Derby County vs Luton Town FC (18th Apr 2025)

18/04/2025 – DERBY COUNTY 0-1 LUTON TOWN

Town earn crucial win at Derby

Hatters hold on for huge three points thanks to wonderful defensive display and Alli winner

You have to go back 35 years for the last time a Luton team won away to Derby.

That day in May 1990, the Hatters pulled off the great escape, retaining their top-flight status on the final day of the First Division season with a victory that has gone down in Kenilworth Road folklore.

Fast forward to the present day and the Town team of 2025 resurrected their hopes of Championship survival with a brave and gutsy 1-0 win to move level on points with the Rams in the battle to beat to drop.

It might not match the level of that day of Tim Breacker and Kingsley Black, but how the Hatters held onto their 10th-minute lead – given to them by Millenic Alli’s second goal in three games – will live long in the memory should the Town stay in the second tier come the end of this season.

A defensive masterclass followed after the goal – led by the magnificent Mark McGuinness, who denied the Rams on three occasions – and Hatters were left to celebrate a seismic victory in their quest for survival under Matt Bloomfield.

Last weekend’s disappointing defeat at home to Blackburn had deflated any Hatters hopes of staving off the threat of back-to-back relegations, but their first half performance showed anything but a hangover from the previous weekend with a controlled and measured performance capped by Alli’s strike.

The goal came when Jordan Clark floated in a free-kick into the Derby penalty area. Carlton Morris flicked the ball into McGuinness' path who in turn poke the ball looking for Alli. The Exeter man was quickest to the loose ball and despite the attentions of three Derby defenders, the forward fired into an empty net. Joy unconfined in the away end.

Ahead, it could have been 2-0 on 26 minutes when Lamine Fanne – one of two changes from the Blackburn defeat – rifled a first-time shot over the crossbar from 10 yards after the hosts had failed to clear a long free-kick from Thomas Kaminski.

Five minutes later, the Town spurned another chance when Christ Makosso screwed a shot into side-netting as the Hatters pushed for a second.

With the home side and their crowd frustrated as half-time approached the Town had McGuinness to thank for the first of his crucial acts of defending in the second minute of first-half injury time. The ball bobbled into the feet of Jerry Yates and his deflected shot seemed destined for the bottom corner with Kaminski beaten only for McGuinness to stick out a leg at the last moment to clear the ball behind. It would prove to be a huge moment.

After enjoying a first half of comparative ease, the Town would experience a much different second as the Rams turned the screw.

Six minutes after the restart McGuinness threw himself in harm’s way again, blocking Marcus Harness’ close range.

And on 58 minutes County came even closer. Yates found space in the box but could not beat Kaminski with the Town stopper spreading himself to parry. The ball was still not safe, however, and McGuinness was on hand to keep it 1-0 as his goal-line clearance prevented Kayden Jackson’s follow-up.

It was all the Rams and you felt it was only a matter of time before another chance would fall the home side’s way.

Yet the Town stood tall. Balls into the box were dealt with from all angles as the Hatters attempted to stifle the life out of the gain. When you’re in this position, anything will do.

Bloomfield sent on Teden Mengi and Marvelous Nakamba on 72 minutes to reinforce their defensive rearguard but with 10 minutes left there were hearts in mouths when Jackson pulled the trigger from close range – but Kaminski stuck out a boot to divert the ball to safety.

Still Derby pushed. The Rams kept going but McGuinness and the defence were not to be beaten.

Kaminski came to the Town’s rescue with five to play, bravely pouncing on the loose ball from six yards with Harness lurking for a late leveller.

Seven minutes were added. The tension was unbearable as the Hatters held on for dear life.

But the time ticked away. And away and away…

The sound of the final whistle was met with jubilation, relief. Pride was soon to follow.

A first-ever win at Pride Park. A third win in the last four games on the road. But more importantly, a win over relegation rivals, which keeps us right in the mix with three games to go. Just don’t look at the league table! It’s the hope that kills you.

But it’s Bristol City up next on Monday at Kenilworth Road.

AND WE WILL SEE YOU THERE.

Enjoy your weekend.

UTFT.

Town: Kaminski; Jones (sub Burke 73), Alli (sub Chong 90+4), McGuinness, Makosso, Bell; Naismith, Clark (sub Nakamba 81), Aasgaard, Lamine Fanne (sub Mengi 72); Morris (Nordås).

Subs not used: Krul, Walsh, Nelson, Harris.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRlT6AquIDI – Matt Bloomfield post match interview

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

Alli on target as Luton grind out an absolutely priceless Rams victory

Championship: Derby County 0 Luton Town 1

A stunning second half defensive performance from Luton put the cat right back amongst the pigeons once more in the battle for Championship survival this afternoon as they triumphed 1-0 at relegation rivals Derby County.

Following last weekend's 1-0 loss at Blackburn Rovers, a large number of Town fans had begun to accept it would be League One football for the Hatters next term, with anything but a win against one of their main relegation rivals at Pride Park, a ground the visitors had never won at, virtually sealing Town's fate.

However, they might have to reconsider that opinion such was the fight that Matt Bloomfield’s side showed against the Rams to seal what was a third absolutely colossal victory in four away matches. In what was the ultimate fixture of two halves, Luton got through to the break a goal to the good, giving a display that was the perfect away performance, disciplined, controlled, with the Rams very rarely getting anywhere near the visitors' goal.

That all changed after the break though, County simply hammering the ball into the Luton box whenever they could, but Town's defence, led by Mark McGuinness, to a man, were quite simply magnificent, heading everything away and putting their bodies on the line. On the occasion they were beaten, Thomas Kaminski proved a dependable last line of defence too, with two excellent saves, as they ground out an absolutely tremendous victory.

Earlier, boss Matt Bloomfield made two changes from the 1-0 loss to Blackburn Rovers, Kal Naismith and Lamine Fanne in for Tahith Chong and Liam Walsh who dropped to the bench, joined by young forward Taylan Harris. A game that looked to be played one hundred miles an hour in the early stages, on what was a poor Pride Park surface, with enough sand making it resemble a beach at times, saw Town strike with 10 minutes on the clock.

Winning a corner on the left hand side, Jordan Clark swung it over, Carlton Morris got up well to flick on and after Mark McGuinness caused problems, the ball dropping for an alive Milli Alli who held his nerve to sidefoot into the net and give Luton the dream start. Derby had to make a change on 15 minutes, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing going down injured and after what appeared an age, Kayden Jackson was brought on.

With Fanne's running power and athleticism ensuring there were very few lost causes for Town, he was proving adept at winning some pressure-relieving free kicks too. From one such set-piece, Luton could have doubled their advantage, as a deep ball was pumped into the area by Kaminski, Morris going to ground before it rebounded back to Fanne, whose volley was just a touch too high.

Corners were proving a real outlet for the Hatters, as on the half hour, another Clark delivery saw Morris keep it alive at the far post, and after twisting and turning his man, teed up Christ Makosso whose sidefooter rustled the side-netting, fooling the majority of the away end who thought it had gone in. Some magnificent defending from Makosso, who was starring once more for the Hatters, almost led to an opening, as he won the ball back superbly, Izzy Jones carrying on the good work and then Clark able to win another corner that when it came out to him, saw McGuinness head over under pressure.

Bar a spell of pinball from a corner that was hacked clear, the Rams didn't really threaten at any point, although Town were indebted to a vital deflection from McGuinness when Jerry Yates' lose range attempt took a deflection off Thelo Aasgaard and was dribbling into the bottom corner. After the break, Luton were indebted to another important block from McGuinness when Marcus Harness took advantage of a weak clearance, the Rams finally showing some real signs of life.

With an hour gone, the Rams were somehow not on level terms when Alli missed his clearance which saw Harness clean through on goal. His effort was beaten away by Kaminski, but fell to Yates who was able to bounce his rebound over the Luton keeper, although fortunately not the perfectly positioned McGuinness who was back on the line, his clearance grabbed by a grateful Kaminski.

The Luton stopper was called into action again moments later, as centre half Matt Clarke of all people got on the overlap and his cross eventually fell to Yates, but his shot was straight at Kaminski. In what was a complete turnaround to the first half, the Hatters were now unable to keep the ball as they had done in the first half, and were completely under the cosh.

Yates put another attempt wide to relieve some of the pressure, but it just kept on coming, Bloomfield responding by bringing on Teden Mengi and Reece Burke to shore up the back-line. With Town digging in, McGuinness superb throughout, Town also threw Marvelous Nakamba and Lasse Nordas, as they looked to wind the clock down whenever possible.

The Hatters were thankful to Kaminski once more with five minutes left, a high cross met by Clarke and dropping for Harness but the keeper had made himself big to block the close range header and then grab the loose ball too. The Belgian also used his legs well to deny Jackson’s cross-shot, as despite seven minutes of injury time being added, Town were able to see them out without any huge scares and seal a first win at the Rams for 35 years, when a certain Tim Breacker netted a screamer during a 3-2 last day triumph in 1990 which sealed Division One safety.

Although this one probably won’t rank quite as highly in the Hatters’ history, it was still celebrated wildly by the 3,000 supporters who made the trip, as Luton can now go into Monday’s home clash against play-off chasing Bristol City with renewed optimism that the Great Escape is still on.

Rams: Josh Vickers, Kane Wilson, Craig Forsyth, Sondre Langas (Kenzo Goudmijn 76), Jerry Yates, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (Kayden Jackson 15), Nat Phillips, Marcus Harness, Matt Clarke, Harrison Armstrong (Tom Barkhuizen 90), Ebou Adams ©.

Subs not used: Rohan Luthra,Ben Osborn, Liam Thompson, Jake Rooney, Erik Pieters, Lennon Wheeldon.

Hatters: Thomas Kaminski, Christ Makosso, Mark McGuinness, Amari’i Bell, Izzy Jones (Reece Burke 73), Kal Naismith, Jordan Clark (Marvelous Nakamba 81), Lamine Fanne (Teden Mengi 72), Thelo Aasgaard, Milli Alli (Tahith Chong 90) Carlton Morris (C Lasse Nordas 81).

Subs not used: Tim Krul, Liam Walsh, Taylan Harris, Zack Nelson.

Referee: James Linington.

Booked: Langas 30, Morris 37, Alli 68, Jackson 90.

Bloomfield lauds Town's fighting spirit as Luton battle to a first win at Derby since 1990

Hatters earn crucial 1-0 success at Pride Park

Luton boss Matt Bloomfield was incredibly pleased that his side were able to pick up a huge three points in their battle to stay up by beating Derby County 1-0 at Pride Park this afternoon.

The Hatters went into the game on the back of a hugely disappointing 1-0 loss at Blackburn Rovers just under a week ago, but despite many outside feeling that Town’s hopes of staying in the Championship had gone with such a result, that wasn’t apparent amongst the 11 who took the field to face the Rams, as they produced a first half performance that was full of discipline and control, leading through Milli Alli’s second goal in three outings after just 10 minutes.

It was then all hands to the pump after the break, as County pumped the ball into the visitors’ box at every single opportunity, but Luton led superbly by centre half Mark McGuinness, were able to hold on for a clean sheet and with it, a massive three points. The Hatters’ first win at Derby since 1990, some 35 years ago, saw them go level with their opponents with just three games remaining of the season, as Bloomfield said afterwards: “I thought first half for an away performance we were excellent.

"We handled the ball incredibly well, we had a goal threat, the only disappointment was we didn’t come in two or three-nil up and kill the game off. At one-nil it was always going to be a tough second half, with the Derby supporters right behind their team and making the noise that they do here. We knew there were going to be some tough moments second half and it turned out that way.

"But to put on that kind of defensive display, I’m so proud of our lads right now. We took a real punch on the nose last Saturday against Blackburn, but I didn't want it to ruin our momentum that we’d been building. I didn’t want one day to disappoint or ruin it, but to show that kind of fighting spirit to come out of the blocks and put on that first half display, I’m so proud of our boys.”