Luton Town FC vs Huddersfield Town (31st Aug 2019)

LUTON TOWN 2 HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 1

Collins and Shinnie grab the goals as Town record first home win

A James Collins penalty and a beauty from Andrew Shinnie saw the Town come from behind to record their first home win in the Sky Bet Championship against Huddersfield at a sold-out Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

After dominating the majority of the first half, the Hatters fell behind to the side recently relegated from the Premier League when Karlan Grant scored the opening goal two minutes after half-time.

Top scorer Collins was on the spot to win and convert the 57th-minute penalty that hauled Graeme Jones' men level, before Shinnie bent in an absolute beauty with his left foot to put them in front nine minutes later.

Goalkeeper Simon Sluga was on top form, with man-of-the-match Matty Pearson and captain Sonny Bradley dominant ahead of him, as the Town weathered a late push by the visitors to make it three wins in a week, including the Carabao Cup second round success at Cardiff on Tuesday night.

James named an unchanged team from the one that recorded the first league win of the season at Barnsley last Saturday.

That meant that Sluga took his place in goal before flying off to join up with the Croatia squad, with a back four of Luke Bolton - who heads off to join up with England U20s - Pearson, Bradley and James Bree.

Jacob Butterfield, Shinnie and Ryan Tunnicliffe were in the midfield behind a front three of Harry Cornick, Kazenga LuaLua and Collins.

The Hatters started the game in 18th place on four points from five matches, with the Terriers finding life tough as they readjust to life in the second tier following relegation from the Premier League, second-from-bottom at kick-off on one point.

Collins was proving a handful for the Huddersfield defence in the opening period, his willingness to press the keeper causing Kamil Grabara to hit an attempted clearance against him inside the opening 30 seconds, before a low cross from the left had the Terriers’ keeper diving low to gather.

LuaLua cut inside and fired a tame shot wide, before Collins had a fierce drive from just inside the box shot tipped over by Grabara, then a clever short corner routine involving Shinnie and the Republic of Ireland forward teed up Butterfield for a shot that Rajiv van La Parra threw himself at.

Town were playing well and in the 19th minute, after another intricate passing move as they tried to prise a way through the Terriers’ back line, LuaLua burst to the byline and cut the ball back, but Grabara gathered with Collins just unable to steer it in as he slid into the near post.

In the 26th minute another short corner, this time from Shinnie to Tunnicliffe, saw the former progress towards the six-yard box and fire the ball across for Pearson to prod towards goal, only for Huddersfield to scramble it clear.

Cornick called Grabara into action again on the half-hour when the ex-Bournemouth man nicked the ball once again as Huddersfield tried to play out from a goal-kick, but the on-loan Liverpool stopper beat his shot away at his near post.

The visitors started to enjoy a spell of possession, and their first sight of goal came in the 37th minute when right-winger Adama Diakhaby skipped past Bree and pulled the ball back for Grant, whose stabbed effort was a foot wide of the post.

Diakhaby was the Yorkshire side’s main threat, but a dangerous looking cross to the far post drifted harmlessly wide as we headed into the break goalless.

Within two minutes of the restart, Huddersfield had broken the deadlock when Grant slid in to turn Terence Kongolo’s low cross in at the far post.

Town mounted an immediate response, Bolton volleying off target before Izzy Brown came on in place of Butterfield, and immediately played a part in a sweeping move down the left that ended with Collins firing into the side-netting after LuaLua crossed.

The deserved equaliser came in the 57th minute and it was Collins who won the penalty and converted it, pinching the ball off Huddersfield captain Christopher Schindler's toe and being tripped in the process, before firing past Grabara from 12 yards for his third goal of the season.

Schindler was stretched again on the hour when Pearson curled a delightful ball down the right flank into Cornick’s path, and the Terriers captain had to slide in ahead of Collins, who was all set to turn the low cross in as it zipped across the face of goal.

Shinnie was next to have a go as the Town really got into their stride, unleashing a 65th-minute rocket that was just inches too high after Cornick had sent another delicious cross into the six-yard box, with Collins setting him free down the right once again.

Shinnie wasn’t to be denied for long – a minute to be precise – as Cornick latched onto a flick-on by LuaLua, and played it square to the Scottish midfielder just outside the Huddersfield area. Shinnie shaped to shoot on his right, but swivelled back onto his left and bent a beauty inside the post.

Huddersfield responded to the set-backs by making all three substitutions, and the third – Steve Mounie – had Sluga racing off his line to make a crucial block with ten minutes to go, before Trevoh Chalobah sent the follow-up high over the bar.

The Terriers’ midfielder would soon become the first player from either side into ref Andy Davies’ notepad for hauling down LuaLua as he flew down the Town left, though the official might have allowed play to go on with Cornick racing onto the loose ball.

Town survived an 89th-minute scare when Collins was booked, along with Diakhaby, for an altercation just outside the Hatters’ penalty area, but another Huddersfield sub Alex Pritchard’s free-kick hit the Town wall and went wide for a corner, which the defence cleared before holding out for three points.

TOWN: Sluga, Bolton, Pearson, Bradley (c), Bree, Butterfield (Brown 52), Shinnie, Tunnicliffe, LuaLua (Jones 90+3), Cornick (Mpanzu 87), Collins. Subs: Lee, Moncur, Galloway, Shea (GK)

Goals: Collins (pen) 57, Shinnie 66

Yellow: Collins, Brown

HUDDERSFIELD: Grabara, Kongolo, Hogg (Mounie 77), Chalobah, Diakhaby, Grant, Van La Parra (Kachunga 64), Campbell (Pritchard 58), Schindler (c), Brown, Hadergjonaj. Subs: Elphick, Bacuna, Schofield (GK), O'Brien

Goals: Grant 47

Yellows: Chalobah, Diakhaby

REFEREE: Andy Davies

ATT: 10,062 (1,038 away)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryX_i-mIhxg – Match Highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxqH0skl4-Q – Graeme Jones interview

GRAEME JONES ON THE WIN OVER HUDDERSFIELD TOWN

Hatters boss Graeme Jones was delighted with his side’s 'first class response' after they came from behind to defeat Huddersfield Town at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

Karlan Grant broke the deadlock two minutes after the restart as he poked in at the back-stick, before James Collins converted from the penalty spot after being tripped by Christopher Schindler.

Andrew Shinnie scored the winning goal with an outstanding bending effort from 25 yards, finding the bottom left corner to secure the Hatters’ first home league win of the 2019/20 season.

The result means Jones’ team secured their third win in a week, having defeated Barnsley last Saturday and Cardiff City on Tuesday.

The boss said: “I think if you look around world football, three wins in seven days doesn’t happen very often, especially at this level. You have to be totally committed, totally focused in each game, which is really demanding. But obviously we have played two teams this week, so we have been in a fortunate position that we could rotate and I think that pay dividends today.

“I think the most important thing for me is we played in three completely different styles in all three games and I think at the start of my time here I said we have to be adaptable and we were. Today, substitutions showed the character that we have in the group and that mixture with the supporters, it’s a two way thing. It’s very, very satisfying to win three games in seven days.

“They didn’t give us the freedom we had last week, they put an extra forward on the pitch instead of a midfield player, they changed their wingers, they swapped them over. The wingers had real pace, we had to contend with that and then going one-nil down, you need to see everyone’s response and the response was absolutely first class.”

Hatters hit back to register first Championship home win against Huddersfield

Championship: Luton Town 2 Huddersfield Town 1

If Carlsberg did weeks then they couldn't have done one any better than the one Luton Town completed with a first home of the Championship season this afternoon.

The Hatters went into the game on the back of successive victories, winning at Barnsley and then Cardiff City in the Carabao Cup, ahead of this encounter with a Terriers side in dismal form since their relegation from the Championship.

Led by caretaker boss Mark Hudson, who took over when Jan Siewert was sacked after just three games of the season, the visitors still had a matchday squad packed with top flight experience and big money buys, Terence Kongolo costing a reported £17.5m with striker Steve Mounie, only on the bench, a hefty £11.5m purchase as well.

Town chief Graeme Jones went with an unchanged side from the 3-1 win at Barnsley last weekend, as the first 15 minutes saw Huddersfield's on-loan Liverpool keeper Kami Grabara playing with fire at times.

He almost got caught in possession not once, or twice, but on a number of occasions by both James Collins and Harry Cornick, continually dallying on his clearances, inviting unncessary pressure on himself.

Collins had the first attempt on goal, his angled drive tipped over the bar by Grabara, while he just couldn't reach Kazenga LuaLua's low ball across the box.

The visitors looked like they could cause some danger if their attacking threats could summon the desire, but they also appeared decidedly nervy at times too, Luton almost catching them cold from a short corner that was hacked away from virtually on the goal-line, Andrew Shinnie curling over from 20 yards.

On the half hour, Town won the ball back high up yet again as Cornick stung the palms of Grabara, who finally ceded to the away fans screams to clear his lines from the next goal kick.

Despite barely featuring as an attacking force, the visitors created a huge chance on 38 minutes, as Adama Diakhaby beat James Bree and skinned Sonny Bradley on the right, his low cross toe-poked wide by Karlan Grant.

Town ended the half on the front foot, Luke Bolton slicing a volley waywardly from 25 yards out.

Although the Hatters once more going through their pre-second period warm-up, their Achilles heel flared up yet again, caught out just two minutes after kick-off.

A set-piece wasn't properly cleared and Kongolo played a one-two before crossing low for Grant to find the net at the back post.

Jones replaced Butterfield with Izzy Brown to up Hatters' attacking thrust from midfield, and Bolton tried to find an immediate leveller, his volley not possessing enough power, while the visitors sniffed a second, Grant shooting straight at Simon Sluga.

Town then had a great chance to level 10 minutes afterwards, as Collins was clipped inside the area by Christopher Schindler as the visiting skipper went to clear.

Referee Andy Davies awarded the penalty and up stepped Collins to confidently tuck it away, shooting low in the corner beyond the dive of Grabara.

The visiting keeper punched LuaLua's cross away and then Collins almost had a second, only just beaten to a low delivery from Cornick, while Shinnie also fizzed over as Town hunted a second.

It arrived on 64 minutes as well, although not without some controversy, with the visitors players wanting a whistle after midfielder Jonathan Hogg went down with what looked like a head injury.

Davies allowed play to continue, with Shinnie appeared to be blocked off on his right foot, and just as the referee looked like he was going to stop play, the midfielder cut back on his left, curling a sumptuous effort into the corner of the net from 22 yards.

Town then lived dangerously at times in the final 15 minutes, Shinnie giving the ball away and sub Elias Kachunga clearly pulled back by Sonny Bradley as he burst into the area.

The ball eventually found its way to Mounie, now on the field, with Sluga out bravely to deny to the substitute, Town hacking clear.

It was all hands to the pump for the closing stages, but Luton had enough nous about them to defend effectively and close out a victory in front of their own fans that they fully deserved.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, Luke Bolton, James Bree, Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley, Jacob Butterfield (Izzy Brown 52), Ryan Tunnicliffe, Andrew Shinnie, Kazenga LuaLua (Lloyd Jones 90), Harry Cornick (Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu 87), James Collins.

Subs not used: James Shea, George Moncur, Elliot Lee, Brendan Galloway.

Terriers: Kamil Grabara, Terence Kongolo, Jonathan Hogg (Steve Mounie 87), Trevor Chalobah, Adama Diakhaby, Karlan Grant, Ravij van La Parra (Elias Kachunga 63), Frazier Campbell (Bradley Pritchard 57), Christopher Schindler ©, Jaden Brown, Florent Hadergjonaj.

Subs not used: Tommy Elphick, Juninho Bacuna, Ryan Schofield, Lewis O'Brien.

Booked: Chalobah, Brown, Collins, Diakhaby.

Referee: Andy Davies.

Attendance: 10,062 (1,032 Hudderfield).

Jones lauds his Hatters as Town register three victories in a week

Luton boss Graeme Jones was left overjoyed after the Hatters made it three wins in a week by defeating Huddersfield Town at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

After a tough start to the Championship season in which the Hatters impressed with performances, but only picked up one point from 12, they made it six out of six, following up last weekend's victory at Barnsley by beating a Terriers side who were in the Premier League last term.

That followed up a 3-0 Carabao Cup second success in midweek at Cardiff City, as Jones said: "If you look round world football, three wins in seven days doesn’t happen very often, especially at this level.

“You have to be totally committed, totally focussed on each game, which is really, really demanding.

“The most important thing for me is we played in three completely different styles in all three games and I said right at the beginning of my time here, we’d have to be adaptable and we were.

"Obviously we've played two teams this week as well, so we’ve been in a fortunate position that we could rotate and I think that paid dividends today.

“Today was about substitutions (Jones brought on Izzy Brown after 52 minutes) and they showed character that I know is in the group and that mixture, with the supporters, it’s a two way thing.

“I'm just really satisfied, as it’s very, very difficult to do, win three games in seven days.

“They (Huddersfield) didn't give us the freedom we had last week (at Barnsley), they put an extra forward on the pitch instead of a midfield player, they changed their wingers, they swapped them over.

“The wingers had real pace, we had to contend with that, and then going 1-0 down, you need to see everybody's response.

“I think everybody's response was absolutely first class.”