Luton Town FC vs Charlton Athletic (26th Nov 2019)

LUTON TOWN 2-1 CHARLTON ATHLETIC

Mpanzu and Brown on target as Town bounce back to beat Addicks

The Hatters produced a strong performance to beat Charlton Athletic 2-1 at Kenilworth Road tonight.

Town went behind early in the game as Jonathan Leko scored for the away side, but quickly responded through Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu’s second goal of the season.

Izzy Brown struck early in the second half to net his first goal for the club as the Hatters earned a well-deserved three points for the first time since beating Bristol City 3-0 in mid-October.

The victory brought an end to five defeats on the bounce against a side that Town failed to defeat last season in their League One title-winning campaign.

The Hatters started well and almost took the lead within five minutes. Dan Potts played a searching ball down the left-hand-side to Harry Cornick and his cut back into the box was met by James Collins, whose looping shot hit the bar.

But despite the positive start, it was Charlton who took the lead in the seventh minute. Macauley Bonne pounced on a mistake by captain Sonny Bradley and set Leko away, and the striker was too quick breaking forward from the halfway line to calmly finish past James Shea.

It wasn’t long before the Hatters were back in the game though after a good period of pressure. First Ryan Tunnicliffe won a free-kick on the edge of the box, which Brown took and forced visiting keeper Dillon Phillips into a good save.

Following that attack, the midfielder’s cross into the box at the second attempt was blocked straight into the path of Mpanzu, who smashed the ball home first time to level the game before the 20-minute mark.

Mpanzu was looking to turn provider eight minutes later as he played a ball in behind which Charlton failed to clear. His pass found its way through to Collins, but he couldn’t keep his shot down.

The Hatters, much like the first period, started the second half well and took the lead in the 53rd minute.

Shinnie read a misplaced pass ten yards inside the Charlton half, burst forward and played Brown into the box to his left. The on-loan Chelsea man controlled, juggled the ball past a defender and poked it past Phillips for his first Hatters goal.

Shinnie was then inches away from scoring a third Hatters goal just minutes later but his curling effort from 25 yards hit the post.

Town were in the ascendancy as Brown went close once again, firing narrowly wide from a free-kick with 25 minutes to play.

The hosts continued pushing for another goal and produced a lovely free-flowing move, which resulted in Collins’ shot being deflected behind for a corner after Shinnie's initial effort was blocked.

Mpanzu then produced a lovely bit of skill in midfield as he played the ball forward to Brown, who looked out wide and found Cornick darting through. The forward progressed forward but could only fire his effort over the bar.

Charlton then had chances of their own through Conor Gallagher towards the closing stages, first Shea got down well to save from the 19-year-old, before the midfielder struck the post from distance.

The Hatters survived late pressure from the Addicks to lift themselves up out of the relegation zone and into 20th place before Saturday's short trip to face another London outfit in Brentford.

TOWN: Shea, Bree, Pearson, Bradley (C), Potts, Tunnicliffe (Bolton 79), Shinnie, Mpanzu, Brown, Cornick, Collins. Subs not used: Sluga, McManaman, Galloway, LuaLua, Jones, Butterfield.

Goals: Mpanzu (19) Brown (53)

Yellows: Brown, Shinnie, Potts

CHARLTON: Phillips, Solly, Sarr (Doughty 60), Lockyer, Pearce (C), Purrington (Davison 85), Gallagher, Morgan, Pratley, Leko, Bonne. Subs not used: Maynard-Brewer, Matthews, Oshilaja, Vennings.

Goals: Leko (7)

Yellows: Gallagher

Referee: Darren England

Attendance: 10,004 (1,032 away fans)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ_pwpUUgEY – Graeme Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbzxyvpC24E – Match highlights

https://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/2019/november/match-report---charlton/

GRAEME JONES ON THE WIN OVER CHARLTON ATHLETIC

Hatters boss Graeme Jones was "really satisfied" with his side’s performance as they defeated Charlton Athletic 2-1 at Kenilworth Road this evening, to bring an end to a run of five consecutive defeats.

After going 1-0 down through Jonathan Leko’s smart finish, Town responded as Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu found the bottom corner, before Izzy Brown netted his first in a Town shirt as he took a lovely touch before passing it beyond Dillon Phillips.

The result moves the Hatters up to 20th, with 17 points from 18 games.

Jones said: “It’s been a heavy few weeks. I am satisfied more than anything – the result is one thing, but the performance is another. I was really, really satisfied with our performance on Saturday, I have to see beyond results sometimes if we’re making progress and we were, but there comes a point where you’ve just got to get a football result. I said that to the boys tonight.

“We’ve got six months into them in every area, but they’ve been challenged tactically in every single game, there’s been a different set of tactics except in the last two, I picked the same team, I was fortunate enough to be able to do that.

“I asked the boys to take responsibility, they’ve got enough information in them. Charlton changed their shape three times in the game, we adapted quickly, they adapted on the pitch and the players took responsibility for that.”

Brown nets the winner as Hatters end losing run with crucial victory

Championship: Luton Town 2 Charlton Athletic 1

Izzy Brown’s first goal for the club saw Luton end their run of five straight defeats with a much-needed and absolutely crucal victory, seeing off Charlton Athletic this evening.

The result saw the Hatters climb out of the relegation zone and was a huge tonic after what had been a crushing last-gasp loss to Leeds United at the weekend.

Victory was the first time that Town had beaten the Addicks in the league since a Division One contest back in November 1993 as well, when Paul Telfer was on target, plus defeated a side who had taken four points off them in League One last term too, ending the Hatters’ 28-game unbeaten run at the Valley.

Town, who were unchanged from the side beaten on Saturday, almost had the lead on five minutes when Harry Cornick escaped the offside trap.

He put in a cross for James Collins, who appeared to have shanked his attempt well wide, only to see the ball loop up and cannon off the crossbar, with Dillon Phillips beaten all ends up.

Andrew Shinnie rifled well over in a positive start by the hosts, but they were then hit yet again by a defensive error on seven minutes, as Sonny Bradley’s pass was intercepted, with Jonathan Leko bursting clear to easily outpace Bradley and beat James Shea.

Thankfully for Town, they didn’t let their heads drop, Brown almost drawing them level, when his pinpoint free kick required an excellent save from Phillips, finger-tipping it behind.

Luton did restore parity on 19 minutes, when Brown’s cross was only half cleared and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu arrived on cue to a thunder a first time left-footed drive into the bottom for a cracking second of the season.

Graeme Jones’ side could have moved 2-1 in front, Mpanzu’s hopeful cross missed by a visiting defender and falling for Collins, who skied over the bar from an inviting position.

The visitors then got a foothold of their own in the game, Macauley Bonne finding some space to head wide of the far post.

On the stroke of half time, Luton almost moved in front themselves, Matty Pearson running well over 40 yards to find Brown, who teed up Harry Cornick, his attempt blocked by a fine covering tackle.

They had another opportunity moments later, Cornick’s cross rolling across the box perfectly for Dan Potts, but he scooped disappointingly over on his favoured left foot.

After the break, Athletic almost regained the ascendancy instantly, Chris Solly crossing for Leko, but Pearson was back to deflect the ball narrowly wide of Shea’s goal.

Town did have that crucial second on 54 minutes, when Shinnie won the ball back deep into Charlton territory and found the run of Brown, who cleverly took the pass in his stride and then beat Phillips for his first goal in Luton colours.

Hatters almost had a pressure-relieving third when Brown teed up Shinnie 20 yards from goal and he bent a beautiful effort that looked destined to fly into the top corner, only to crash against the outside of the post.

Brown was hunting a second of the evening for himself, sending another free kick goalwards that just didn’t come back in time, while Collins’ blast was deflected over and then Cornick, picked out gloriously by Brown, sliced frustratingly wide with 15 minutes remaining.

Sensing they could still nick a point, the Addicks almost did when Conor Gallagher’s low effort was easy for Shea, going much closer with his next attempt, his 25-yarder brusing the base of the post.

But crucially the Hatters held on to ensure they cut the gap on the group of teams bunched above them in the table, and can now look forward to a trip to Brentford this weekend with renewed confidence.

Hatters: James Shea, James Bree, Dan Potts, Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley ©, Ryan Tunnicliffe (Luke Bolton 80), Andrew Shinnie Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Izzy Brown, James Collins, Harry Cornick.

Subs not used: Simon Sluga, Brendan Galloway, Lloyd Jones, Jacob Butterfield, Callum McManaman, Kazenga LuaLua.

Addicks: Dillon Phillips, Ben Purrington (Josh Davison 85), Tom Lockyer, Jason Pearce ©, Conor Gallagher, Jonathan Leko, Darren Pratley, Macauley Bonne, Albie Morgan, Chris Solly, Naby Sarr (Alfie Doughty 58).

Subs not used: Adam Matthews, Adedeji Oshilaja, Ashley Maynard-Brewer, James Venning.

Booked: Gallagher 35, Brown 59, Shinnie 89, Potts 90.

Referee: Darren England.

Attendance: 10,004 (Charlton 1,032).

Jones: Addicks win is a key moment for Hatters

Town chief Graeme Jones felt last night’s 2-1 victory over Charlton Athletic represented a ‘key moment’ in his side’s battle to stay in the Championship this season.

The Hatters went into the fixture on the back of a five game losing run, having slipped into the relegation zone, as another defeat would have seen them starting to get cut adrift of the teams above them.

When Jonathan Leko opened the scoring for the visitors on seven minutes, it looked like the hosts were up against it once more, but Town showed great character to come back, thanks to Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu's equaliser 12 minutes later and then Izzy Brown's winner early in the second half.

It saw Town climb out of the bottom three and move above Wigan Athletic in the process, as Jones said: "I was really, really satisfied with our performance on Saturday as I have to see beyond results sometimes.

“I have to see if we’re making progress and I felt we were, but there comes to a point where you've got to get a football result and I said that to the boys tonight.

“They've got six months work in them, in every area, but they've been challenged tactically in every single game, there's been a different set of tactics apart from the last two.

“I picked the same team, I was fortunate enough to do that, and I asked the boys to take responsibility, as they've got enough information in them.

“I think Charlton changed their shape three times in the game, we adapted quickly, they adapted on the pitch, the players took responsibility for that.

"There comes a point where the boys have got to take responsibility and we were there tonight, and it was a key moment.

“There's a real honesty in the group, there's an honesty in the football club.

"The Reading game looked a bit distorted, it wasn’t a lack of effort, it was maybe personnel and the shape that day, but I’ll take responsibility for that.

"But outside of that, the boy's character is magnificent and I've been brutally honest with them from minute one, I've not hidden anything.

"I've supported them when I needed to and I think you got an honest reaction tonight, from a group of players and a group of staff, that care about the football club.

"I think as a football club we need to know we're in a relegation fight and we all need to stick together, because it will be worth it in the end.

"I've been in this situation before, and so far we've got to continue as it's not going to be straight forward."

Town might have won by more on the night, with the woodwork denying them twice, while Harry Cornick sliced wide and Izzy Brown came close from two free kicks.

Jones continued: "The keeper made a magnificent save from his (Brown's) free kick first half.

"I think of Collo (James Collins) hitting the bar, Shins (Andrew Shinnie) hitting the bar, tonight was a good performance, Saturday was a good performance.

"We didn't get a result on Saturday but tonight we did. So the consistency in performance I've been pleased with since we came in, apart from the Reading game.

"That's all you can ask for, results will follow if you get that level of consistency and we got it tonight.”

After Saturday's heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Leeds United, with the winner coming in the 90th minute, Jones felt his side used their experience from that encounter to ensure there was no repeat last night.

He added: "I think we learned our lessons from the weekend as we defended well, but we didn’t defend so deep.

"Harry (Cornick) and Izzy were capable of completing 90 minutes, as the subs really affected us at the weekend.

"Sometimes it’s difficult to come on and pick up the tempo of the game as Kaz (Kazenga LuaLua) and Callum (McManaman) have had an influence in every game I've brought them on, it just didn't happen on Saturday.

"So we managed to get them through 90, we managed to make sure we weren't in a deep block, a little bit of a mid-block.

"But it was the boy's character and the boy's attitude that won the game, it’s as simple as that."