Bournemouth vs Luton Town FC (13th Mar 2024)

Hatters let half-time lead slip to lose at Bournemouth

The Town saw a 3-0 half-time lead evaporate as they were beaten at Bournemouth.

Leading at the break thanks to terrific counter-attacking goals from Tahith Chong, Chiedozie Ogbene and Ross Barkley, the Hatters fell apart in the second period.

Dominic Solanke got the Cherries’ first goal five minutes after the restart to pull one back but two goals in the space of two-and-half minutes – from Illia Zabarnyi and Antoine Semenyo – drew the hosts level.

Barkley missed a big chance for the Town to restore their on 71 minutes but with six minutes to go the Cherries led for the first time when Semenyo thundered a shot beyond Thomas Kaminski.

Despite nine minutes of injury time the Hatters couldn’t find a leveller and Bournemouth celebrated a famous comeback.

For the Town, it's back to Kenilworth Road on Saturday for a huge fixture against Nottingham Forest.

See you then.

Town: Kaminski; Kaboré, Doughty, Hashioka (sub Mpanzu 67), Mengi, Burke; Barkley (sub Berry 88), Clark; Chong (sub Woodrow 73), Ogbene (sub Townsend 88), Morris.

Subs not used: Shea, Krul, Nelson, Piesold, Martins.

Reaction | Rob reflects on Bournemouth reverse

Town boss Rob Edwards was left feeling numb after seeing his side let a three-goal half-time lead slip to lose 4-3 at Bournemouth.

“Looking back at it, we didn’t defend enough defensive duels well enough,” said the manager afterwards.

“I’m not doing dig out any of the players here, but there were individual mistakes and we didn’t cope in the one-versus-one duels.

“We gave Bournemouth encouragement with the early goal and we couldn’t cope with the barrage and forward play, their running and power. I’m really, really frustrated.

“I can go through all four goals and each can be avoided, there were three or four mistakes for each one.

“We put ourselves in such a good position to win a Premier League game, so sitting here talking about a defeat is tough.

“I’m angry and upset. I feel numb. We’ve lost our fair share this season but the manner of tonight does hurt.

“We’ve got a huge game on Saturday. If we can’t pick ourselves up for a game like this then there’s something wrong but we won’t allow the lads to dwell on it.

“We’ve lost a game but we’ve performed really well in the first half and we have to learn from it.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMb0uec_0k8 – Rob Edwards interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ilh4b8QiNc – match highlights

Luton left stunned as second half horror show sees Town let 3-0 lead slip to lose 4-3 at Bournemouth

Premier League: AFC Bournemouth 4 Luton Town 3

Luton suffered a potential dagger blow to their efforts of staying in the Premier League this season as they somehow let a 3-0 half time lead slip to go down 4-3 at AFC Bournemouth this evening.

The interval came with Town looking set on moving out of the relegation zone thanks to goals from Tahith Chong, Chiedozie Ogbene and Ross Barkley, but the hosts went one better, scoring four times in a crazy second 45 minutes to condemn the Hatters to what could well be a morale-sapping and crushing defeat.

Luton made one change from their 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on Saturday, Japanese international Daiki Hashioka in for his full Premier League debut, replacing Gabe Osho. The visitors’ injury crisis meant their bench contained three academy graduates, Zack Nelson, who made his debut at the weekend, plus Axel Piesold and for the first time this campaign, U18s midfielder Dominic Dos Santos Martins.

With the game rearranged after Tom Lockyer's cardiac arrest in December, the defender was on hand to be introduced to the crowd before kick-off, thanking the medical staff who were on hand to save his life that day, receiving a warm ovation from all sides of the ground. The hosts started well though, Antoine Semenyo whipping over a dangerous cross from the right which was diverted wide by top scorer Dominic Solanke.

Defender Teden Mengi was then called upon to make a terrific block after Ryan Christie got the better of Hashioka and from that, it began the move which Luton cut through their visiting defence to take the lead. Ogbene sprinted away on the right and waiting for support, found Issa Kabore, who in turn looked up and fed Jordan Clark, the midfielder taking a touch and dinking over a brilliant cross for Chong to head home from a matter of yards.

Town continued to get joy on the right hand side, Kabore this time sending over a cross that Chris Mepham just about beat the diving Morris to head behind. Hatters were thankful to keeper Thomas Kaminski for another stop on 16 minutes, Luis Sinisterra breaking through the defence and should have really picked out the unmarked Alex Scott, but went himself, the Belgian saving low with his legs, Dango Ouattara wayward with his rebound.

Colombian international Sinisterra remained a dangerous outlet, testing Kaminski low down on 22 minutes, as Kabore showed he was switched on at the back post once more, while Mengi made a brilliant clearing header to prevent Solanke from having a tap in. Although having been on the back foot, Luton showed just how dangerous they can be as they doubled their lead with a quite brilliant move on 31 minutes that was started by Chong.

He turned, advanced with the ball, and played a delicious outside of the foot pass for the advancing Doughty, who didn't have to break stride, picking out the unmarked Ogbene at the back post who tucked away. Cherries remained in the ascendancy when it came to territory and chances though, Sinisterra left unattended from a corner, his effort deflecting behind for a set-piece that Mengi thumped another header away from.

The Chong/Doughty combination was proving hugely effective too, as they combined once more, with the wingback finding Ogbene again, although this time he was smothered by some covering defenders. Bournemouth kept pressing, Semenyo's low attempt taking a flick on its way behind and then an unsighted Kaminski opting to punch Lewis Cook's swerving attempt which flew through a body of players in front of him.

However, on the stroke of half time, Town were in dreamland with another display of ruthless counter-attacking efficiency, Kabore flooding forward and then finding Barkley who had timed his run perfectly, simply thrashing a shot beyond the startled and statuesque Neto to make it 3-0. With boos ringing out at half time, home boss Andoni Ireola responded by making two changes, taking off the dangerous Sinisterra and Scott for Marcus Tavernier and Enes Unal, sending his players out very early for the restart.

It paid off as with just five minutes gone, they were back in the game, with a marvellous goal from Solanke as he twisted and turned Hashioka inside the area, keeping his calm to lift an impudent finish over Kaminski and pull one back. Now fully energised again, Bournemouth almost had a second straight away, Semenyo getting the better of Hashioka once more and whizzing marginally over.

Chong thought he had restored Luton's three goal lead with his second of the evening when tucking home after Neto had palmed away Morris's header, but he was flagged offside, the officials in Stockley Park agreeing with the on-field call. After a minutes applause for Lockyer, Luton needed a period of calm, but they couldn't get it, Bournemouth back to within one on 62 minutes when a corner was headed goalwards and cleared off the line by Doughty. Illia Zabarnyi returned it with interest, as despite Doughty being there again, referee Sam Allison's watch signalled it had crossed the line.

Two minutes later and the Cherries had amazingly restored parity, as with Bournemouth clearly targeting Hashioka, Cook swung an instant pass out to Semenyo on the right and he cut inside the Japanese international to rifle into the bottom corner. Edwards opted to make a tactical switch, removing Hashioka from the firing line and bringing on Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Luton swapping to a back four in a bid to try and stem the flow of the attacks.

A free kick won by Chong almost saw Town back in front again on 70 minutes, Doughty's terrific delivery met by the shoulder of Morris and dropping for Barkley, who somehow turned over the bar from just two yards out. Chong couldn't continue from the foul as he went off holding his arm, Saturday's hero Cauley Woodrow having the final 20 minutes to try and repeat his Selhurst Park heroics.

The scoring finally took a break for a few minutes, Christie hammering a half volley into the home fans, while Unal was teed up, shooting straight at Kaminski. However, the goal that had been coming, then arrived with seven minutes to go, Doughty trying to win the ball back high up, failing, and then leaving Semenyo with a free run on Kaminski as he thundered past the keeper to break Town's hearts.

Unal could have put the game beyond doubt only to slice wide after a slip by Doughty, as Luton had nine minutes in which to try and salvage a point. Kaminski kept them alive with a quite remarkable save with an outstretched leg to prevent a deflected effort making it 5-3, as with time ticking away, Town had two chances to load the box, but both Doughty and Andros Townsend's deliveries were gobbled up by Neto.

The full time whistle saw Luton's players slump to the floor, clearly unable to compute what had just happened, as Edwards now faces a huge task to rally them for an even bigger game when Nottingham Forest head to Kenilworth Road in a few days time.

Cherries: Neto, Lewis Cook, Chris Mepham, Dominic Solanke (Philip Billing 90), Ryan Christie (James Hill 90), Dango Ouattara, Alex Scott (Enes Unal 46), Adam Smith (Tyler Adams 71), Luis Sinisterra (Marcus Tavernier 46), Antoine Semenyo, Illia Zabarnyi. Subs not used: Mark Travers, Milos Kerkez, Romain Faivre, Justin Kluivert.

Hatters: Thomas Kaminski, Issa Kabore, Teden Mengi, Reece Burke, Daiki Hashioka (Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu 68), Alfie Doughty, Ross Barkley (Luke Berry 88), Jordan Clark, Tahith Chong (Cauley Woodrow 73), Chiedozie Ogbene (Andros Townsend 88), Carlton Morris (C).

Subs not used: James Shea, Tim Krul, Axel Piesold, Zack Nelson, Dominic Dos Santos Martins.

Referee: Sam Allison.

Booked: Clark 29, Ogbene 65, Smith 68.

Edwards takes responsibility for Luton failing to hold on to a 3-0 lead against Cherries

Town chief reacts to 4-3 midweek defeat at Bournemouth

Luton boss Rob Edwards took responsibility for his side letting a 3-0 lead slip when going down to a hammer blow of a 4-3 defeat at AFC Bournemouth this evening.

The Hatters had moved into a position of real strength at the interval, as goals from Tahith Chong, Chiedozie Ogbene and Ross Barkley saw them look odds-on to claim all three points. However, the Cherries levelled inside 20 second half minutes, and then won it late on when Antoine Semenyo powered home with seven to go, breaking Town’s hearts.

Speaking afterwards, Edwards said: “We went 3-0 up, then we gave them encouragement. They have brilliant quality, especially in one v one situations and we didn't defend those moments well enough. You can look at similarities, build up to the first goal, build up to the second goal, not winning first contact on set pieces, not winning duels.

"Similar situations for the third and fourth, we have to learn to defend better in those key moments. Lots for us to look back at and dissect. We'll have to review it and look back. Of course I've got to take responsibility. We played really well (in the first half) but the warning signs were still there. They are a good team and there were still some things we were unhappy with at half time.

“We felt that we allowed the ball to come into our box too often and too easily in the first half, but there were some brilliant goals and brilliant play. We looked a real threat going forward. We gave them the encouragement (in the second half), the crowd got up and we have to defend those situations a lot better. It's going to hurt but we have to pick ourselves up. We have another huge game in a few days time and we've got no other option but to pick ourselves up and go again.”

Second half Cherries capitulation left Hatters boss feeling 'angry, upset and numb'

Edwards critical of Town’s defending following the interval

A hugely disappointed Hatters boss Rob Edwards admitted he was left feeling ‘angry, upset and numb’ with his side’s error-strewn second half performance after Luton became just the third team in Premier League history to finish up losing a game having led 3-0 at half time when beaten 4-3 by AFC Bournemouth last night.

For 45 glorious minutes, it had looked like Town would take a massive step towards top flight survival as they continued the momentum gained from a last-gasp 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace on Saturday by racing into a 2-0 advantage with just half an hour gone, Tahith Chong and Chiedozie Ogbene finishing off slick counter-attacking moves from close range. They were then looking odds-on to secure a sixth victory of the season when Ross Barkley raced through to blast into the root of the net on the stroke of half time and put his side 3-0 in front, moving above third bottom Nottingham Forest in the process. However, the Cherries, who were booed off, had other ideas, swiftly pulling one back through top scorer Dominic Solanke to raise the belief and noise levels inside the Vitality Stadium.

Town simply couldn’t cope from then on, breached twice in the space of two minutes as their lead was frittered away with just 20 minutes gone of the second period, the inevitable fourth goal arriving when Antoine Semenyo was allowed the freedom of Dorset to sprint away and beat a shell-shocked Thomas Kaminski, as the Hatter remained below the dotted line once more. Having seen his side join Leicester in 2003 and Spurs in 2001 as the only other teams to leave empty-handed from such a position of authority when changing ends, asked for his emotions afterwards, Edwards said: “Angry, upset, all of that right now, little bit numb I suppose.

“I’ll have to look back at it and be able to break it down in real detail, but right now I feel we didn’t defend in our duels well enough. I’m not going to dig anyone out right now in front of you guys, but there were some individual mistakes, one v one duels that we didn’t cope well enough with in the second half. We gave them encouragement with the early goal, the crowd really got up then and we weren’t quite able to then cope with that barrage, that forward play, forward running, the power that they’ve got. So really, really frustrating and hard to come out and speak to right now with the way I feel.

“I can go through all four of the goals which I’ve done with the lads, they can all be avoided. There’s three or four mistakes for each one, but we put ourselves in such a good position to win a Premier League game, never mind get a point, which is really difficult for us to do and to be sat here now talking about a defeat is tough.”

It was a case of lightning striking twice for the Hatters, as they had conceded four goals in just 45 minutes of football for the second time in under a month, having seen Liverpool do the same at Anfield, Jurgen Klopp’s title-chasers turning a 1-0 deficit into a rampant 4-1 success. Edwards praised the way the Cherries were able to dismantle the visitors, but was annoyed that they hadn’t taken on board what had happened on Merseyside, continuing: “We want to be able to manage it, we’ve got to learn from that. We talked about what Anfield can do to people, it’s not just us where that’s happened, but I’d have liked to have thought that we learnt from that situation.

"There were similarities to that, wave after wave and two poor decisions gives them belief again. Things I won’t go into now where we can just be better, be cuter. The best teams are just cuter at the right moments. Head it back to the goalkeeper rather than a pass back, then he’s under pressure and kicks it out for a throw in, things like that made us come undone and come unstuck tonight. So we’ll revisit some of that and we’ve got some really tough away games to come, so we’ve got to try and be better in those moments.

“There was some really good play from Bournemouth, they have got some really good players here as well, and again I’m taking responsibility, I, we have got to be better in those moments, but there was some brilliant play from them as well. We just couldn’t quite cope with those key periods, I thought at 3-3, the game had settled for a little bit and thought we had actually weathered the storm and then you never know, a set-piece or something like that, which we did have, we might be able to get a grip back on the game, but the fourth goal was really disappointing the way we concede that.”

Town did have their moments at times in the second period, Chong denied a second goal by the offside flag which would have made it 4-1, while at 3-3, Barkley put a wonderful chance over the bar after Carlton Morris’s header dropped to him a few yards out. Edwards added: “It could have been (different), we can always talk about what ifs. I think it came off Carlton’s shoulder the initial one and it looked like a good chance from where I was, but I don't know how quickly it came to him, how awkward the bounce was, I haven't seen that one back.”

Luton chief thanks Town's 'amazing' fans even if he knows defeat could see 'questions raised'

Hatters boss hails away end for their full time whistle response

Hatters boss Rob Edwards was quick to praise Luton’s ‘amazing’ supporters for the response they gave their players following last night’s 4-3 loss at AFC Bournemouth even if he expected there to be some ‘questions raised’ by the manner of the second half display.

The packed away end had witnessed a marvellous opening 45 minutes, seeing their side go into the break 3-0 to the good, Tahith Chong, Chiedozie Ogbene and Ross Barkley all finding the net, allowing the visiting fans to look at the live table with real glee, seeing their side above the dotted line for the first time in a while, Saturday’s opponents Nottingham Forest taking their place. However, by the full time whistle, those dreams had been well and truly burst, the Cherries hitting back to score four times and condemn Luton to a 17th defeat from 28 games, one that could be a hammer blow to their morale and survival hopes now.

Despite that, the travelling followers still gave their squad and management staff a terrific ovation at the full time whistle, as it was appreciated by a clearly crestfallen Edwards, who, speaking to the club's official website, said: “The supporters were amazing with us at the end. I'm sure they'll be really upset and disappointed as well, some of them will be feeling angry and questions raised, but they were brilliant, they were there at the end and that's important.”

With Luton scoring for the 16th Premier League game in a row, it means they have now found the back of the net 41 times this term, six more than top four chasing Manchester United, as they are joint 12th with Bournemouth for goals scored. However, at the other end, Town were breached way too easily once more, meaning it is now 21 goals shipped in seven games, an average of three per match, making it 59 conceded in total, as with just wo clean sheets this term, they have the third leakiest defence, only above Burnley and Sheffield United.

It left Edwards in no doubt with the problem lies, as with trips to Manchester City and Arsenal coming up after the international break, which could see their goal difference take another hefty blow, he added: “We played some really good football, we do always look like we can score goals in this league and that’s normally for teams in our position the hardest thing. We looked a threat, playing some really good stuff, the plan was working well and the bit for us now is the other end. That’s why we’re in the position we’re in, obviously we concede too many goals. If you look at our goals for, it’s probably a good way up the league, so it’s quite clear where we need to try and improve and fix up. That’s got to be a big area of our focus now.”