Luton Town FC vs Huddersfield Town (4th Oct 2022)

Report | Luton Town 3-3 Huddersfield Town

The Hatters had to settle for a point after conceding two own goals and a penalty against struggling Huddersfield at Kenilworth Road, despite Elijah Adebayo breaking his duck for the season with a brace.

Jordan Clark was also on the scoresheet for the first time this term to put Town 3-2 up at the break, but after a Carlton Morris own goal and a Jordan Rhodes spot-kick had twice given the Terriers the lead, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu put through his own net to level things again with 20 minutes to go.

Seven years on from his Hatters debut, Dan Potts led the team out as captain on his 200th appearance for the club in the first clash with Huddersfield since the Terriers beat Town in last season's Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final.

Nathan Jones made one change from the 2-0 away win against Hull City on Friday night, with the injured Reece Burke replaced by Fred Onyedinma.

Development Squad youngsters Casey Pettit and Zack Nelson were amongst the substitutes as Town went in search of a third league win in a row.

Morris had the Town's first attempt on goal when he met James Bree's free-kick with a far post header that keeper Lee Nicholls pushed away.

The Town striker was then credited with Huddersfield's opening goal, Sorba Thomas' whipped in corner found its way inside the far post, apparently taking a glance off Morris' head en route.

The Hatters were level within seven minutes and again Morris was in the thick of the action, bringing Ethan Horvath's drilled goal-kick under instant control and driving at the retreating Huddersfield backline and crossing for Adebayo, who tricked his way past Luke Mbete and sent a shot at goal that was helped over the line by visiting defender Michal Helik.

Jordan Clark extended Nicholls with a 20-yard rasper in the 23rd minute after his midfield partner Allan Campbell had teed him up with a square pass, then Lockyer headed another Bree free-kick at goal on the half-hour, with visiting keeper Nicholls gathering by his right post.

Huddersfield retook the lead in the 32nd minute when Potts was penalised for handball in the box when Helik's header hit his outstretched arm, and Rhodes tucked the penalty away.

There was no doubting that Adebayo's second goal was his, last season's top scorer latching onto another pass over the top from Morris, outstrengthing Mbete before holding off the challenge of Helik to slip his right-footed shot past Nicholls.

Town then began to exert control, Clark seeing another shot deflected narrowly wide before he added the Hatters' third a minute into time added on.

Bree was the architect, winning a challenge ten yards inside his own half then drivinig forward on the right, beating three men before threading a deft pass into the box for Clark.

There was an element of fortune as Mbete couldn't sort his feet out and could only help it into the path of Clark, who jinked past his man and placed a left-footed shot into the bottom corner for his first goal of the season.

Duane Holmes looked likely in the opening exchanges of the second half and fired a cross-shot that fizzed through the six-yard box, but it was Potts who had the Town's first chance just after the hour, heading a Bree corner down into the ground, with the ball bouncing up onto the roof of the net.

Onyedinma carried a continual threat down the right and Nicholls had to be alert to push his cross-shot away, then the visitors survived appeals for a penalty as the flying right-wing-back went down under a challenge from Ben Jackson.

But Huddersfield were level again with 20 minutes left when another Thomas corner found its way into the Town net via a home head, with Mpanzu this time getting the final touch.

Adebayo missed out on a hat-trick twice when rising highest to meet Bree corners from the left, the second with Nicholls stranded, and he made way for Cornick with ten minutes remaining. Sonny Bradley made his return from injury at the same time, coming on in place of Onyedinma.

Town had chances to win it, Campbell heading over from a Morris knock-back and Cornick firing straight at Nicholls with 90 minutes almost up, but there was to be no way through with a draw extending the unbeaten run to three matches.

Goals:

LT - Adebayo 18', 37', Clark 45+1'

HT - Morris (OG) 10', Rhodes (pen) 32', Mpanzu (OG) 70'

Att: 9,073 (308 away)

Nathan Jones on point against Huddersfield

Manager Nathan Jones felt ‘deflated’ after a 3-3 draw against Huddersfield Town, which he believed should have been all three points on another night.

After fighting back on two occasions, the Hatters took the lead before the away side replied in the second half during an entertaining contest at Kenilworth Road.

“The problem was every time they had a set play we looked like we would head it in," the gaffer admitted after the match. "We didn’t do the basics well enough, apart from that we were magnificent. We had 24 shots, 11 on target, three goals. We wanted to be aggressive, we targeted certain areas and certain people.

"The game plan was perfect apart from we just could not head the ball out of our 18-yard box when they had a set-play, because I think they only had four set plays and we headed in two ourselves.

“That’s not good enough. To score three at home, be as dominant as we were, we’ve let them off the hook again. Everything about our play apart from set plays was outstanding but we’re sat here after a 3-3 draw.”

On Elijah Adebayo, who scored his first and second goal of the season this evening, Jones said: “You have to realise he set such high standards last season. He was always going to have to gather momentum, what you have to do is keep believing in your players, keep telling them how good they are and keep working with them.

“He works hard, tonight first half was all about Elijah Adebayo and how he was last year, so if we have him and Carlton doing that, with Harry Cornick and Cameron Jerome that we have as well, we have a real, real chance.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MctHVxE4eSc – Nathan Jones interview

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz8FjGV7Kqo – Elijah Adebayo interview

Sloppy Hatters undone by set-pieces as Town score two own-goals in Terriers draw

Championship: Luton Town 3 Huddersfield Town 3

Luton's frustrating inability to hold on to a lead at home reared its head again as they gifted opponents Huddersfield three goals, scoring two themselves, in a 3-3 draw at Kenilworth Road this evening.

Following an absorbing first half in which the hosts led 3-2, Elijah Adebayo finally re-discovering his goalscoring touch with a double, they then conceded an equaliser with 20 minutes to go, substitute Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu heading into his own net.

It was the fourth time this term that the Hatters have led in the second period, only to end up not claiming the victory, frittering away nine points in the process, as they failed to gain revenge over their play-off conquerors from last term.

Town boss Nathan Jones made one enforced change to his starting line-up, Fred Onyedinma in for the injured Reece Burke, Gabe Osho missing out with injury, as did Luke Freeman, Cauley Woodrow and Luke Berry.

Youngsters Casey Pettit and Zack Nelson were on a depleted bench, as captain Dan Potts lined up for his 200th appearance.

Both sides made a decent enough start to the contest, but the visitors went in front on 10 minutes when Sorba Thoma's vicious in-swinging corner, something that was to become a theme for the evening, glanced off the head of Carlton Morris to leave Ethan Horvath with little chance.

Morris looked to make amends for his error at the other end, rising to put a downward header too close to keeper Lee Nicholls, who immediately got the Hatters' fans backs up with his time-wasting and play-acting, giving them a pantomime villain for the rest of the contest.

It came back to bite him on 18 minutes too, Morris doing wonderfully to bring the ball down and find his strike partner Adebayo, who sidestepped his man impressively only to scuff his shot goalwards, the ball striking Michal Helik and dribbling over the line.

With the attempt originally on target, it counted as Adebayo's goal, the forward on target for the first time since scoring against Blackpool on April 23.

Nicholls was called into action again moments later as Jordan Clark showed terrific technique to unleash a first time thunderbolt which the keeper sprang to his right to palm behind.

Town's nemesis from the second leg last term, Jordan Rhodes, tried his luck from outside the box, Horvath getting behind it.

Despite being in the ascendancy, the Hatters then found themselves trailing again on 32 minutes, when a corner from Sorba was sent into the box, Helik's downward header striking the hand of Potts for a penalty that was tucked away with ease by that man Rhodes.

To get something from the contest, Luton had to do something they hadn't done in the last six meetings against the Terriers and that was score a second goal, which they did, just five minutes later, this goal definitely belonging to Adebayo.

A hopeful ball over the top from Morris saw the Adebayo of old return as he bullied Like Mbete to get there first, and with Nicholls advancing, impudently sidefooted the ball beyond him to make it 2-2.

With the Hatters looking to take the lead, Clark did excellently to control a ball in from Bree, and then unleash a low drive that took a nick on its way behind.

However, he was also celebrating on the stroke of half time, after a magnificent run from Bree who picked the ball up almost Kung fu-style inside his own half and simply set off, making it almost toe the edge of the box before sliding in Clark who still had plenty to do, but did it expertly, turning his man and beating Nicholls.

Friday night hero Henri Lansbury didn't reappear after the break, Mpanzu on for his first home appearance since April 2 as the midfielder gained a terrific reception from the Town faithful.

The hosts weren't quite at it in the early stages of the second period, Duane Holmes, who had been such a menace in the play-off matches, dribbling into the box and seeing his cross-shot flash wide.

Luton tried to lift their intensity, Amari'i Bell speeding forward and seeing his attempt deflect behind, while a terrific crossfield ball from Clark sent Onyedinma away, his ball in palmed away by Nicholls, the rebound coming to nothing.

Jones' side paid the price for not reaching the heights of the first period, as for the third time of the evening, they gifted their opponents a goal, Mpanzu giving away the most needless of corners after a communication mix-up with Onyedinma on 71 minutes..

It was the worst thing to do with a player of Thomas' quality on deadballs, as he whipped over another dangerous delivery that Mpanzu stooped to head into his own net and make it 3-3.

Bree tried to match the Welsh international's set-piece prowess, picking out Adebayo who got underneath his header as it dropped over.

Horvath was almost left red-faced when a cross squirmed out of his grasp and rolled inches wide, but he redeemed himself by claiming the resulting corner.

With time running out, Luton, who were trying to mount one big finish, saw Allan Campbell divert his header over, with Lockyer's looping attempt claimed by Nicholls, as sub Harry Cornick then sped through, shooting straight at Nicholls.

Huddersfield were reduced to 10 men in stoppage time, midfielder David Kasumu sent off for two bookings in the space of 60 seconds when fouling Clark and Campbell, but Town didn’t have enough time left to make their numerical advantage count.

Hatters: Ethan Horvath, Fred Onyedinma (Sonny Bradley 80) James Bree, Tom Lockyer, Dan Potts (C), Amari'i Bell, Henri Lansbury (Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu 46) , Allan Campbell, Jordan Clark, Carlton Morris, Elijah Adebayo (Harry Cornick 80).

Subs not used: Harry Isted, Alfie Doughty, Casey Pettit, Zack Nelson.

Tigers: Lee Nicholls, Luke Mbete, Sorba Thomas, Jordan Rhodes (Connor Mahoney 64), David Kasumu, Duane Holmes (Jack Rudoni 82), Etienne Camara (Will Boyle 90), Danny Ward, Ben Jackson (Kaine Kesler Hayden 82), Tom Lees (C), Michal Helik.

Subs not used: Ollie Turton, Josh Ruffels, Nick Bilokapic.

Referee: Leigh Doughty.

Booked: Kasumu 90.

Sent off: Kasumu 90.

'Devastated' Luton boss blasts his side for letting Huddersfield 'off the hook again' during 3-3 draw

Luton boss reacts to yet another home draw

An aghast Luton boss Nathan Jones admitted he was ‘devastated’ at being unable to beat Huddersfield Town yet again this evening, after watching his side score two own goals during their 3-3 draw at Kenilworth Road.

It was Terriers winger Sorba Thomas who was the main menace on the night, as his corners caused havoc throughout, Carlton Morris deflecting one into his own net on 11 minutes.

Luton hit back through Elijah Adebayo’s first goal since April, before another Thomas delivery was met by Michal Helik, his header hitting Dan Potts’ outstretched hand for a penalty, that Jordan Rhodes converted just after the half hour.

Adebayo made it 2-2 with a fine finish, Jordan Clark putting the Hatters in front on the stoke of half time, before with 20 minute to go, the visitors levelled, Thomas’ delivery headed past Ethan Horvath by substitute Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu this time.

A disbelieving Jones, whose side were beaten 2-1 on aggregate by the Terriers in the play-off semi-final last term, said: “It’s the only thing I could see them scoring from, but the only problem was every time they had a set-play, we looked like we were going to head it in.

“We scored two own goals, we didn't do the basics well enough, but apart from that, we were magnificent.

“We had 24 shots, 11 on target, three goals, we wanted to be aggressive, targeted certain areas, targeted certain people.

“The gameplan was perfect, apart from we just could not head the ball out of our 18-yard box when they had a set-play, as they’ve only had four set-plays.

“Three of them have gone in and we’ve headed two in ourselves, that’s not good enough, you can’t do that.

“To score three at home, to be as dominant as we are, and we’ve let them off the hook again.

“We should have beaten them last year, as last year I’m not sure how we didn’t go to Wembley.

“I can't understand the amount we missed, the chances we missed and then we've let them off the hook as well tonight and it’s really devastating for me.”