Hull City vs Luton Town FC (19th Mar 2022)

Report | Hull City 1-3 Luton Town

The Hatters cemented their place in the Sky Bet Championship play-off positions, moving up to third in the table as they head into the international break with another stunning win at Hull City.

Elijah Adebayo's 15th goal of the season set the Town on their way, before Harry Cornick rolled in his 11th and James Bree his first of the campaign, an absolute belter of a free-kick, to seal the points in the second half.

Manager Nathan Jones made one change to the side that beat Preston 4-0 in midweek, although Fred Onyedinma did come on in the early stages of that game following Reece Burke's injury, and he was selected to start in the right wing-back position.

Defender Tom Lockyer was named on the bench, as too was Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, who was forced off with a knock against Queens Park Rangers last Sunday.

Cameron Jerome was also an option as a substitute for Jones as the Hatters looked to head into the international break with a positive result at the MKM Stadium.

The Hatters' first chance arrived on six minute when Adebayo set strike partner Cornick free down the left, and he out-paced Sean McLoughlin and got his shot off from a tight angle, but Hull keeper Matt Ingram saved.

Moments later Dan Potts got down the same flank and crossed for Onyedinma, whose header was deflected behind for a corner, but the breakthrough wasn't long in coming.

The Tigers attempted to play the ball down their right from the full-back position, Amari'i Bell intercepted and the ball found its way to Adebayo who turned and drove towards the Hull area, eventually shooting from virtually the same spot as Cornick, only this time Ingram's foot could only deflect it inside the far post.

Hull tried to respond with a 25-yard free-kick that Keane Lewis-Potter hit over the bar, but it was Town who were dominating proceedings, and Luke Berry was next to have a go, teed up by Jordan Clark, but Ingram dived to his right to push the midfielder's shot around the post.

James Shea had to get his body behind Ryan Longman's fiercely-struck daisy cutter on 27 minutes, but the Hatters were soon pressing at the other end again, Potts carrying the ball out from the back and feeding Adebayo, who in turn set up Berry for another long-range shot that flew just over Ingram's bar.

Tom Eaves span and hit a half-volley that was too high with three minutes to go until half-time, but Kioso had handled the target man well to ensure the Hatters went in at the break with the advantage.

Hull came as close as they had to levelling three minutes after the restart when Alfie Jones met George Honeyman's free-kick with a flicked header, but the ball drifted safely wide of Shea's far post.

Lewis-Potter stung Shea's palms after cutting in from the left touchline on 51 minutes, then Jones made a double substitution, with injury forcing Kioso to be replaced by Lockyer, and Berry by Mpanzu.

Eaves couldn't generate any power behind a left-footed stab volley from captain Richard Smallwood's cross, and by the 56th minute the Hatters had doubled their lead.

Adebayo was the creator this time, pressing McLoughlin after the City centre-half dwelt on the ball when receiving it 30 yards from his goal from Ingram. The Town top scorer nicked possession, then had the presence of mind as Ingram came out to slip it to his left, where Cornick took a touch and steered it into an empty net.

Honeyman volleyed at the Town goal just after the hour, but it was comfortable for Shea to deal with and attention was soon switched to the other end.

Clark, once again magnificent in the Town midfield, drove at the City defence only to have his progress halted by a cynical trip by sub Tom Huddlestone. Bree stepped up to bend an absolute beauty, Beckham-esque, that bounced down off the underside of the Hull bar and over the line, with Ingram rooted to the spot.

Eaves reduced the deficit to two goals in added time at the end of the match but it wouldn't effect Luton's charge towards another big three points!

Goals:

Hull: Eaves (90+2)

Luton: Adebayo (9), Cornick (56), Bree (72)

Nathan Jones' reaction to Hull victory!

Nathan Jones said his side is the ‘best he has ever worked with’ after beating last season’s points tally with eight games remaining with a 3-1 victory against Hull City.

Moving up to third place in the process, Jones was rightly full of praise for his players and admitted: “From what we’ve been going through in terms of injuries, putting teams out, the schedule, to put in the shifts we have been doing, the pride I have is quite phenomenal.

"I could be excited but this is best group I’ve ever seen," the manager continued. "I’ve been in the game 32 years and this is the best group I have ever worked with. I’m so proud of them, it’s not the most talented but it’s definitely the tightest, hard-working, humble, all the good words you want to use about human beings and players, these have it better than everyone.

“They are a tricky side to play against because of how they play and they have one of the outstanding individuals in the league in terms of Lewis-Potter who is a fantastic player. When Tom Eaves plays and you have five of your first-choice centre-backs out, you know it’s going to be hard but the word rate, the press, we should have had more as well.

“First half Harry had a great chance but the work rate and desire they have to go and win a game, keep working, they don’t come off it. They are an absolute joy to watch, to work with and to watch back after you’ve analysed the game. They deserve everything they are getting.”

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b6G70AhWxU – James Bree interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6FxU5r5nwY - Dan Potts interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n4ldQcVzCs – match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kReSfI9qsig – reverse angle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HVuAQWEyTs – James Bree goal all angles

Hatters up to third in the Championship after excellent victory at Hull

Championship: Hull City 1 Luton Town 3

Luton enjoyed the perfect send off ahead of the international break as they climbed up to third place in the Championship with a convincing triumph at Hull City this afternoon.

The last visit to Humberside back in July 2020 was a fraught affair until Kazenga LuaLua fired home from 20 yards in a must-win clash as Town went on to avoid relegation, as although this match lacked the late drama from that day, the three points were equally as important, but in Luton's quest for Premier League football this time.

Boss Nathan Jones made one change to the side who beat Preston North End on Wednesday night, Reece Burke missing out due this hamstring injury, with Fred Onyedinma in as right wingback, a role he excelled in during the midweek triumph.

There were some further reinforcements on the bench though, with Tom Lockyer, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and Cameron Jerome all fit enough to return.

Town made a bright start to proceedings, going close twice inside the opening six minutes.

Firstly, Harry Cornick set off on the left and just carried on running, leaving his man for dead, getting into the box and going for goal, his angled side-footer drawing a save from Matt Ingram.

Then another decent move saw Luke Berry find the overlapping Dan Potts who hung a cross up that Onyedinma headed over via a deflection.

Luton made the most of their bright and energetic opening on nine minutes, as a fortunate rebound found Adebayo, who, like Cornick, drove into the area, but this time got the outcome he was after, although with the aid of a slight touch off a defender to beat Ingram.

Hull tried to pull level on 12 minutes, Keane Lewis-Potter's free kick flying over the bar, as Luke Berry faired far better when trying his luck from range, forcing Ingram into a fine low save to his right.

Midway through the half and James Shea had to keep his wits about him when Ryan Longman had a pop from range, which on a treacherous surface for keepers, did well to get his body behind and then grab the loose ball.

Berry continued his efforts to score a goal of the season contender, teed up by Adebayo, he unleashed a rising drive from 25 yards, which flew inches past the top corner.

Tom Eaves, who has caused Town plenty of problems in the past, went closest to an equaliser just before the break, spinning and shooting over the bar.

Hull looked like they would be level just two minutes into the second period, as a dangerous free kick was swung in by George Honeyman, Alfie Jones getting there before Shea, only to see his header drop wide of the goal.

Lewis-Potter went to show the kind of attacking intent that saw him called up by the England U21s in the week, facing up Bree and unleashing a powerful attempt that Shea batted away.

Visiting boss Jones had to replace Berry and Peter Kioso with Mpanzu and Lockyer, as a good spell of pressure for the hosts followed, Mpanzu getting back in time to crowd out Lewis-Potter once more, with Eaves placing his volley narrowly wide.

Needing to weather the spell by City, the Hatters did that, and more, as Hull's mystifying insistence on playing the ball out from the back to try and beat their press, that had almost cost them in the first period, finally did on 56 minutes.

This time Luton got it spot on, Adebayo nipping in to win the ball back from Sean McLoughlin to go clean through on Ingram, unselfishly finding Cornick to his left, the Town forward taking a touch and tapping into the empty net.

Hull looked to respond on 62 minutes, Honeyman's speculative volley caught underneath his own bar by the back-pedalling Shea, who was also out well to fingertip an inviting free kick behind.

Cornick was almost sent away by Bree, but Ingram, way out of his goal, was able to intervene.

With the hosts bringing on former England international Tom Huddlestone, the ex-Spurs midfielder was involved in the next goal, but not as he would have wanted, tripping Jordan Clark 20 yards out.

The Luton fans began chanting for ex-Hatter George Moncur, now at Hull, to take it, but anything he could do, Bree could do just as well, if not better in fact, as he pinged his effort into the net, via the underside of the bar, for a quite brilliant finish.

With the Tigers tails down and Town hungry for more to boost their goal difference even more in the battle for the play-offs, Bell had an effort blocked behind for a corner.

Looking for a consolation, skipper Dan Potts threw himself in the way of substitute Allahyar's close range blast, as Town appeared certain to add yet another clean sheet to the 16 already secured.

However, that wasn't possible, Marcuss Forss's low cross diverted into the net by the stretching Eaves, but it mattered little as Luton took another massive step towards the dream of playing top flight football next season.

Tigers: Matt Ingram, Callum Elder, Jacob Greaves, Alfie Jones, Richard Smallwood © (Allahyar 66), Greg Docherty (Tom Huddlestone 66), Tom Eaves, George Honeyman, Keane Lewis-Potter, Ryan Longman (Marcus Forss 75), Sean McLoughlin.

Subs not used: Nathan Baxter, Di'Shon Bernard, Regan Slater, Liam Walsh.

Hatters: James Shea, Fred Onyedinam, Amari'i Bell, James Bree, Peter Kioso (Tom Lockyer 52), Dan Potts ©, Luke Berry (Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu 52), Allan Campbell, Jordan Clark, Harry Cornick (Cameron Jerome 75), Elijah Adebayo.

Subs not used: Harry Isted, Henri Lansbury, Danny Hylton, Carlos Mendes Gomes, Cameron Jerome.

Booked: Clark 11, Kioso 24, Huddlestone, Longman.

Referee: Tony Harrington.

Attendance: 16,534. (Hull announced it as 16,555)

Jones hails Luton squad as the 'best group I've ever worked with' following Tigers triumph

Town manager reacts to his side climbing to third in the table

Luton chief Nathan Jones labelled his squad at Kenilworth Road as the ‘best group I’ve ever seen’ as Town moved up to third in the Championship following a 3-1 win at Hull City this afternoon.

Elijah Adebayo set the visitors on the way with the aid of a slight deflection early on, before Harry Cornick tapped home in the second half, with James Bree's magnificent free kick putting the icing on the cake late in the game.

Although Tom Eaves grabbed a late consolation, it means that with eight matches to go, the Hatters find themselves sitting third in the table, having leapfrogged Sheffield United, QPR (who play tomorrow) and Blackburn Rovers.

Speaking after what was an 18th fixture in 64 days, Town racking up 12 wins in that time, Jones said: “From what we’ve been going through in terms of injuries and makeshift, putting teams out and the schedule and everything, to put in the performances we’re doing, the pride I have is quite phenomenal.

"I could be excited, but this is the best group I’ve ever seen.

“I’ve been in the game, 32 years and a half years near enough and this is the best group I’ve ever worked with.

"I'm so proud of them, it’s not the most talented, but it’s definitely the best, tightest, hard-working, humble, all the good words that you want to use about human beings and players, these have it better than anyone else."

The Hatters were once more without Sonny Bradley, Gabe Osho, Kal Naismith, Reece Burke and Robert Snodgrass, with Peter Kioso also going off early in the second half, as Jones added: "They’re (Hull) a tricky side to play against because of how they play and they have probably one of the most outstanding individuals in the league in terms of (Keane) Lewis-Potter who’s a fantastic player.

"They’re difficult and when Tom Eaves plays, and you’ve got five of your first choice centre halves out, you know it’s going to be tough.

"But the work-rate, the way they went about it, the press, and we should have had more.

"First half, Harry's had a great chance, and the work-rate and the desire to go and win a game and press, keep working hard, they don't come off it.

"They’re just a joy, an absolute joy to watch, to work with, to watch back after you've analysed and they deserve everything they’re getting at the moment."