Luton Town FC vs Huddersfield Town (2nd Oct 2021)

Report | Luton Town 0-0 Huddersfield Town

The Hatters kept a second successive clean sheet as they were held to a goalless draw by Huddersfield Town at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

Amari'i Bell came closest to breaking the deadlock with a first half effort that came back off the post, but they couldn't find the breakthrough against a Terriers side sitting two places and three points above them in seventh position at kick-off.

Manager Nathan Jones named an unchanged side from the midweek win over Coventry, when Town had torn into the high-flying Sky Blues to romp to a 5-0 victory that lifted them to ninth.

With rain teeming down at Kenilworth Road, the Hatters started with a zip about their play, Kal Naismith carrying the ball out of defence and flashing a 35-yard shot wide, before Harry Cornick hit a first time effort straight at Lee Nicholls after his long throw from the left was only half cleared.

Former Town defender Matty Pearson was in the Terriers' backline, and the Hatters' next opportunity came courtesy of a flick off the Yorkshireman's head into the path of Amari'i Bell, who was clear on Nicholls' goal but dragged his left footed shot wide.

A beautiful voleyed pass by Jordan Clark, switching the play to James Bree, created Town's next opening, the full-back driving forward on the right and aiming a cross towards Elijah Adebayo, although it was Luke Berry who got on the end of it at the far post, at full stretch and unable to direct his effort on target.

After a lull in proceedings, Glen Rea became the first player into referee Leigh Doughty's notepad just after the half-hour mark, for a foul on Josh Koroma as the Huddersfield forward looked to make inroads down their left.

Then, following a period of good possession, Town should have taken a deserved lead five minutes before the break.

Cornick's trickery on the right gave him room to deliver a perfect low cross for Bell, whose close range effort came back off the post, before Adebayo retrieved possession on the left and cut inside to fire a low shot that Nicholls held well.

Huddersfield came back out after the interval on the attack, Koroma's deflected shot handled cleanly by Simon Sluga in his first real action of the afternoon, 49 minutes in, but there was no real threat.

Tom Lees became the first visiting player to be shown yellow, for a foul on Adebayo, as the Hatters started to get back on top with the hour mark approaching, Bell causing problems down the left and Cornick trying his luck from distance, only for his shot to be deflected behind for a corner.

Huddersfield fired another warning shot in the 62nd minute, Danel Sinani's left-footed curler going inches wide of the upright, before the Luxembourg international cracked another effort from distance, straight at Sluga in the middle of his goal.

Jones introduced Cameron Jerome for Cornick, hopeful that the experienced striker could make the breakthrough against his hometown club.

But it was Huddersfield who were enjoying the most of the territory, midfielder Scott High living up to his name, firing well over the bar in the 68th minute, Lockyer had to make a perfectly timed sliding interception to deny Koroma a shooting chance, before Jones made another change, bringing Henri Lansbury on for the excellent Clark.

The former Nottingham Forest midfielder immediately started to put himself about, winning a crunching challenge with Naby Sarr that ended with the Huddersfield defender being shown yellow, before firing a right-footed volley at goal as the Terriers struggled to clear a corner, although it was well off target.

The same could thankfully be said for Huddersfield left-back Harry Toffolo's effort as he broke into the box and fired high over Sluga's bar from a tight angle.

Heading into the international break, Town sit 13th with a trip to Millwall on the horizion in two weeks time.

Att: 9,977 (1,009 away)

Nathan Jones' Huddersfield reaction

Manager Nathan Jones was content with his side’s performance during the goalless draw with Huddersfield as Town head into the international break with four points from their last two matches.

After the high-octane midweek thrashing against Coventry City, the conditions took its tool on the players who following a bright start, failed to create any meaningful chances in the second period.

“I’m relatively pleased, not with the draw but the overall performance. I thought we were totally dominant first half and it just shows the respect we are building now because they are normally an aggressive side that want to play, want to be possession dominant and we didn’t allow them that. We went after them, forced them to kick and we were totally dominant. We missed a glorious chance to take the lead and then we didn’t quite show enough quality in the final third."

As well as his chance, Amari’i Bell and his team-mate James Bree were supplying plenty of balls into the box but to no avail as the Hatters were forced to settle for a point on a wet afternoon at Kenilworth Road.

“We had 21 crosses in the first half, only one of those landed in the right area but I’m pleased with the levels we are showing," said Jones. "I have spoken to people I know at Huddersfield and they were fearful of coming here today so that is the reputation we are now building.

“The players have produced a great shift again. We went away to Bournemouth and I thought we were excellent for most of the game. We have been for 75 minutes today, 90 minutes on Wednesday on the front foot and I can’t ask for anymore from them.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaRHw0hJ6jc – match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSzHM53M0yE – Nathan Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJbhSl_ftw0 – Sonny Bradley interview

Hatters unable to break Huddersfield down in Kenilworth Road stalemate

Championship: Luton Town 0 Huddersfield Town 0

Hatters After witnessing 11 goals in their last two home games, the Hatters fans never came close to enjoying such excitement this afternoon, their side held to an almost predictable goalless draw by Huddersfield.

The result was on the cards long before the final whistle as Town found their defence-minded opponents increasingly hard to break down, and they might have left with nothing in the closing stages, full back Harry Toffolo skying a presentable chance.

It wasn’t for the lack of trying that Luton couldn’t add to their goals for tally this term, as they created a host of opportunities, particularly in the first half, but a disappointing final ball on too many occasions, plus a crowded penalty area, meant keeper visiting stopper Lee Nicholls wasn’t often over-extended.

An unchanged Hatters had made a positive start to proceedings, hardly surprising given the confidence gained from the 5-0 midweek thrashing of Coventry, Kal Naismith seeing a blast from fully 40 yards skid wide on the sodden surface, Harry Cornick’s angled effort gathered by Nicholls.

Danny Ward volleyed off target for Huddersfield as Luton had a great chance on 10 minutes when ex-Hatter Matty Pearson could only flick a long ball into the path of the advancing Amari’i Bell who burst into the area, but scuffed his left-footer well wide.

Luke Berry then arrived in the box well to meet James Bree’s deep cross after Jordan Clark’s excellent hooked crossfield pass, unable to divert on target this time.

Ward seemed the Terriers only attacking outlet, shanking well wide from outside the box, as Town, although not able to create anything clear-cut in the opening half hour, were still dominating possession and territory, putting some pleasing moves together.

Town somehow weren’t ahead on 39 minutes when Cornick, whose trickery was causing the Huddersfield defence a real problem, did superbly to beat his man and cross for Bell, who from a couple of yards out, could somehow only volley against the post.

The follow-up saw Elijah Adebayo shoot low, with Nicholls doing well to cling on in the increasingly tricky conditions.

After the break, the visitors began positively, finally deciding to show up as an attacking outlet, Josh Koroma causing some dangerous moments on the left, one attempt deflecting up into the gloves of the previously unworked Simon Sluga.

Town looked to reassert their authority, Bell’s cross headed narrowly over his own bar by Pearson and then Cornick’s 25-yarder deflected behind.

Terriers midfielder Danel Sinani looked like had had broken the deadlock on the hour when he cut in from the right and wrapped his left foot around a curler, which was narrowly wide with Sluga clearly beaten.

The on-loan Norwich player appeared to have developed a taste for it, trying his luck again from even further out, this time shooting straight at Sluga.

Luton boss Nathan Jones swapped the tiring Cornick for Cameron Jerome, as still Terriers fancied their chances from outside the box, Scott High unable to keep his attempt down.

The Town chief also brought on Henri Lansbury and the midfielder’s eyes lit up when Bree’s corner was punched out as far as him, but slipping he could only send his volley careering into the home fans.

Town did have a penalty shout, but Jordan Clark appeared to slip when colliding with Pearson and referee Leigh Doughty waved the appeals away.

The Terriers looked for a strong finish to the game, Koroma’s reverse ball finding the run of Toffolo with time running out, only for the full back to sky his effort over the bar when faced with Sluga.

Late on, Lansbury’s cross was gathered by Nicholls as although Luton dropped to 13th in the table, they could still reflect on another hard-earned point in what has been an injury-hit few weeks ahead of the international break, and their fifth clean sheet of the season.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, James Bree, Tom Lockyer, Sonny Bradley ©, Kal Naismith, Amari’i Bell, Glen Rea, Jordan Clark (Henri Lansbury 73), Luke Berry, Harry Cornick (Cameron Jerome 67), Elijah Adebayo.

Subs not used: James Shea, Reece Burke, Allan Campbell, Gabe Osho, Carlos Mendes Gomes.

Terriers: Lee Nicholls, Harry Toffollo, Matty Pearson, Lewis O’Brien ©, Josh Koroma, Scott High, Sorba Thomas, Naby Sarr, Daniel Sinani (Duane Holmes 72), Danny Ward (Frazier Campbell 82), Tom Lees.

Subs not used: Rolando Aarons, Josh Ruffels, Ollie Turton, Jon Russell, Nicholas Bilokapic.

Bookings: Rea 33, Thomas 42, Lees 58, Sarr 80.

Referee: Leigh Doughty.

Attendance: 9,977 (1,009 Terriers).

Jones insists fear factor is returning to the Hatters after Terriers set up for a point

Reaction from Town manager to stalemate at Kenilworth Road

Luton boss Nathan Jones believes the fear factor is finally there for opposition sides in the Championship when going up against the Hatters this season.

This afternoon’s clash against Huddersfield, who were seventh going into the game, saw the Terriers begin the first half in a defensive frame of mind, clearly out to limit a Town side, who had scored seven goals in the first half of their last two home matches.

Although Town should still have broken the deadlock when Amar Bell hit the post from close range, the fact that the Terriers changed their usual outlook was a real complement for Jones, who said: “I’m relatively pleased, not with the draw, but with the overall performance.

“I thought we were totally dominant first half and it just shows the respect we’re building now as they’re normally an aggressive side that want to play, want to be possession dominant and we didn’t allow them that.

“We went after them, forced them to kick and I thought we were totally dominant first half, but for a little bit of guile.

“We missed a glorious chance to take the lead and then we probably just didn’t show enough quality in the final third.

“We had 21 crosses in the first half, so just a little bit more guile, but I’m pleased with the levels we’re showing.

“I’ve spoken to people I know on their staff and they were fearful coming here today, so that’s the reputation we’re now building.

“The way we go about it, I’m very proud and very pleased with that as teams are fearing us now and I’m not sure that was the case when we came into the Championship.

“I remember watching games and I’m not sure team feared Luton but now, they do.

“Any team that plays against us knows they’re in a hell of a game, no-one’s going to run over us, no-one’s going to bully us, no-one’s gong to have an easy ride.”

One aspect that Jones knows his side will need to work on is the ability to break teams down when they come to Kenilworth Road and look to sit in, as visiting keeper Lee Nicholls had a relatively comfortable second half.

He added: “I think they were fearful of the first half against Swansea, first half against Coventry and I think that affected them.

“So then we have to have a new facet to us now, we have to learn how to break teams down.

“We knew how to do it in League Two and League One because every side did that to us, but I’m so pleased that’s the level we’re attaining, that’s the level of respect we now have.

“If we have to learn to do that we will, as we work religiously on stuff we do, but I can’t ask any more.

“We lacked a bit of freshness second half as the conditions drained us a little bit, and made everything a bit more heavy, but I’m really pleased, as they’re a decent side.

“The manager’s (Carlos Corberan) the (Marcelo) Bielsa prodigy in terms of how they want to go.

“But we were the more dominating ones today in terms of possession, press, and it shows that Luton Town are developing into a very, very potent Championship side.”