Edwards had mixed emotions after the 2-1 FA Cup replay win at Bolton on Tuesday night.

Goals from Tahith Chong and Chiedozie Ogbene booked a place in the fourth round after the League One Trotters had taken an early lead.

“I’m pleased we’re through – tonight was all about winning but we were not at our best,” said Edwards afterwards.

“When we were at our best, we looked quite good, but then I thought we were a bit sloppy at times and that probably allowed them to grow into it.

“However, I’m very, very pleased we’re through. I think in these two games we’ve dropped a bit and we’ve nearly been punished. When we’re favourites it’s like we take our foot off the gas in certain moments, and we can’t afford to do that because we’re not good enough to do that.

“So we were a little bit off it but at the same time there was some good play in there. We had good chances but we were a bit sloppy.

“There were too many things I was frustrated with but tonight was all about winning. That was the challenge so I can’t fault the players too much.”

Ogbene pounces with second half winner as Luton see off Bolton in FA Cup replay

FA Cup third round: Bolton Wanderers 1 Luton Town 2

A second half winner from Chiedozie Ogbene saw Luton edge past League One Bolton Wanderers at the second attempt in their FA Cup third round replay this evening.

The Hatters yet again made hard work of the tie, as following a first half in which they dominated, but went in all square, they were made to battle all the way after the break, eventually squeezing through to set up a clash with either Everton or Crystal Palace in 11 days time. Although five changes were made from Friday night's 1-1 draw with Burnley, boss Rob Edwards once again went strong, defender Reece Burke in for his first start since the 2-2 draw at Nottingham Forest.

Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Tim Krul, Carlton Morris and Tahith Chong all came in as well, Sambi Lokonga dropping out completely with Thomas Kaminski, Elijah Adebayo, Amari'i Bell and Andros Townsend all on the bench, joined by the fit-again Jacob Brown. Town made a bright start to the contest, clearly at ease with their new-look formation that saw Edwards opt for a back four, Burke on the right and Alfie Doughty over on the left.

With Clark linking the play well through the middle, Town won a number of corners, as Bolton were able to clear Doughty's testing deliveries. Despite being on the back foot, the Trotters then took the lead with their first foray forward on 11 minutes as ball down the right had Teden Mengi screaming for offside against Victor Adeboyejo, nothing doing from the official.

He slipped when trying to challenge the Nigerian forward who burst into the box and found team-mate Dion Charles who clinically beat Krul to open the scoring. The enterprising Adeboyejo saw a blast fly off target, but Luton weren't behind for long, level on 15 minutes when the hosts were caught trying to play out from the back, Clark finding Chong and he steadied himself before rolling a very tidy finish beyond Nathan Baxter and into the corner.

With parity restored, Luton could look to resume their control of proceedings, which they did, Chong seeing his effort at getting a second fly wide via a deflection, as Morris went for power after being fed by Ross Barkley, getting too much on his left footer. Clark had a great chance to get on the scoresheet himself on 33 minutes, as his clever run was spotted by Ogbene whose pass prised open the visiting back-line but with Baxter narrowing the angle, he dragged wide when he had to at least test the keeper.

Krul was able to keep his hands warm as the snow started to fall, gathering Paris Maghoma's hopeful attempt from range that flicked off a covering defender, gathering Adeboyejo's snapshot too as Bolton enjoyed a rare spell of pressure. Just before the break, Town almost conceded a quite sensational goal as Barkley of all people was dispossessed, Adeboyejo spotting Krul off his line, having a go from 45 yards, the Luton stopper just getting back to divert the ball away before it went in, gathering the ball just in front of the line too.

Town then went back up the other end, the space opening up for Clark, who could only shoot straight at Baxter. The break saw Luton bring on Ryan Giles and Bell for the already booked Mengi and Doughty, Krul needing two attempts to catch Paris Maghoma’s attempt.

One of Giles' first involvements then saw his cross cause danger, the ball rebounding to Clark who scuffed a volley into the ground and against the upright. It fell to Chong whose arrowed drive saw Baxter parry, the ex-Chelsea youngster then well positioned to prevent Mpanzu's rebound from finding the net as well.

An action-filled opening saw Bolton stride straight up the other end and it looked certain that Charles was about to make it 2-1, pulling the trigger from close range after more good work from Adeboyejo but Barkley slid in to make a quite stunning goal-saving challenge. With both sides clearly not wanting extra time, the open nature of the fixture carried on, as it was Luton who struck on 57minutes, Morris working some space on the left of the area to send in the most inviting cross for Ogbene to slam into the net from close range.

Eager to put the game to bed, Mpanzu hammered a volley which Baxter got everything behind, but they never looked completely assured defensively, switching off to allow George Thomason a clean run through, his volley coming down with snow on.

With 17 minutes to go, Bolton thought they had a leveller when a ball in from the right was turned in by Charles for what looked like his second of the evening. Hatters keeper Kull clearly spotted an offside somewhere before it crossed the line though and went sprinting over to point it out to the assistant who after an age, raised his flag, which saw the goal chalked out, much to the annoyance of the home support.

Late on, Town eventually started to have some conviction to their defending, as they were able to enjoy far more possession and territory, ensuring they saw out five minutes of stoppage time to take their place in round four.

Trotters: Nathan Baxter, George Thomason, Ricardo Almedia Santos, Josh Sheehan, Dion Charles (Cameron Jerome 75), Josh Dacres-Cogley, Victor Adeboyejo (Jón Dadi Bödvarsson 75),Will Forrester (Jack Iredale 46), Eoin Toal, Paris Maghoma (Aaron Morley 81), Zac Ashworth. Subs not used: Joel Coleman, Kyle Dempsey, Luke Matheson, Ben Andreucci, Conor Lewis.

Hatters: Tim Krul, Reece Burke (Jacob Brown 75), Teden Mengi (Amari'i Bell 46), Gabe Osho, Alfie Doughty (Ryan Giles 46), Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Ross Barkley, Chiedozie Ogbene, Jordan Clark (Elijah Adebayo 81), Tahith Chong (Andros Townsend 75), Carlton Morris (C).

Subs not used: Thomas Kaminski, Dan Potts, Luke Berry, Cauley Woodrow.

Referee: Thomas Bramall.

Booked: Forrester 26, Mengi 30, Clark 64.

Attendance: 10,878.

Edwards felt Luton were 'a little bit off it' despite knocking Trotters out in replay

Town chief reacts to Luton’s cup win

Luton boss Rob Edwards felt it was a case of job done for his Town side in their FA Cup third round replay victory over League One Bolton Wanderers this evening.

The Hatters ran out 2-1 winners at the Toughsheet Stadium courtesy of goals from Tahith Chong and Chiedozie Ogbene, to book a place in the fourth round against either Everton or Crystal Palace. Although the visitors made far heavier weather of it than they might have done, missing a host of chances in the first half, and then being forced to dig in late when the Trotters came on strong, they managed to just have enough to see off their hosts.

Speaking afterwards, Edwards said: “We took our foot off the gas at certain moments, we also did it in the previous game and you can’t do that, we’re not good enough to do that. Bolton could have punished us, they could have easily got something from the game in the end as we were a little bit off it, but at the same time I thought there was lots of good play in there, especially in the first half.

"We had some chances, but were a bit sloppy in the final third as well. When we went 2-1 up they probably had a bit too much of the game for my liking, but naturally we go into a little bit of a let’s not lose this position that we’re in. There were lots there to like, but too many things that I was a little bit frustrated with. But it was about winning, that was what I challenged them to do before the game, so I can’t fault them too much.”