Burnley vs Luton Town FC (6th Aug 2022)

Report | Burnley 1-1 Luton Town

The Hatters picked up another point this afternoon with an excellent performance at Burnley, who were playing their first home game since being relegated from the Premier League.

Dan Potts fired the Town in front on five minutes, but the Hatters were forced to settle for a share of the spoils for the second week in a row as Josh Brownhill hit an equaliser five minutes into the second half at Turf Moor.

Manager Nathan Jones made one change to the side that drew 0-0 at home to Birmingham last Saturday, with Harry Cornick replacing Carlton Morris up-front alongside Elijah Adebayo.

Luke Freeman keeps his place in midfield after impressing on his debut, alongside Allan Campbell and last week's Man of the Match - Jordan Clark. Luke Berry and Reece Burke were fit enough for the bench, whilst Alfie Doughty remained absent through injury.

The Hatters made a dream start when Potts gave them the lead on five minutes. Bell crossed from the left and Adebayo headed down for Freeman, whose path was blocked in the six-yard box but the ball rolled invitingly for the former West Ham man to sidefoot into the bottom corner.

Revelling in his role as top scorer, the club's second longest-serving player then got his head on a Freeman corner, before Adebayo saw his shot loop up off a defender, with keeper Arijanet Muric gathering under his crossbar with Cornick in close proximity.

Burnley, roared on by a sell-out crowd at Turf Moor for Vincent Kompany's first home match in charge, tried to mount a response and Samuel Bastien saw a 25-yard effort deflected well wide as the Hatters defended resolutely in the opening quarter, Potts putting his head on everything in both boxes.

The hosts enjoyed a lot of possession without testing Horvath in the Town goal and it was Freeman who took the next opportunity to strike at goal, although his volley from just outside the area on the half-hour mark was well off target.

A lovely move down the right involving Osho, Adebayo and Bree set Campbell driving forward into the box, but his cut-back intended for Freeman was intercepted by some last-ditch Burnley defending before Adebayo's tantalising cross just eluded strike partner Cornick.

The Clarets had their first real attempts just before the break, as Connor Roberts' shot deflected behind for a corner off Bradley's head, then Josh Brownhill sent a 20-yard curler well off target.

Kompany made a change at half-time, bringing on Manuel Benson who he had signed in midweek from his former club Anderlecht, and they started the second half on the front foot; Ian Maatsen firing narrowly over the bar inside the opening 30 seconds.

Maatsen then sent another shot in low towards Horvath's near post, deflected behind off Osho, but the corner eventuall led to the Clarets' equaliser as the Hatters failed to clear a Benson cross and Brownhill curled home from the edge of the box.

Jones made his first change just before the hour mark, introducing Morris in place of Cornick, and the striker played a part in creating the next opening for Freeman, although his 25-yard shot cutting in from the right flank flew well wide of Muric's goal towards the travelling Town fans.

Burnley went straight up the other end and Dara Costolloe crossed for Ashley Barnes, whose stabbed effort landed on the roof of the Town net, before Adebayo and Campbell's pressing presented an opening initially for Morris, then Bree, Campbell and Clark, who all saw their shots blocked in quick succession inside the hosts' area.

Jones made his second switch by bringing Cauley Woodrow on for Freeman, but it was former Belgium Under-21 international Benson who was causing concern at the other end of the pitch, his trickery engineering a chance to curl one just over with 15 minutes to go.

Henri Lansbury came on for the injured Gabe Osho with five minutes left, and the Hatters safely saw out an excellent performance and point gained on the road.

GOALS: LT - Potts 5 B - Brownhill 50 Attendance: 19,628 (1,026 away)

Reaction | Nathan Jones pleased with Burnley battle

Manager Nathan Jones was pleased with his sides’ ‘battling performance’ which earned them a point on their travels against Burnley this afternoon.

Dan Potts saw his early opener cancelled out by Josh Brownhill’s second half strike, but the Hatters were able to limit their opponents to just a single shot on target, and were good value for a draw at Turf Moor.

Assessing the game with BBC Three Counties after the match, Jones said: “They dominate possession and they will do that in the Championship this year, but apart from that I felt we had better situations especially first-half.

“It was a battling performance, I thought we defended wonderfully. They had a lot of situations around our box but nothing clear-cut, the only chances they had were from outside the box and I thought we defended wonderfully well and you have to do that in the Championship because they are a good side.”

With back-to-back draws, the gaffer admitted: “I’m pleased overall, I know we haven’t won yet but at this stage we had three points – beat Peterborough and lost to West Brom. We should have won the first game and today I thought we put in a real good performance.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di8lzPwS4Ug – Nathan Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP6NtsvTjWw – match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqwbV6MXujI – Dan Potts interview

Potts finds the net as Luton dig in for a hard earned point at Burnley

Championship: Burnley 1 Luton Town 1

A valiant second half performance from the Hatters saw them pick up an excellent point at Burnley this afternoon and extend their unbeaten run to the season.

Ahead through Dan Potts' early goal, Luton were pegged back just five minutes after the restart, as although the Clarets had the better of things in terms of chances, they couldn't break through again as Town took a deserved share of the spoils.

Boss Nathan Jones just one change for the clash at Turf Moor, striker Harry Cornick replacing Carlton Morris to partner Elijah Adebayo upfront, while Luke Berry and Reece Burke were fit enough to make the bench.

Despite a big fanfare about Vincent Kompany's first home game as Burnley manager, the Clarets having been a Premier League side at this stage last season, Town were certainly not overawed in the early stages, settling better and taking the lead with just five minutes on the clock

Some strong forward play by Elijah Adebayo saw the ball put out for a throw and when the ensuing cross wasn't cleared, an unmarked Potts slammed home to open both his and Luton's account in the Championship this term, with a first goal since February 13, 2021.

He might have had another moments later, rising highest to meet Luke Freeman's excellent corner only to see his header deflect over.

Burnley then started to find their stride and enjoy a extended spell of possession, match-winner against Huddersfield Ian Maatsen's drive taking a nick on its way behind.

Back came Luton in what was an open start to the contest, Allan Campbell releasing Adebayo inside the area and his angled attempt bounced off Charlie Taylor, appearing to have outfoxed Muric, only for the keeper to backpedal and claim just before Cornick could pounce.

With Gabe Osho making two crucial interceptions to prevent the hosts bearing down on Ethan Horvath, with half an hour gone, Town threatened doubling their advantage, only for Freeman, who was yet again proving his worth in midfield with some neat touches, slicing a volley off target.

Home keeper Muric, often living a charmed life outside of his area, then got lucky as miles from home, he raced to meet Adebayo who had beaten the offside trap, getting a fortunate block with his outstretched leg otherwise the Town forward was clean through with an empty net in front of him.

After the break, the Clarets brought on recently recruited Belgian midfielder Manuel Benson, signed in the week from Antwerp, who proceeded to hug the touch-line, determined to cut on in his left foot, while Maatsen looked to level from distance, his effort sailing harmlessly over.

The Chelsea loanee was given time and space again moments later, with Horvath adjudged to have got a fingertip to his low effort when it looked like he hadn't.

From the corner, the Clarets were level with 50 on the clock, as Adebayo wasn't able to get enough on his clearance, Josh Brownhill curled emphatically into the corner giving Horvath no chance, as the already noisy atmosphere inside the stadium ratcheted up a fair few decibels.

Ashley Barnes flicked a header over as the hosts looked to make the most of their renewed optimism, Potts and Allam Campbell just about making last ditch blocks as the Clarets kept the pressure well and truly on, the experienced striker seeing another attempt bounce narrowly over.

With Carlton Morris on for Cornick, Luton still looked to retake the lead themselves, the sub, one of four players to have a shot blocked in the space of 30 seconds, also picking up a yellow for crudely ending a Clarets attack.

Midway through the second period, Jones brought on Burke and Cauley Woodrow, but it remained Burnley who appeared the most likely, the increasingly influential Benson collecting Barnes' pass but slicing wide.

Barnes, who has having a real battle with skipper Sonny Bradley now, with plenty going on off the ball, had an even better opportunity inside the final 10 minutes, a quick long throw causing real problems in the Luton defence and the forward sidefooted waywardly from close range when the ball dropped invitingly to him.

Town almost nicked it in the final minutes, a raking free kick dropping at the feet of Morris, but he couldn't beat a posse of covering defenders, as Luton extended their unbeaten record at Turf Moor to seven matches.

Clarets: Arijanet Muric, Charlie Taylor, Jack Cork, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Josh Brownhill, Ashley Barnes, Connor Roberts, Josh Cullen, Samuel Bastien (Manuel Benson 46), Ian Maatsen, Dara Costelloe (Vitinho 82).

Subs not used: Bailey Peacock-Farrell, CJ Egan-Riley, Luke McNally, Adam Phillips, Owen Dodgson

Hatters: Ethan Horvath, James Bree, Amari'i Bell, Gabe Osho (Henri Lansbury 85), Sonny Bradley (C), Dan Potts, Allan Campbell (Cauley Woodrow 67), Jordan Clark, Luke Freeman (Reece Burke 67), Harry Cornick (Carlton Morris 58), Elijah Adebayo.

Subs not used: Matt Macey, Tom Lockyer, Luke Berry, Henri Lansbury.

Referee: Darren Bond.

Booked: Morris 66, Barnes 88, Roberts 90.

Jones hails Luton's defensive display after picking up a battling draw at Turf Moor

Hatters manager reacts to Burnley point

Luton boss Nathan Jones hailed his side’s defensive efforts in picking up what he felt was a worthy point during their 1-1 draw at former Premier League side Burnley this afternoon.

The Hatters had taken an early lead through Dan Potts, before the hosts, a top flight team this time last term, hit back five minutes into the second half through Josh Brownhill.

Although the Clarets dominated the ball throughout, with 70 per cent of it, keeper Ethan Horvath didn’t have a great deal to do, Ashley Barnes and Manuel Benson putting the best chances wide of the target.

Town themselves might even have nicked a second when Carlton Morris had a late attempt blocked, with Jones saying: “They have possession, they dominate possession and they will do that in the Championship this year, but apart from that I felt we had better situations, especially first half and I’m just disappointed we didn't take advantage of that.

“We had real good situations, and if we had been slightly better in terms of in possession, as when we won it back, we turned it over too quickly, as you only need to have one, two three passes and you're in at their back two.

“That’s why we kept two up top, and I felt we could have hurt them a lot more, but we didn’t do that.

“It’s a battling performance, I thought we defended wonderfully.

"They had a lot of situations round our box, nothing clear cut, the only chances they had were from outside the box with shots.

"I thought we defended wonderfully well and you have to do that in the Championship as these are a good side.”

The only time that Luton came off it defensively they were punished, Elijah Adebayo’s weak clearance seized upon by Brownhill, giving Horvath no chance as Town were breached for the first time this season.

Jones added: “I’m really disappointed with the goal.

“It was ironic as we said, ‘as soon as we win it back, get hold of it, make one or two passes, we’ll get chances,’ and we did.

“We won it back, Harry (Cornick) gave it away twice on the counter attack, and that allowed them to have a bit of pressure.

“Even the goal, they put the ball in the box, we can clear that easily.

"Elijah slices his clearance, if we had just done the basics right, we wouldn't even have conceded that and it would have been a wonderful, wonderful win.

"But it’s a good point, there's not many who will come here and have the opportunities that we did, but also, play like we did.

"So I'm pleased overall as I know we haven't won yet, but at this stage last year we had three points.

"We beat Peterborough and lost to West Brom, but we should have won the first game and today we had a really good point.”