Luton Town FC vs Brighton & Hove Albion (30th Jan 2024)

Report | Formidable Hatters thrash Seagulls

Town 4 Adebayo 1, 42, 56, Ogbene 3

Brighton 0

There have been many great nights at Kenilworth Road down the years.

But this was a night to rival the very, very best.

It began with Tom Lockyer whipping the crowd up moments before kick-off on his first return since Bournemouth – and it continued for 90 unrelenting, unforgettable minutes the words on this page will fail to properly get close to accurately telling the story of the Hatters’ biggest top-flight win since January 1989.

It was one of those nights which we all didn’t want to end.

The storylines? Too many to mention.

The headline grabber, without doubt, Elijah Adebayo. His wonderful hat-trick was the Town’s first in the Premier League and first since Lars Elstrup’s treble against Norwich in 1990.

Unbelievably, he had his first after just 20 seconds and it was the cue for a remarkable night under the nights – the striker glancing a close-range header home after Carlton Morris had knocked on Chiedozie Ogbene’s right-wing cross.

If those inside the Old Girl thought that was the perfect start, then one minute and 57 seconds later it, somehow, incredibly, got even better when Ogbene seized on Sambi Lokonga’s superb raking forward pass, rounded Jason Steele, the Brighton goalkeeper, and passed into an empty net at the Oak Road end.

Before kick-off the Hatters had failed to scored a goal in the first ten minutes in the Premier League this season. Here, they has two inside 137 seconds. Kenilworth Road was bouncing.

It was beautiful chaos. Brighton, wide-eyed, shell-shocked, had no answer. It wouldn’t be until the 77th minute until Thomas Kaminski saved Danny Welbeck’s shot. The Hatters were that dominant, that strong in defence that, when out of possession, the visitors had no answer. The pressing, the harrying. The Seagulls’ wings had been well and truly clipped.

As half-time approached the Town upped the ante. And they were rewarded with a third and Adebayo’s second when Ross Barkley slipped the striker through, gave Steele the eyes and tucked home. 3-0. There were almost no words.

At half-time new signing Daiki Hashioka was introduced to the Kenilworth Road faithful and the feelgood factor – as the Japanese international took in warm applause from the crowd – continued after the restart. Jordan Clark set-up Ogbene for a shot saved by Steele before Clark then saw a goal ruled out for offside after Morris’ shot was parried away.

Yet the Town would not be denied a fourth goal when Adebayo scored his first Luton hat-trick to bring the house down. Sublime play from Barkley fashioned a chance for Ogbene and from Alfie Doughty’s corner the ball bounced into Adebayo’s path and he made no mistake from close range.

Brighton continued to struggle as the Hatters continued to play with a confidence and a swagger that the crowd lapped up. Ogbene had a shout for a penalty and Morris had a shot parried – but it mattered not: four goals secured three important points to – most importantly – lift the Hatters outside of the relegation zone.

The storylines continued.

Remember the first game of the season?

The talk pre-match was about how far the Hatters had come since that opening day defeat on the south coast in August.

How far have the Hatters come? We make that 5-4 on aggregate.

On we go to Newcastle.

Never too high, never too low, a great man once said.

Enjoy it.

See you Saturday.

Town: Kaminski; Burke, Osho, Bell, Obgene, Doughty; Lokonga (sub Mpanzu 68), Barkley (sub Berry 82); Clark (sub Townsend 68), Adebayo (sub Chong 71), Morris (sub Woodrow 83)

Subs not used: Krul, Potts, Johnson, Nelson.

Rob on Brighton win!

Hatters manager Rob Edwards said his players got their rewards for their continued improved performances with the 4-0 win over Brighton at Kenilworth Road tonight.

"It was really, really good, wasn't it?" smiled Edwards. "The lads were brave, played with real intensity, executed the game plan really well and got their rewards tonight.

"We've been playing really well for quite a long time now, but tonight we were ruthless and didn't give them a sniff, took our chances and it could have been more."

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

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nvew3rPqQg – Elijah Adebayo interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj8c0YF5-l0 – Extended match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaNODaUa9wY – Behind the scenes

Adebayo bags a memorable hat-trick as superb Luton thrash Brighton

Premier League: Luton Town 4 Brighton & Hove Albion 0

Striker Elijah Adebayo scored the Hatters' first hat-trick in the top flight since September 1990 on a quite amazing evening at Kenilworth Road as they blew high-flying Brighton & Hove Albion away, scoring four at this level for the first time just over 34 years.

What was already a fantastic opening to the night saw Town announce Japan international Daiki Hashioka as their new signing ahead of kick-off, before captain Tom Lockyer then made an emotional first return to Kenilworth Road since his cardiac arrest at AFC Bournemouth back in December, going on a lap of applause ahead of kick-off.

Taking that groundswell of good feeling into the game, as having made three changes, Thomas Kaminski, Gabe Osho and Jordan Clark returning for Tim Krul, Teden Mengi and Andros Townsend, the hosts made a quite magnificent to the game, ahead after just 18 seconds, with one of the quickest goals in Premier League history.

It was as simple as they come too, Chiedozie Ogbene swinging in a cross from the right, which saw Carlton Morris nod down and the unmarked Adebayo glance his header into the net, just before he got clattered by keeper Jason Steele. If that wasn't enough, Town went and made it 2-0 with just two minutes on the clock, a goal that visiting keeper Steele won't want to see again, as he came racing out to try and beat Ogbene to Sambi Lokonga's raking pass over the top.

He really shouldn't have bothered as the winger easily got there first and was able to walk the ball into the empty net, set off on a kneeslide, sending a breathless Kenilworth Road into dreamland.

Brighton tried to not let the early deficit get to them, Danny Welbeck just unable to reach a low cross at the back post, a corner routine seeing Pascal Gross over the top from 20 yards, while Welbeck dragged off target having been found by Joao Pedro, booed throughout for his Watford connections. With the Seagulls starting to look ominous, Luton regained the initiative, Reece Burke responding to the crowd's pleas to shoot, winning a corner which Morris could only glance wide.

Midway through the half, some lovely vision from Ross Barkley freed Clark in the area, who cut on to his left, denied by a sharp stop from Steele. Town continued to look the more likely in the closing stages, forcing a whole host of set-pieces, but despite some searching deliveries from Doughty, and Clark have an effort deflect off target, the Seagulls were able to resist conceding a potentially clinching third.

They couldn't for long though, as Luton did go into the interval with a thoroughly deserved 3-0 advantage on 43 minutes, slicing through the away defence with a devastating ruthlessness. Barkley nipped in to win the ball back high, and within a flash had sent Adebayo away who easily sidefooted past the advancing Steele to double his tally for the evening.

Brighton looked a million miles away from the team who put four past the Hatters on the opening day and five past Sheffield United at the weekend, Billy Gilmour's hopeful volley summing up their woeful first half. Rather than sit on their lead, Luton came out with the clear intent to put the game completely beyond their opponents in the early stages of the second period, Ogbene's low attempt easy for Steele.

The Brighton keeper was then picking the ball out of his net on 50 minutes when he parried Morris's shot, only for Clark to turn home the loose ball.An offside flag was belatedly raised, and a VAR check quickly stopped Luton's play-off hero from having a first Premier League goal to add to his scrapbook.

There was no intervention required by the officials at Stockley Park on 56 minutes though when Doughty sent over a corner that flicked off the head of Pedro for Adebayo to nod home from a matter of yards and complete his quite sensational treble. Eager for a clean sheet to round off the perfect night, Thomas Kaminski made sure of that when a strong stop from Welbeck, Tariq Lamptey volleying into the side-netting, before the Belgian made a remarkable save with his head from the ensuing corner.

Luton still sensed a fifth, Barkley picking out Morris this time, his drive was beaten away by Steele, the duo's last action as Town brought on their two Everton heroes, in Luke Berry and Cauley Woodrow. Four minutes were added on by the officials, which have been nerve-jangling affairs during Hatters’ four Premier League wins so far this term, but this time it was anything but, the Hatters able to relax and finally enjoy the added on period.

The night was rounded off by Everton’s goalless draw at Fulham, which meant Town finished the night outside of the relegation zone, a point above the Toffees and now just one behind Nottingham Forest who lost 2-1 at home to Arsenal, also with a game in hand.

Hatters: Thomas Kaminski, Chiedozie Ogbene, Reece Burke, Gabe Osho, Amari'i Bell, Alfie Doughty, Ross Barkley (Luke Berry 82), Sambi Lokonga (Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu 68) Jordan Clark (Andros Towsend 68), Elijah Adebayo (Tahith Chong 71), Carlton Morris (Cauley Woodrow 83). Subs not used: Tim Krul, Dan Potts, Zack Nelson, Joe Johnson.

Seagulls: Jason Steele, Jan Paul van Hecke, Lewis Dunk, Igor, James Milner (Jack Hinshelwood 20), Pascal Groß, Billy Gilmour (Carlos Baleba 61) Pervis Estupiñán (Tariq Lamptey 46), Buonanotte (Evan Ferguson 46), João Pedro (Jakub Moder 71), Danny Welbeck. Subs not used: Bart Verbruggen, Adam Webster, Adam Lallana, Benicio Baker-Boaitey.

Referee: Rob Jones. Booked: Estupinan 12, Lokonga 25, Clark 65, Baleba 73.

Attendance: 10,994 (1,044 Seagulls).

Edwards hails his Hatters for staying on the front foot during sensational Seagulls victory

Town boss reacts to brilliant Hatters win

Luton boss Rob Edwards was thrilled his Hatters side remained on the front foot for the duration of their stunning 4-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion this evening.

After club captain Tom Lockyer made an emotional return to Kenilworth Road, taking in a lap of appreciation before kick-off, Town then started like a train, Elijah Adebayo scoring after just 18 seconds and Chiedozie Ogbene making it 2-0 with two minutes on the clock. They never once took a backwards step for the remainder of the game, Adebayo adding a third before half time, and then completing a truly memorable hat-trick in the second period.

Speaking afterwards, Edwards said: “It was a good night for us wasn't it, starting with Locks going out and seeing the fans, the fans being able to show their love, support and appreciation to him. Then we went and delivered a great performance, so really proud of everyone and a really great night for us.

"Obviously not, you don’t (expect to be 2-0 up so early), you try and start aggressively and on the front foot. We got a great start with goals as well, but I still think when you’re going up against a top team and Brighton are, they’re dangerous, we scored two quick goals so why can’t they? We’ve been punished this year quickly by other top teams, so it was important we kept our foot down and kept trying to do the right things.

“That was what was really impressive about us tonight, we were relentless, we didn’t come off. The gameplan was great, the lads committed to it. There was nothing they did that surprised us, so I thought our plan was really, really good. I thought the performance was just brave all round. So aggressive without the ball because we can’t allow them to get into their rhythm and one-v-ones in those big spaces.

"I thought the defenders tonight were immense against top players. The one-v-one duels were outstanding and allowed us to get a foothold in the game, and allowed us to dominate. There's no other way to go, it's the right way for us to go and we talked about this.

"If we stop, we're going to allow them to grow in confidence and belief, so if it's the right thing to do in the first minute then keep doing it in the 99th minute. That's why we had to freshen things up and get the changes right as well, as the way we play is intense and it’s hard, but it's the right way to go for us to get results in this league."