Derby County vs Luton Town FC (2nd Apr 2021)

Match Report | Derby County 2-0 Luton Town

The Hatters fall to defeat against Derby on Good Friday...

The Hatters fell to a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Derby County on a sunny Easter Friday at Pride Park.

The Rams took an early lead through Lee Gregory before Graeme Shinnie’s penalty early on in the second half put the Hatters out of reach as they were unable to mount an unlikely comeback.

Manager Nathan Jones named an unchanged team for the third consecutive game, with Glen Rea dropping into the middle of a back three.

After an even opening five minutes, Derby took an early lead through Gregory. Louie Sibley delivered towards Martyn Waghorn at the back post, whose first time touch across the six-yard box found the onrushing Gregory, who finished from close range.

Following a disappointing start the Hatters created their first opportunity of the afternoon. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall found Jordan Clark down the left, delivering a floated cross towards Elijah Adebayo, who was able to out-jump Matt Clarke at the far post but couldn’t direct his header towards goal.

After struggling to gain a foothold in the early stages of the game, the Hatters should have drawn level midway through the first half. Town broke from inside their own box with Cornick and Dewsbury-Hall driving forwards at pace, the latter releasing Adebayo but his first-time shot was saved brilliantly by Derby stopper David Marshall with his foot.

Luton began to gain control of proceeding at a sunny Pride Park and Jordan Clark’s crosses from the left continued to cause problems, this time delivering right footed to find Glen Rea at the near post who flicked on, but his effort was turned behind for a corner by Marshall.

The Hatters went into the half-time break in the ascendancy but without anything to show for it on the scoreboard after enjoying an extended spell of pressure in the latter stages of the opening period.

Luton’s plans for a second-half fightback were thrown into disarray three minutes in, however, after Glen Rea conceded a penalty that Graeme Shinnie converted to double the Rams’ lead, leaving the Hatters with it all to do if they were to salvage anything from the game.

Town manager Jones reacted by switching back to a diamond and introducing former Derby man Tom Ince in an attempt to add some creativity to the Luton ranks, whilst also freshening up the front two by turning to Sam Nombe and James Collins with 20 minutes remaining.

The Hatters continued to probe and press in search of goal that would give them a fighting chance to pick up some points, but weren’t able to test ‘keeper Marshall as Derby held firm and denied the visitors any shots on goal.

In a second half where the Hatters failed to register a shot on target, Matty Pearson came closest with a header from inside the box but he was unable to head it down towards goal as the Town struggled to create any clear-cut chances.

Luton will be looking to bounce back on Easter Monday at Kenilworth Road as they face in form play-off hopefuls Barnsley.

Town: Sluga, Clark, Pearson, Naismith, Bree, Rea (Ince 57), Mpanzu, Dewsbury-Hall (Berry 82), Tunnicliffe, Adebayo (Collins 70), Cornick (Nombe 70)

Yellows: Pearson, Dewsbury-Hall

Subs not used: Shea, Cranie, Moncur, LuaLua, Morrell

Derby: Marshall, Wisdom, Forsyth, Shinnie, Bird, Waghorn (Kazim-Richards 45+1), Lawrence (Buchanan 84), Byrne, Clarke, Sibley (Knight 62), Gregory (Jozwiak 62)

Goals: Gregory (7), Shinnie (49 Pen)

Yellows: Wisdom, Byrne, Sibley, Kazim-Richards

Subs not used: Roberts, Mengi, Roos, Baningime, Watson

Nathan Jones' reaction following defeat at Derby County

The gaffer's take on loss against Derby this afternoon...

Manager Nathan Jones was disappointed his side weren’t able to continue their form prior to the international break following defeat against Derby County this afternoon.

The Rams scored early in each period and whilst the Hatters had chances themselves, it was the home side who claimed all three points at Pride Park.

“We are not a team that can chase a game at two-nil, and we don’t usually have to do that," said Jones.

"We started both halves really poorly I felt. Credit to Derby, they started fast but we allowed them to come onto us a little bit and we conceded. If we had seen that period out, then for the next half-an-hour I thought we were excellent and created enough chances to have got on the scoresheet.

“We wanted to start well after the first goal but it was the polar opposite, we didn’t. From our corner they break, we had numbers back, but we didn’t defend it well enough and suddenly it is two-nil."

Elijah Adebayo had a handful of opportunities fall his way but was unable to make them count, though Jones is well-aware he is still learning as a Championship footballer.

“He had three or four (chances) but he is a threat," said the manager. "He has to score the counter-attacking goal in front of the keeper, you have to score that. But he was a real threat.

"He attacked the ball well and he gives us a different dimension, so we are not going to berate him too much because it is a massive learning curve, but he should have more goals than he has already.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqOWxjpxSuY – Nathan Jones post match

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJpi6EreuvQ – match highlights

Hatters fall to disappointing defeat at Derby

Championship: Derby County 2 Luton Town 0

Luton made a disappointing return to action following the international break as they were beaten 2-0 by Derby County this afternoon.

The result was made even more frustrating for Nathan Jones' side as after conceding early on, they had spells during the first half where they were the better side against a struggling Rams outfit, who were there for the taking on the back of a seven game winless, but yet again failed to take some presentable chances.

Then, with moments gone in the second period, Town gave away a sloppy penalty which Graeme Shinnie converted to make the majority of the rest of the match a disappointing formality, the visitors, who have struggled for goals on the road this term, never seriously threatening a leveller.

Luton retained an unchanged side for the clash at Pride Park, following their 1-0 win at Preston last time out, but dropped Glen Rea into the centre of a back three, Hatters never looking fully comfortable in the formation.

Derby, who needed the points for their own survival bid, sniffed an early advantage, Louie Sibley's cross-shot turned over by Simon Sluga, the Croatian then gathering the midfielder's measured volley when the resulting corner dropped to him on the edge of the box.

County made their bright start pay on seven minutes with a poor goal from Luton's perspective, Sibley's cross reaching Martyn Waghorn at the back post who turned the ball back for Lee Gregory to bundle over the line from close range.

Luton threatened a leveller on 11 minutes, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall setting Jordan Clark away on the left, his cross met by Elijah Adebayo's downward header that flew disappointingly wide.

The hosts continued to look the more dangerous when they got wide and sent crosses into the area, particularly through Sibley, as Tom Lawrence should have done better at the far post, Kal Naismith covering round to clear, while Waghorn's ambitious volley was well wide.

Town should have levelled on 25 minutes though, as a fine break by the Hatters saw Cornick speed away and touch a pass through to Dewsbury-Hall.

He advanced into the area and rolled a pinpoint cross for Adebayo, the striker just needing to lift his effort over the diving David Marshall, but as a number of Luton players have done this term, went low, the Scottish international stopper saving with his legs.

Sluga was immediately called upon to repel Sibley's attempt once the attacker had been found by Waghorn, but just after the half hour, Luton went close again.

This time, Clark whipped a ball in, Glen Rea twisting to flick a header that Marshall saved impressively, diving full stretch to turn behind for a corner.

From Dewsbury-Hall's set-piece, Adebayo rose highest, frustratingly nodding wide of the target, as Luton, now with Rea in the holding role, began to look far more comfortable, winning a corner that Clark sliced over.

After the break, Derby then punctured Luton's chances of a comeback, as with just three minutes gone, Rea felled Lawrence inside the area for a penalty that Shinnie easily converted to give the Hatters an even tougher mountain to climb.

It was the worst possible start as with Town struggling to score on the road from 1-0 down this season, managing to do so just once in 10 attempts, 2-0 immediately looked beyond them.

Lawrence continued his impressive start to the second period, beating two men to burst into the box, his low shot turned behind by Clark, who did brilliantly not to put it into his own net.

Sluga did well to block Nathan Byrne's attempts to beat him at his near post following the full back easily tricking his way past Clark.

Boss Nathan Jones brought on former Rams attacker Tom Ince for Rea as he looked to try and find a way back into the game, with James Collins and Sam Nombe soon replacing Adebayo and Cornick.

Chances were few and far between in the final half hour though, Pearson heading Dewsbury-Hall's deep set-piece over the bar, as close as the visitors came to anything resembling a consolation.

Mpanzu hooked Matthew Clarke's toepoke off the line, while in stoppage time, Naismith whacked ambitiously over, which summed up the Town's efforts at scoring as they drew their 11th blank away from Kenilworth Road this term.

There was still time for Pearson to make a brave block on Jason Knight's close range blast as Town now have a quick turnaround before entertaining Barnsley on Easter Monday.

Rams: David Marshall ©, Andre Wisdom, Craig Forsyth, Graeme Shinnie, Max Bird, Martyn Waghorn (Colin Kazim-Richards 45), Tom Lawrence (Lee Buchanan 84), Nathan Byrne, Matthew Clarke, Louie Sibley (Jason Knight 62), Lee Gregory (Kamil Jozwiak 62).

Subs not used: Kelle Roos, Teden Mengi, Patrick Roberts, Beni Baningime, Louie Watson.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, James Bree, Matty Pearson, Glen Rea (Tom Ince 58), Kal Naismith, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Luke Berry 82), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Jordan Clark, Harry Cornick (Sam Nombe 70), Elijah Adebayo (James Collins 70).

Subs not used: James Shea, Joe Morrell, George Moncur, Kazenga LuaLua, Martin Cranie.

Booked: Wisdom 46, Sibley 51, Byrne 66, Dewsbury-Hall 66, Pearson 81, Kazim-Richards 90.

Referee: Andy Woolmer.

Jones annoyed by Luton's starts to both halves during Rams loss

Hatters chief bitterly disappointed by timing of second goal

Luton boss Nathan Jones criticised the manner in which his side started both halves as they fell to a 2-0 defeat at Derby County this afternoon.

The visitors trailed on seven minutes to Lee Gregory’s close range strike, before having the better of proceedings leading up to the interval.

Despite finishing on the front foot and looking the more likely to score, Town then conceded a penalty just two minutes into the second period, Glen Rea clumsily tripping Tom Lawrence, as Graeme Shinnie converted from the spot.

Although Luton huffed and puffed for the final 40 minutes, they never really threatened Scottish international keeper David Marshall, drawing an 11th blank on the road this season, as Jones said: “You can’t chase a game, we’re not a team that can chase a game at 2-0.

“We don’t usually have to do that, but we started both halves really, really poorly I felt.

“Credit to Derby they started the first half really fast, but I felt we allowed them to come on to us a little bit and we conceded.

“If we just saw that period out we were, for half an hour of the first half, really good.

“We created enough chances to have got on the scoresheet, then we wanted to start well and go after the first goal, but it was the polar opposite.

“We didn’t, and from our corner they break, we had numbers back there, don’t defend it well enough, and suddenly it’s 2-0 and it’s game over.”

The timing of the second goal was of particular annoyance to the Hatters chief, as he continued: “It’s sloppy defending, dangle your leg, lazy defending, we can’t do that.

“Normally we’re very good defensively and we’ve shown that we can defend and graft and do that, but that was the killer goal.

“The first one is a real bad goal to give away, but we've still got 80 minutes to get the game back and we were really good first half once we got to grips with it.

“We created enough chances to have gone in at least level, so to come out and concede within two minutes is sacrilege really and that’s cost us.”

Luton weren't without their own opportunities in the first period, with Eljah Adebayo sending a downward header wide, before he missed a golden chance when played clean through by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s pinpoint pass, shooting straight at the legs of Marshall.

Jones said: “He has to score the counter attacking goal, in front of the keeper, you have to score that.

“The others, he’s a real threat, he can attack the ball well and gives us a different dimension, so we’re not going to berate him too much for that as it’s a massive learning curve.

“He should have more goals than he’s got already, but he’s started well, so we’re disappointed today, not as much with the overall performance but just how we started both halves.”

Aft the full time whistle, Derby attacker Colin Kazim-Richards was involved in a spat with midfielder Ryan Tunnicliffe, before also clashing with Town substitute James Shea before being booked by referee Andy Woolmer.

When asked for his view, Jones added: “He’d had a few arguments during the game and then I was just trying to get my players away as he wanted to fight the world then.

"It was silly nonsense really, I just wanted to make sure that none of my players got involved in anything, otherwise I could lose them for Monday.”