Hull City vs Luton Town FC (18th Jul 2020)

MATCH REPORT | HULL CITY 0-1 LUTON TOWN

LuaLua's late strike gives the Hatters a vital three points in the hunt for safety...

Kazenga LuaLua’s late winner gave Luton a deserved win at the KCOM Stadium, leaving the Hatters with every chance of staying in the Championship going into the final game of the season.

Luton incurred an early set-back as Dan Potts limped off during the warmup, and was replaced by the experienced Martin Cranie, with Jacob Butterfield taking his place on the bench.

Hull controlled the opening exchanges and forced Simon Sluga into an early save after George Honeyman’s in-swinging free-kick was tipped over the bar.

Luton rode the early storm and took control of the game without creating any clear-cut opportunities, keeping possession and trying to work an opening, with Hull’s long throws from the left keeping the Hatters on their toes.

Before the drinks break, Town had their first effort on goal through Luke Berry, making his fourth consecutive start. Harry Cornick cut inside from the right and found Berry in space at the edge of the box, but his curling effort was saved comfortably by Hull stopper Matt Ingram.

Hull continued to utilise their left flank, as skipper Elder’s delivery found Tom Eaves at the back-post, but his header drifted over the bar.

The Hatters created their best opportunity of the half with five minutes remaining. James Bree found space down the right after a one-two with James Collins, but Cornick was unable to get a first-time shot away from his whipped cross.

Luton upped the ante in the opening exchanges of the second-half, with Lee and Berry linking up well down the left, whilst Hull failed to clear a corner but the Hatters were unable to get a shot away.

Lee’s long-range free-kick just sailed over the ball, whilst good work from Collins found Pelly Ruddock-Mpanzu in the centre of the box, but his effort deflected over the bar as Luton continued to look dangerous.

Bree’s deliveries from the right were causing problems for Hull as the Hatters piled on the pressure. Luton broke down the right through Mpanzu, and Bree’s dangerous cross just evaded the onrushing Collins.

Luton had another opportunity before the drinks break, as Hull failed to clear a corner, Berry volleyed towards goal but Glen Rea’s flick-on skimmed the bar.

Nathan Jones introduced Danny Hylton and Kazenga LuaLua after the drinks break, and it almost had the desired effect as Mpanzu cut in from the left after good work from Hylton, but his effort from inside the box curled just wide of the far-post.

With ten minutes remaining Luton were carving out goalscoring opportunities with ease, with Hylton coming so close to giving Luton the lead. A touch from Mpanzu released Hylton in behind down the right, but his effort across goal fell agonisingly wide of the far-post.

Substitute George Moncur, on for Elliot Lee, raced through on goal, cut in onto his left foot but his effort went straight into the hands of Ingram.

With five minutes to play, substitute LuaLua gave Luton a deserved lead after a dominant second-half performance from the Hatters. Receiving outside the Hull penalty box, the winger cut in on his weaker left foot and fired into the bottom left corner, sparking wild scenes in living rooms across Bedfordshire.

Luton saw out the remaining six minutes plus five in stoppage time, sealing a crucial win that takes the fight to stay up to the final game of the season at home to Blackburn.

TOWN: Sluga, Bree, Carter-Vickers, Bradley, Cranie (Kioso 96), Rea, Berry, Mpanzu, Lee (Moncur 78), Cornick (LuaLua 69), Collins (Hylton 69)

Subs not used: Shea, Butterfield, Tunnicliffe, McManaman, Shinnie,

Yellows: Collins, Rea

Goals: LuaLua 85

HULL CITY: Ingram, Tafazolli, Macdonald, Elder, Da Silva, Stewart, Batty (Lewis-Potter 88), Honeyman, Eaves (Scott 76), Magennis, Wilks

Subs not used: Long, De Wijs, Burke, Toral, Bonds, Samuelsen, Jones

Yellows: Da Silva

Referee: Robert Jones

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr4-elhTKDc – Nathan Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI6YDWwqY7o – Match highlights

NATHAN JONES' REACTION TO HULL VICTORY

The gaffer's verdict on today's superb victory against Hull City...

Manager Nathan Jones claimed he was 'so proud' of his players after earning a vital three points in a 1-0 victory against Hull City this afternoon.

Substitute Kazenga LuaLua's 85th minute strike was the only goal in the game as Town moved level on points with Charlton and up to 22nd position in the table.

Speaking to BBC Three Counties Radio, Jones was full of pride and didn't hold back with praise for his players.

"You start to think like that but you know you have faith in this group because we have a lot of talent, attacking talent at the end and we were pressing for that winner. Very difficult game, a bit scrapy, no real fluency in it first half, a lot to do with how they play.

"They have played differently to that leading into the game but after the midweek result, we knew something would change. They were very direct, big physical side and we had to match that. We had to win the first ball, get on the second and then dictate the tempo ourselves which is not usually the case being the away team.

"I thought we were solid first half and then second half I thought we were excellent. We upped the tempo, we had probably three or four really good chances to have extended it or won it a bit earlier but look, we will take that all day because any win today would have been magnificent.

"One-nil, away from home, having played the way that we have and having shown the bravery and the composure to come through a real onslaught, I’m so proud of them."

LuaLua the hero as Hatters win crucial relegation six-pointer at Hull

Championship: Hull City 0 Luton Town 1

A brilliant and absolutely crucial late goal from substitute Kazenga LuaLua saw Luton put Championship safety firmly in their own hands with a truly vital, vital win at fellow relegation rivals Hull City this afternoon.

With five minutes to go, it had looked like the Hatters, who had completely dominated the second period, were going to leave frustrated after creating and missing a number of very presentable chances.

But they finally took one, deservedly so, LuaLua off the bench to fire low past keeper Matt Ingram from 22 yards, sparking scenes of wild celebration in the visiting dug-out.

The Hatters then easily saw out the final five, plus stoppage time, due to some baffling tactics from the equally under-pressure Tigers, who barely threw a punch in anger during that second 45 minutes, not having a shot on target in the entire match.

Town's win them climb out of the bottom three, which will become apparent once Wigan Athletic have their 12 points deducted for entering administration, and now means a victory on Wednesday night against Blackburn Rovers will secure second tier football for another term, while even a draw, although tough on the ticker, might be enough.

Boss Nathan Jones had hoped to make one change for the do-or-die encounter, with the fit-again Glen Rea coming back into the side in place of Andrew Shinine who dropped to the bench.

He was due to be joined by Martin Cranie, but a pre-match injury to Dan Potts saw the defender thrown into the starting line-up, Jacob Butterfield slotting in among the replacements.

City made six alterations after being thumped 8-0 at Wigan on Saturday, and with the Latics conceding a stoppage time equaliser at Charlton before Town kicked off, the visitors knew a win would move them out of revised bottom three at 5pm.

It was the same for the Tigers though, who went into the game on a dreadful run of form, just one win in 18, dropping from play-off hopefuls to possible relegation certainties.

They looked eager to put Tuesday's humiliation behind them early on, with Geoge Honeymnan's dipping free kick needing tipping over by Simon Sluga, Luton's keeper then repelling the Tigers midfielder's dangerous cross that bounced just in front of him.

Kevin Stewart had a pop from 22 yards, Sluga not called into action this time, while Luton finally had an effort of note on 23 minutes, Harry Cornick allowed to turn inside from a throw-in, teeing up Luke Berry whose sidefooted attempt was easy for Matt Ingram.

A poor ending to the stop-start first half did little to suggest that either side were going to to cut the gap significantly to those above them, an unmarked Tom Eaves putting his header from Callum Elder's deep cross off target.

Town finally had a modicum of pressure just before the break, James Bree combining well with James Collins to send over a cross that Cornick just couldn't reach, before Cornick's ball in was cleared up in the air for Berry's header to drop wide.

Knowing that a draw wouldn't do anything for their chances of staying up, Town looked to start the second period with more intent, forcing some early corners.

They were lucky to keep 11 men on the field on 55 minutes though, Collins winning a free kick after being challenged by Angus MacDonald but then reacted to alleged stamp, charging his opponent over, only seeing yellow from official Robert Jones, when others would shown red.

Jones then incurred the wrath of the Luton bench, whistling for a foul on Elliot Lee when Town had men over in attack, the Hatters attacker getting up to curl the set-piece narrowly over from 25 yards.

Town continued to look the more likely, Collins finding Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, who fired into the empty stands via a deflection, while another glorious cross from Bree saw Collins just fail to connect with the diving header.

Still Luton pressed, as a Bree corner was met by Sonny Bradley, with Berry acrobatically shooting goalwards and Rea meeting the ball in front of Ingram only to nod over.

Jones freshened it up earlier than he had done against QPR on Tuesday night, throwing Danny Hylton and LuaLua on for Collins and Cornick, giving the pair far more time for a meaningful impact, Mpanzu inches away from the opening on 70 minutes, curling just past the post.

George Moncur swiftly arrived on the scene as Berry tried his luck from distance, Ingram batting away his fierce drive, Hylton also dragging wide on his right foot.

With six minutes left, Town created their best chance, LuaLua showing superb body strength to hold play up and then spring fellow sub Moncur clear, but with men over, he cold only tamely find the gloves of Ingram.

Before Hull, who never once showed any real intent to find a winner, despite a draw no good to them either, Ingram in particular display taking an age on his goal kicks, could thank their lucky stars, Town have the decisive moment with five left.

LuaLua cut inside and from 25 yards out, unleashed a low effort that went beyond the despairing dive of Ingram and into the net, before cartwheeling and backflipping his way over to a jubilant bench.

To their credit, Luton didn't ever sit on their lead, due to the baffling tactics from their hosts, LuaLua doing superbly to twinkle his way through on the byline, finding Moncur, whose shot was charged down.

Still the Hatters went for a second, Hylton, who led the line brilliantly in the closing stages, crashing wide, as Hull had just the one moment of brief alarm, Sluga off his line quickly to gather.

In stoppage time, Peter Kioso came on for his Hatters debut, Cranie suffering a blow to the head, but he was barely called upon, such was the ease at which Town stood firm for a magnificent victory.

Tigers: Matt Ingram, Ryan Tafazolli, Kevin Stewart, Daniel Batty (Keane Lewis-Potter 88), Tom Eaves (James Scott 77), Angus MacDonald, George Honeyman, Callum Elder ©, Josh Magennis, Leonard Da Silva Lopes, Mallik Wilks.

Subs not used: George Long, Jordy de Wijs, Reece Burke, Jon Toral, Elliot Bonds, Martin Samuelsen Callum Jones.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, James Bree, Martin Cranie (Peter Kioso 90), Sonny Bradley (C), Cameron Carter-Vickers, Glen Rea, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Luke Berry, Elliot Lee (George Moncur 78), Harry Cornick (Kazenga LuaLua 70), James Collins (Danny Hylton 70).

Subs not used: James Shea, Jacob Butterfield, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Callum McManaman, Andrew Shinnie.

Booked: Collins 55, Lopes 60, Rea 73.

Referee: Robert Jones.

Jones: LuaLua's winner at the KCOM Stadium was a utopia moment

Hatters chief thrilled with his side for the manner of their second half performance

Luton boss Nathan Jones labelled Kazenga LuaLua's late winner for the Hatters in their Championship six-pointer at Hull City this afternoon as 'utopia' moment.

The visitors looked like they were going to see their hopes of a crucial three points dashed despite dominating the entire second period at the KCOM Stadium, missing a number of chances.

However, LuaLua, who had only been on for 15 minutes, took off the right hand side and cut in on his left, before firing low into the net from 25 yards with five to go, putting Town's survival hopes in their own hands when they host Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday night.

An elated Jones said: "I thought we were outstanding.

"To come away here, and with the importance of the game, because it’s trapdoor time, I thought they were outstanding.

“They (Hull) went a different way. They were very, very direct. It was the remnants of the League One game, really, but we knew that.

Tery little chances, second half I thought we took control of the game, thought we were excellent, once we made the changes, I was a little bit disappointed that we didn't score more.

"We picked a side to combat that. I thought Glen Rea was immense as a defensive midfield player and we combated everything they threw at us.

“It was a cagey first half with very little chances but in the second half I thought we took control of the game.

"We were excellent. Once we made the changes, I was a little bit disappointed that we didn’t score more.

“They picked a side with (Josh) Magennis playing wide left, (Tom) Eaves playing up top, with (Ryan) Tafazolli, its Land of the Giants, and it reminded us of our League Two and League One days, where you've got to be the one on top to control the game.

"I didn't think we did that well enough at times, but second half I thought we were excellent, I thought we took the game to them and when they did come out of the gates, we had that counter attacking threat as well.

"Considering the importance of the game as well, I thought technically we were excellent, our game management was superb as well and then a game changer coming on and winning the game for us is utopia."

Despite the enormity of the game, Luton were the ones who looked at ease with the pressure during the second period, which was pretty much 45 minutes of dominance from the visiting side against a Hull team who barely offered anything.

Jones was quick to praise his side for the manner in which they approached the magnitude of the task, continuing: "We’ve been used to pressure games because we’ve been at the top of the league for three years.

"Obviously, this year it’s slightly different but we’ve been in wonderful positions.

“To control it in the second half, like that, shows that we are a Championship side and I was very proud of them today.

“It was a tight game, but in the second half George Moncur had a few chances, Elliot Lee, Danny Hylton had a couple, Kazenga on the break.

"So at the end it keeps it really tight and interesting but I thought we controlled the game and really did combat anything they threw at us."