Luton Town FC vs Bristol City (15th Mar 2023)

Report | Luton Town 1-0 Bristol City

Carlton Morris' early goal gave the Hatters a fourth 1-0 win in their last five unbeaten matches against Bristol City under the lights at Kenilworth Road tonight.

The top scorer headed in his 16th goal of the season in the fourth minute as Town made it one defeat in 11 matches to cement themselves in fourth position in the Sky Bet Championship table, and firmly in the play-off spots.

Manager Rob Edwards made two changes, one enforced with Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu having suffered an injury that forced him off in the 1-0 win at Sheffield United, meaning that Luke Berry - the man who replaced him in the first half at Bramall Lane - coming into the midfield from the start.

The other switch saw Alfie Doughty return to the starting XI after missing Saturday's victory through injury, with Fred Onyedinma moving to the bench.

The Hatters started the game in fourth place and on a run of just one defeat in ten league matches, the last four of which are unbeaten with three wins and a draw, while Bristol City kicked off in 13th, ten points adrift of the play-offs and 12 behind the Town, but they had an impressive record since the turn of the calendar year, with just one league defeat so far.

The Hatters made a dream start with a beautiful goal in the fourth minute, Morris hanging in the air to head Cody Drameh's brilliantly drilled cross from the right past Robins keeper Max O'Leary for his fifth goal in the last seven matches.

It should have been two on 11 minutes when Gabe Osho picked Elijah Adebayo out with another cracking ball from deep on the right, but as the Town striker chested down and shot past the advancing O'Leary, City defender Mark Sykes had got back on the goalline to clear.

Town were zipping the ball around on the greasy Kenny surface, rain teeming down from the Bedfordshire sky as Morris met another inviting cross from Leeds loanee Drameh, but couldn't keep this header down.

A rampant Adebayo did unbelievably well to stay on his feet when Cameron Pring was pulling him back as he raced clear onto a Morris pass in the 33rd minute, saving the City man from a certain red card if he'd gone down, but his shot was repelled by the chest of O'Leary, who then saved Berry's follow-up with his feet.

The next chance came on 38 minutes when Marvelous Nakamba, who was everywhere, shot over form the edge of the box after Morris had pressed O'Leary and Campbell had picked up the loose ball to feed the Zimbabwe international.

Bristol City hadn't registered a shot in the opening half, and had barely ventured into the Hatters' penalty area. They called Ethan Horvath into action within four minutes of the restart, however, Andi Weimann shooting low from 18 yards, only to find the American comfortably behind it.

Town were still asking all the questions, however, Berry's free-kick deflected behind for a corner after Campbell had been tripped on the edge of the area, a Doughty shot goiong the same way before O'Leary pulled off a terrific save to deny Morris a second goal from Osho's clever curling cross on the hour.

O'Leary made another good save from an angled Alfie Doughty drive before City boss Nigel Pearson made a double change, taking off top scorer Nahki Wells and Anis Mehmeti and replacing them with Sam Bell and Omar Taylor-Clarke.

Former Town striker Harry Cornick reminded the Kenny faithful of the threat he carried during the club's rise up the EFL prior to his January deadline day move when he swivelled and hit a shot straight at Horvath on 72 minutes.

City were awarded a free-kick 25 yards out for a foul by Bell on Cornick, when it appeared to be the other way around. Adebayo was booked for not retreating ten yards, but Alex Scott's effort was straight down Horvath's throat.

Morris was soon heading another Drameh cross inches wide with just under ten minutes to go, before Bell - who had turned in another excellent performance at left centre-half - had to go off with a knock, Reece Burke returning to action in his place.

Town had done enough to record another win and extend the advantage over the play-off chasers to seven points, folloing Norwich's draw at Huddersfield.

TOWN: Horvath; Drameh, Osho, Lockyer (C), Bell (Burke 87'), Doughty; Nakamba, Berry, Campbell; Morris, Adebayo (Woodrow 84). Subs: Shea, Lansbury, Watson, Onyedinma, Taylor.

Goals: Morris 4'

ROBINS: O'Leary, Dasilva, Scott, Cornick, King, Mehmeti (Taylor-Clarke 63'), Weimann (C), Pring, Sykes, Wells (Bell 62'), Vyner.

Subs: Haikin (GK), Wilson, Tanner, Francois.

REFEREE: John Busby

ATT: 9,899 (858 away)

Reaction | Rob Edwards on the win over Bristol City!

Manager Rob Edwards hailed his side’s “excellent performance” as they recorded a sixth 1-0 win their last 11 league matches against Bristol City tonight.

Ethan Horvath kept a 16th clean sheet of the season while Carlton Morris’ 16th goal of the campaign secured the points as early as the fourth minute.

Afterwards, Edwards said: “I thought the performance in the first half was excellent. We were on the front foot, we were a real threat, created big chances, and everything that we want to be, we were.

“They remained a threat on the counter attack and we had to manage that, but I thought the first half was pretty much one way traffic, but as we all know, two halves of football are never exactly the same.

“Then when we didn’t get that second goal, they can gain a little bit of confidence and belief from that, and then we all know we’ve got to make sure that we see the game out.

“We still had a couple of big chances in the second half. It was a great save from Carlton’s header and we got into some good areas, but as a team we defend really, really well, and we had to show that at the end of the game.

“Probably everyone in the stadium is thinking the same and the Bristol City fans are thinking the opposite, we’ve got away with it a little bit, and maybe we’ll get a chance. But luckily anything that came at Ethan was pretty much straight at Ethan.

“The defenders blocked and ran, the midfielders won the second balls and did the basics well, our strikers ran their socks off and as a team I thought it was an excellent performance.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1M9qbJ0eVU – Rob Edwards interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtYECyQlhSQ – full time scenes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQbRyrNZ0g4 – match highlights

Morris gets the only goal again as Town see off Bristol City to win 1-0 again

Championship: Luton Town 1 Bristol City 0

Luton backed up their magnificent victory at Sheffield United on Saturday by recording a third straight win, seeing off Bristol City 1-0 at Kenilworth Road this evening.

Although on paper, the single goal success might look close, in reality, it was anything but, Luton completely dominant in the opening 45 minutes particularly, somehow not more than one ahead.

They managed to hold on in the second period though against an improved Robins outfit, closing the gap on third-placed Middlesbrough to a point, although remain seven behind Sheffield United, who won 2-1 at Sunderland.

Town boss Rob Edwards made two changes to his side from the victory at Bramall Lane, Alfie Doughty and Luke Berry in for the injured Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and Fred Onyedinma, the latter dropping to the bench, joined by a fit-again Reece Burke.

For the visitors, ex-Hatters attacker Harry Cornick, who left Kenilworth Road on transfer deadline day to join the Robins, made only his second start for the club.

Luton got off to the perfect start when Cody Drameh unleashed an absolutely gorgeous cross from the right, drilling it perfectly on to the head of Carlton Morris, who hung in the air to plant his header back across Max O'Leary for a 16th of the season.

Town might have had a second moments later, Gabe Osho's wicked pass from deep beating the visiting defence as Elijah Adebayo took a touch and beat O'Leary, but not the covering Mark Sykes, who made a vital goal-line clearance.

With Drameh and Doughty causing havoc on the flanks, a fired up Town looked like doubling their lead was only a matter of time, Morris unable to keep another attempt down and Allan Campbell stalled on the edge of the box when racing on to a knock down.

The only concern for Edwards would have been his side hadn't made it 2-0 as the clock ticked past the half hour mark, such was their dominance against a side who had only lost once in 12 going into the contest.

Luton then had a wonderful chance on 33 minutes when Morris chested the ball and hooked a pass over for Adebayo who went through, while being manhandled by Cameron Pring.

After just about outmuscling his marker and staying on his feet, when going down would have no doubt seen a straight red for his opponent, Adebayo couldn't beat O'Leary, who also denied Berry's follow up, as Town screamed for the official for a free kick and a card, nothing doing as the advantage had been played.

Luton again went close, a dreadful backpass almost seized upon by Morris, with Marvelous Nakamba eventually teed up to see his deflected attempt fly wide.

The main concern was that the Hatters were going to pay the price for their missed opportunities, as City surely couldn't have been as bad in the second half, as they certainly weren't.

After the break, Town started a tad sloppily and were almost punished when Andreas Weimann latched on to a loose ball on the edge of the box, forcing Ethan Horvath into his first save of the evening.

Town almost had that second on 59 minutes when Osho's glorious dinked cross was met by Morris who looked odds on to add to his tally, only for O'Leary to stick out a hand and somehow palm it away.

With the visitors starting to gain a foothold, Luton almost saw all their hard work undone, Cornick spinning to shoot at former team-mate Horvath on 70 minutes.

The USA international had more work to do from highly-rated Robins midfielder Alex Scott, gathering his free kick underneath the bar.

Town's combination of Drameh and Morris, which had been a real source of creativity for the hosts almost came good again, the wingback's ball in met by a twisting header that bounced narrowly wide.

Late on, City threw a number of hopeful balls into the area, but the Hatters, led terrifically by a pumped up Tom Lockyer, managed to send them back to where they came from and earn what was a slightly more nervy victory than it should have been.

Hatters: Ethan Horvath, Cody Drameh, Gabe Osho, Tom Lockyer (C), Amari'i Bell (Reece Burke 87), Alfie Doughty, Marvelous Nakamba, Allan Campbell, Luke Berry, Elijah Adebayo (Cauley Woodrow 84), Carlton Morris.

Subs not used: James Shea, Henri Lansbury, Louie Watson, Fred Onyedinma, Joe Taylor.

Robins: Max O'Leary, Jay Dasilva, Alex Scott, Harry Cornick, Andy King, Anis Mehmeti (Omar Taylor-Clarke 63), Andreas Weimann (C), Cameron Pring, Mark Sykes, Nahki Wells (Sam Bell 63), Zak Wyner.

Subs not used: Kane Wilson, George Tanner, Nikita Khaikin, Marlee Francois.

Bookings: Morris 34, Vyner 49, Bery 62, Pring 64, Sykes 73, A Bell 77, Adebayo 80.

Referee: John Busby.

Attendance: 9,899 (Robins 858).

Edwards felt Luton should have won by more after witnessing 'one-way traffic' during first half of Robins victory

Town chief lauds side for digging in after the break

Luton boss Rob Edwards felt his side could and should have beaten Bristol City by more than the 1-0 victory they secured this evening.

After securing their last four victories by a single goal, it looked like the Hatters were in for a profitable night when Carlton Morris rose to plant his header into the net from Cody Drameh’s magnificent cross on just five minutes.

However, they couldn’t add a second, Elijah Adebayo denied by a goal-line clearance and visiting keeper Max O’Leary, as was Luke Berry.

The Robins stopper made a terrific save from Morris after the break, but Luton were never seriously threatened, Ethan Horvath making two routine stops from Alex Scott and his former team-mate Harry Cornick.

Speaking afterwards, Edwards said: “I thought the performance in the first half was excellent.

"We were on the front foot, we were a real threat, created big chances, and everything that we want to be, we were.

“They remained a threat on the counter attack and we had to manage that, but I thought the first half was pretty much one way traffic.

"As we all know, two halves of football are never exactly the same and then when we didn’t get that second goal, they can gain a little bit of confidence and belief from that, then we all know we’ve got to make sure that we see the game out.

“We still had a couple of big chances in the second half, a great save from Carlton’s header and we got into some good areas, but as a team we defend really, really well, and we had to show that at the end of the game.

“Probably everyone in the stadium is thinking the same (Luton should be winning by more) and the Bristol City fans are thinking the opposite, ‘we’ve got away with it a little bit, and maybe we’ll get a chance,’ but luckily anything that came at Ethan was pretty much straight at Ethan.

“The defenders blocked and ran, the midfielders won the second ball and did the basics well and our strikers ran their socks off.

"As a team I thought it was an excellent performance.”