Coventry City vs Luton Town FC (11th Feb 2023)

Report | Coventry City 1-1 Luton Town

Luton Town made it four league games unbeaten with a hard-earned point at Coventry City this afternoon.

Town took a first-minute lead when captain Tom Lockyer netted with just 38 seconds on the clock at the Coventry Building Society Arena, but saw their advantage wiped out in the final seconds of the first half when Matty Godden slammed in a penalty.

Manager Rob Edwards made two changes from the side that beat Stoke last week in the Town's last league outing, Marvelous Nakamba makes his first start for the club after coming off the bench against Stoke City last weekend.

Gabe Osho kept his place in defence following the midweek defeat at Grimsby Town as Cody Drameh missed out after picking up a knock in training.

Midfielder Henri Lansbury made a welcome return to the matchday squad - back on the bench for the first time since sustaining an injury against Sunderland in October - while Joe Taylor was also named among the substitutes for the second time since joining in the January transfer window.

Town made a dream start with Lockyer netting after just 38 seconds. Douugty took a short throw to Clark, got the ball back and beat his man before curling in a cross that deflected off Coventry's Kasey Palmer's outstretched boot and Reece Burke's head before Wales international Lockyer steered home left-footed.

Both sides had penalty appeals turned down inside the opening ten minutes before City striker Viktor Gyokeres drew a flying save out of Horvath, and Kyle McFadzean - who had appeared to impede Adebayo as he made his way into the Sky Blues' box moments earlier - shot just wide from the corner that followed.

Adebayo met Doughty's right-wing corner with a firm header, straight into keeper Ben Wilson's hands, in the 17th minute before the right wing-back skipped to the right byline again and cut back, only for Coventry to clear.

Bell was soon raiding down the other flank and sent a dangerous-looking cross-shot in that Wilson did well to hold at his near post, before gatherin again as Bell picked out Adebayo for a near-post header that was straight at the home keeper.

Town were increasing the pressure at this stage, Wilson having to push an inswinging Doughty corner over his bar before Mpanzu saw a piledriver from the edge of the box blocked.

Burke had his name taken by referee Stephen Martin for a foul on Gyokeres as half-time approached, then Coventry were handed their route back into the game as Osho dragged the Coventry striker down as he looked to finish a low cross from Godden in the 45th minute.

Osho was shown yellow, then Godden stepped up and slammed the ball past Horvath from 12 yards to send the sides in level at the break.

Coventry centre-back Luke McNally went on a rampaging run from inside his own half to hit a low shot that had Horvath diving low to his left to save two minutes into the second half, but Bell and Doughty were soon flying down the Town flanks again, Bell's cross evading everyone before Doughty hit the outside of a post with his attempt after retrieving the ball on the right.

Morris sent a glancing header just over the bar from another Doughty centre just before the hour, then Coventry were denied by the woodwork as Palmer's curling effort came back off the crossbar.

A quick free-kick between Clark and Doughty set the latter racing onto the ball to deliver another testing cross, which Lockyer headed back into the six-yard box but Coventry cleared, with Bell then booked for another foul on Gyokeres.

It was Doughty's last action, with the wing-back receiving treatment and then being replaced in the 65th minute by Fred Onyedinma.

Osho made a crucial 74th-minute block to deflect a Gyokeres effort wide of the target, then Cauley Woodrow - on as a sub for Adebayo - saw a header from a Morris cross pushed away by a flying Wilson.

From the corner, the former Barnsley man then found himself unmarked at the far post, only for Callum Doyle to throw his body in the way and divert for another set piece.

The hosts were reduced to ten men with five minutes left when Josh Wilson-Esbrand saw red for a foul on Onyedinma that sparked a melee that also resulted in yellow cards for Morris and Coventry captain McFadzean.

Edwards withdrew Clark and threw another attacker into the fray, handing Taylor his debut, but the Hatters couldn't find a way through the hosts' backline and had to settle for a point that maintains their fourth place in the Championship table ahead of Wednesday's trip to Preston.

Goals:

LT - Lockyer 1

CC - Godden (pen) 45+1

Att: 20,366

Reaction | Rob Edwards on Coventry draw

Manager Rob Edwards said he saw ‘a lot of good things’ as the Hatters claimed a point on their travels against Coventry City.

Tom Lockyer had given Luton a lead inside the first minute but Matty Godden responded on the stoke of half-time from the penalty spot. Despite chances for both sides in the second period, and Coventry going down to ten-men, neither team could find a winner as the Hatters remain fourth in the table.

“It is a very difficult place to come as we all know,” he admitted post-match. “They’re a good team with very good individual players and they’re very well coached as well. They have a really clear identity, clear way of playing and they’ve been doing that for a number of years and been successful with it as well. I’m not disappointed at all but based on our big chances today, maybe we could have deserved it.

“He's getting the chances which is great. Fantastic save and block so as long as we’re working the keeper and they’re on target then great. In the first half I thought we played the best we have done since we’ve been here in the first half.

“I thought we looked a real threat, we got in behind well, Amari’i and Alfie were really dangerous and when we got into those areas, we just needed that final bit. I know we’ve talked about that before but what was really pleasing today was the build-up and structure of the team to create those chances. I thought the wide players were really threatening.

“I saw lots of good things and I think that is why the 3,000 or so Luton fans were happy at the end, Edwards continued. “They could see the team was committed, had a right good go, recognised that Coventry are a good team as well and coming away from home in the Championship, a point is good.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izVKLtxFgAc – Match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ct2SWPjNqg – Rob Edwards interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrfgG2zkv1I – Marvelous Nakamba

Lockyer scores inside 60 seconds but Luton are pegged back by Coventry

Championship: Coventry City 1 Luton Town 1

Luton picked up a first league draw of manager Rob Edwards’ reign as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Coventry City this afternoon.

On-loan Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba made his first start for the club, one of two changes from last weekend's 1-0 victory over Stoke City, with Gabe Osho also in, Leeds United loanee Cody Drameh missing through injury and Allan Campbell dropping to the bench.

Experienced midfielder Henri Lansbury was also back amongst the substitutes for the first time since October, as although the visitors were going up against a side who had the goalkeeper with the highest amount of Championship clean sheets to his name this term, Ben Wilson, the City stopper was picking the ball out of the net after just 38 seconds.

A throw-in from the right saw Alfie Doughty send over a cross that deflected into the part of Tom Lockyer who reacted quickly to stab the ball into the net for his first league goal of the season

The hosts responded well to the early setback, Viktor Gyokeres going close to levelling on 12 minutes, his attempt drawing a terrific save from Ethan Horvath, who clawed the ball away for a corner which saw Kyle McFadzean shoot narrowly wide.

Elijah Adebayo’s header from Alfie Doughty’s cross was easy for Wilson, as Town showed their danger from either flank, Doughty racing away on the right, as did Amari'i Bell on the left, although both times the final ball was not quite up to scratch.

Another fine move involving Nakamba and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu on 20 minutes saw Bell pick out Adebayo, who had to generate all his own power, heading straight at Wilson.

Luton then started to press for a second, Doughty's corner requiring tipping over the bar by Wilson, with the follow-up set-piece seeing Mpanzu's blast charged down.

With Burke in the book for a shirt-tug on Gyokeres, City kept up the pressure and on the stroke of half time, a ball across the area by Matty Godden saw Gyokeres nip ahead of Osho, who was adjudged to have pushed him over by referee Richard Martin for penalty.

Godden made no mistake, blasting down the middle as Horvath's aim of drawing level with Wilson on clean sheets was ended.

After the break, Coventry made the stronger start, Luke McNally setting off on a powerful run and when he got into shooting range, forced Horvath to hold on low to his left.

Town settled into their stride once more though and were inches away on 56 minutes, Doughty's cross flicked goalwards by Morris, only just failing to come down in time.

Luton were fortunate to remain on level terms with an hour gone, Kasey Palmer's wonderfully disguised effort from the angle cannoning against the bar with Horvath a mere spectator.

Bell became the third Luton player booked midway through the second period, as the feisty affair continued to bubble away under the surface, Doughty replaced by Fred Onyedinma.

Cauley Woodrow came on for Adebayo and it looked like he had given the Hatters the lead once more on 75 minutes, meeting Morris's left wing cross with a firm header, but Wilson pulled off an outrageous save, flying to his right to somehow tip it behind.

The keeper was at it again from the resulting corner, as this time Woodrow went for goal with his feet, blocked away by the Sky Blues’ custodian’s legs.

Coventry had to play the final five minutes with 10 men as, breaking from a corner, the already booked Josh Wilson-Esbrand cleaned out Onyedinma for an obvious second yellow, Morris and McFadzean cautioned for their part in the ensuing melee.

Deadline day signing Joe Taylor came on for his Luton in place of Clark as Town sensed a winner, but although they were the ones pressing, couldn’t create their clear-cut chances, as the spoils were shared.

Sky Blues: Ben Wilson, Callum Doyle, Kyle McFadzean (C), Jamie Allen (Jake Bidwell 90), Josh Wilson-Esbrand, Kasey Palmer, Luke McNally, Viktor Gyokeres, Matty Godden (Tyler Walker 81), Josh Eccles (Brooke Norton-Cuffy 68), Gustavo Hamer.

Subs not used: Simon Moore, Michael Rose, Sean Maguire, Jack Burroughs.

Hatters: Ethan Horvath, Alfie Doughty (Fred Onyedinma 65), Reece Burke, Tom Lockyer (C), Gabe Osho, Amari'i Bell, Marvelous Nakamba, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Jordan Clark (Joe Taylor 86), Elijah Adebayo (Cauley Woodrow 68) , Carlton Morris.

Subs not used: James Shea, Luke Berry, Allan Campbell, Henri Lansbury.

Bookings: Burke 44, Osho 45, Bell 64, Wilson-Esbrand 80.

Sent off: Wilson-Esbrand 85.

Referee: Stephen Martin.

Attendance: 20,366 (2,743 Hatters).

Edwards felt Luton's first half showing at Sky Blues was the best Town have played since he took over

Hatters are held to 1-1 draw by Coventry

Luton boss Rob Edwards felt his side’s first half performance during their 1-1 draw with Coventry this afternoon was the best he had seen from his side since taking charge at Kenilworth Road.

Ahead inside 60 seconds through Tom Lockyer’s instinctive close range finish, the Hatters could have had more, working the ball out of their half wonderfully well at times, with Amari’i Bell and Alfie Doughty constant threats on either flank.

However, they just couldn’t find that telling pass to one of Elijah Adebayo or Carlton Morris, the Sky Blues eventually levelling on the stroke of half time, when Gabe Osho pushed Viktor Gyokeres in the box and Matty Godden rifled home the spot-kick.

After the interval, Cauley Woodrow was denied by a wonderful save from home stopper Ben Wilson, his close range header acrobatically tipped away, with another effort blocked too, as asked if a draw had been the fair result, Edwards said: “Maybe on possession, but big chances, I would say we deserved it.

“It’s a very difficult place to come, as we all know, they’re a good team, with very good individual players, and they’re very well coached as well.

“They’ve got a real clear identity, a clear way of playing, which they’ve been doing now for a number of years and been successful at it as well.

“So I’m not disappointed at all, but based on our big chances today, maybe we could have deserved it.

“He’s (Woodrow) getting the chances, which is great, fantastic saves and blocks, so I’ve got no problems, as long as we’re working the keeper and they’re on target then great.

“But in the first half I think we played the best we’ve played since we’ve been in, I thought we looked a real threat, got behind them well.

“Amari’i and Alfie were really dangerous, and when we got into those areas, we just needed that final bit.

“I know we've talked about that before, but what was really pleasing today was the build up and the structure of the team in getting to those chances , I thought the wide players were really, really threatening.”

On whether Town needed more players making runs into the area, Edwards added: “I’ll have to look back at the coverage in the box and see the numbers, but I do want us to be better at picking people out now and not the keeper's hands or whatever it might be.

“ But I saw lots of good things and think that’s why 3,000 or so brilliant fans were happy at the end.

“They can see that a team was committed today, had a right good go, recognise that Coventry are a good team as well, and coming away from home in the Championship, a point is good.”