Luton Town FC vs Huddersfield Town (6th Feb 2021)

Match Report | Luton Town 1-1 Huddersfield Town

Shares are spoiled in an entertaining game at Kenilworth Road...

Naby Sarr’s late equaliser for Huddersfield cancelled out James Collins’ early goal to give the Hatters a point in a game that they will feel was theirs for the taking.

The Hatters started on the front with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall finding space down the left-side of the area, before Matty Pearson’s deflected cross bounced into the path of Jordan Clark, but his header was gathered by ‘keeper Ryan Schofield.

The Town took the lead in the eleventh minute through James Collins. Dewsbury-Hall intercepted Huddersfield’s pass out from the back, heading into Pelly Ruddock-Mpanzu who found Cornick down the right, delivering low into the path of Collins who tapped home for his seventh of the season.

Luton continued to put pressure on Huddersfield’s build-up play in a game where both sides struggled to find cutting edge in the final third.

Two minutes before half-time and the Town came within a whisker of doubling their advantage. Mpanzu charged down the right after Huddersfield’s clearance from a corner, clipping in deep to find Potts who headed against the post.

That proved to be the last action of a relatively quiet first-half where the Hatters took a deserved lead and came close to securing a second.

Huddersfield made one change at half-time, bringing on former Newcastle winger Rolando Aarons in place of Isaac Mbenza.

The Terrier’s sparked into life in the early stages of the second half, with Spanish right-back Pipa firing a shot from distance that went just wide of Simon Sluga’s right post.

A minute later and the visitors came close again. Harry Toffolo fired a cross in after beating Cornick down the left flank, with the Hatters managing to clear after a scramble at the front-post.

Huddersfield continued to create the better chances of the second-half as the Hatters were pushed back. Jordan Clark lost possession of the halfway line with Huddersfield releasing Juninho Bacuna down the left flank whose shot from a tight angle hit the side netting.

Twenty minutes into the second period and the Hatters created their first opportunity of the half. Lockyer dispossessed Bacuna on the halfway line, with Collins releasing Mpanzu in behind, but his shot from the edge of the box sailed over the bar.

With sixteen minutes remaining Huddersfield equalised after a strong second-half showing. Bacuna’s low in-swinging free kick from the left was saved by Sluga and turned in by Naby Sarr at the back post.

Huddersfield continued to create chances as the Hatters gave away possession cheaply down the left, finding new signing Duane Holmes free in the box, but his effort on the stretch was saved comfortably by Sluga.

Mpanzu once again came close to scoring with ten minutes remaining after substitute Glen Rea found Luton’s longest serving player on the edge of the box who turned and powered forwards, with Sarr blocking his shot well and deflecting over the bar.

Luton continued to press forwards late on having been on the back foot for most of the half. This time Clark and Dan Potts combined down the left flank, with the former finding Collins racing across goal at the front post, only for his flick to be deflected behind by Huddersfield stopper Schofield.

Huddersfield’s Harry Toffolo was sent off for a high tackle on Glen Rea in stoppage time, with Rea emerging unscathed and agonisingly hitting the post from Dewsbury-Hall’s delivery with a low diving header in what proved to be the final action of the game.

Town: Sluga, Potts, Bradley (C), Lockyer, Pearson, Cornick (Ince 83), Berry (Rea 72), Dewsbury-Hall, Mpanzu, Clark (Naismith 87), Collins

Subs not used: Shea, Cranie, Adebayo, Hylton, Moncur, Nombe

Goals: Collins (11)

Yellows: Dewsbury-Hall

Huddersfield: Schofield, Pipa (Pritchard 67(Vallejo 90+5)), Toffolo, Hogg, Bacuna, O’Brien, Holmes (High 90+4), Keogh, Mbenza (Aarons 45), Campbell, Sarr

Goals: Sarr (74)

Yellows: O’Brien, Pipa, Hogg

Red: Toffolo (90+2)

Referee: Leigh Doughty

Nathan Jones' thoughts on Huddersfield draw

The gaffer reacts to the draw against the Terriers at Kenilworth Road...

Manager Nathan Jones was disappointed his side couldn’t build on their first-half dominance against Huddersfield Town this afternoon.

Back at Kenilworth Road for only the second time this calendar year, James Collins had given the Hatters a fantastic start early on but Naby Sarr equalised for the Terriers in the second half, condemning the Hatters to a frustrating draw.

The level of performance I was pretty satisfied with,” the gaffer insisted. “We just needed that second goal. First half I thought we were excellent, we had a number of opportunities, Potts’ chance I think is point-blank, got to score.

“He’s got up brilliantly, won the header and you think it’s in, everyone on our bench did. I think that would have been the cushion that we needed because I thought we were in real control.

“Second half they came out and they wanted to have a right go and they did. They didn’t have anything clear-cut apart from the counter attack late on and I still felt we were a threat as well.

“Overall, we have had enough chances and enough opportunities to have taken three points and I’m a little bit disappointed that we didn’t.

A pleasing aspect however was the way in which the goal was scored, as Jones admitted: “We made a big thing of it this week because we put so many balls into the box without actually converting.

“We worked on the type of cross, the run, numbers in the box, those are the things we have worked on and we had a big de-brief on it from the last six games because Brentford away, Blackburn away and QPR here, we have had a lot of opportunities in and around the box but haven’t quite finished the action.

“Today we wanted to do that and I thought we were a threat especially from crosses, just disappointed we didn’t get the second goal.”

https://issuu.com/lutontownfc/docs/huddersfield_programme_bcd - programme

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xFl2EIskaU – match highlights

Hatters fail to build on early goal as Terriers hit back to earn a point

Championship: Luton Town 1 Huddersfield Town 1

Luton were unable to heap even more misery on Huddersfield Town's poor run of form on their travels, as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

Going into the game, the visitors were on a run of eight matches without a win away from the John Smith's Stadium, taking just two points in that time.

The Hatters gave themselves every chance of making that two from nine, going in front with their quickest goal of the season so far, James Collins netting on 11 minutes, but they failed to build on that, and were undone with 15 minutes to go, Naby Sarr scoring an equaliser.

Town chief Nathan Jones made just the one change from last weekend's 1-0 defeat to Blackburn, with Luke Berry in for Glen Rea, as both deadline day signings Tom Ince and Elijah Adebayo started on the bench.

The hosts made a bright opening, Matty Pearson's deflected cross bouncing kindly for Jordan Clark, whose close range header was straight at keeper Ryan Schofield.

Although the visitors then had a mini spell of possession, it was Town who took the lead, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu dinking a pass to the right for Harry Cornick.

He sped into the box and this time picked out the perfect ball across goal for Collins to tap into the net for his 10th of the season, ending a nine-game drought and becoming the first Hatters striker to score since December 12, 10 matches ago.

Luton looked for a quickfire second, determined to keep the pressure on their visitors, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall firing over from range.

Lewis O'Brien lashed off target for the visitors on 20 minutes, while Juninho Bacuna dragged wide after a powerful run upfield.

Town couldn't break through again before the interval, although had a great chance on the stroke of half time, Mpanzu's delectable cross to the far post met by the towering head of Dan Potts, who somehow nodded against the post.

After the break, Huddersfield threatened immediately, Pipa racing forward and shooting low from the edge of the box, not missing by much, while half time substitute Rolando Aarons couldn't divert Harry Toffolo's cross on target.

The Terriers were starting to get closer, Luton losing the ball through Clark, and Bacuna found on the left hand side of the area, shooting into the side-netting when others were better placed.

Luton thought they might have got the second goal they were beginning to crave midway through the half as Collins cleverly teed up Mpanzu on the edge of the box, but under pressure from Sarr he hammered over.

Hatters were then pegged back on 74 minutes when a low free kick from Bacuna was parried by the unsighted Simon Sluga for Sarr to equalise from close range.

The visitors almost completed the turnaround moments later, Frazier Campbell's pinpoint cross from the right met the unmarked Duane Holmes, Sluga saving at the second attempt.

Skipper Sonny Bradley then stabbed over his own bar as Huddersfield kept the pressure on, but Luton had openings of their own, a strong run by Mpanzu leading to his cross-shot deflected wide.

Collins was inches away from a second as he met Clark's low ball in, with Schofield out bravely at his feet to ensure all Luton had was a corner for their troubles.

In stoppage time, the visitors were reduced to 10 men, Toffolo seeing red for a lunging challenge on Glen Rea as the Terriers looked to break.

From the free kick, Luton might have snatched victory, Rea meeting the cross, only to see his glancing header hit the outside of the post and rebound to safety.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, Matty Pearson, Dan Potts, Tom Lockyer, Sonny Bradley ©, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Luke Berry (Glen Rea 72), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Jordan Clark (Kal Naismith 87), Harry Cornick (Tom Ince 83), James Collins.

Subs not used: James Shea, George Moncur, Danny Hylton, Sam Nombe, Elijah Adebayo, Martin Cranie.

Terriers: Ryan Schofield, Pipa (Alex Pritchard 67, Alex Vallejo 90), Harry Toffolo, Jonathan Hogg (C), Juninho Bacuna, Lewis O'Brien, Duane Holmes (Scott High 90), Richard Keogh, Isaac Mbenza (Rolando Aarons 46), Frazier Campbell, Naby Sarr.

Subs not used: Jayson Leutwiler, Demeaco Duhaney, Sorba Thomas, Romoney Crichlow-Noble, Kieran Phillips, Scott High.

Bookings: Dewsbury-Hall 7, O'Brien 23, Pipa 53.

Sent off: Toffolo 90.

Referee: Leigh Doughty.

Jones frustrated by Luton's failure to add a second goal in Huddersfield draw

Town made to pay for missed chances

Hatters boss Nathan Jones was frustrated with his side for failing to build on their early advantage as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Huddersfield Town at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

The hosts led through their quickest goal of the season so far, James Collins reaching double figures for the campaign on 11 minutes, turning home Harry Cornick's pinpoint cross into the gaping net.

Luton then missed a wonderful chance on the stroke of half time, Dan Potts’ close range header striking the post, while Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu whizzed over from the edge of the box in the second period.

Huddersfield levelled with 15 minutes left, Naby Sarr on target, much to Jones' annoyance, as he also saw Glen Rea hit the woodwork

The manager said: "I thought after the first half we should have been more than one up as Pottsy’s (Dan Potts) had a great chance right on half time which would have made it two.

“We’ve had double the shots on target that they've had, they've had more possession than us, but they're a possession-based side in terms of how they set up.

“I’m quite happy with the performance, I'm just disappointed we didn't get the second goal as I think that would have been enough.

“We wanted to play on the front foot, the first goal is so important, we don't tend to lose when we get the first goal.

“We got that, and I’m just disappointed we didn't go further ahead as our play deserved more.

“Second half they came out, they controlled possession a little bit more than us, but I still thought we were a real threat.

“Pelly had a chance, we’ve hit the post later on, had a lot of balls in the final third without quite picking out people.

"I’m happy enough with the performance, I'm just disappointed that we weren’t a little bit more dominant and didn’t get that second goal.”

Jones was also not best pleased with the manner of the Terriers equaliser which saw Juninho Bacuna’s free kick parried by Simon Sluga, with Sarr left unmarked to tap home.

He added: “It was naïve defending, their free kick’s soft, we haven't lined up properly for it and they haven't had to do a hell of a lot to score that goal and that’s the disappointing thing.

"We've got three in the wall from a wide angle which we’ll have a look at, then it’s too easy for someone to walk off us as he did.

“The free kick’s come at a low height, parried it back out and then they've scored from it.

“It’s not a good goal, we've defended set-plays brilliantly, they’ve put some real good balls in, but I thought we were excellent in terms of getting the first contact and really defending well.

"I'm just really, really disappointed we didn’t get that second goal.”