Luton Town FC vs Hull City (23rd Oct 2021)

Report | Luton Town 1-0 Hull City

The Hatters made it five games unbeaten and moved up into the Championship play-off places with a 1-0 win over Hull City at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

Elijah Adebayo netted his seventh goal of the season in the 17th minute to earn a third win from those five matches, although the top scorer limped off injured at the break, with Luke Berry having already gone off in the opening period with a knock.

Manager Nathan Jones had made two changes to the team that drew 2-2 at Derby on Tuesday night, Fred Onyedinma starting on the left-hand-side and Berry coming into midfield, with Kal Naismith missing out through suspension and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu on the bench.

Town came agonisingly close to taking a fourth-minute lead when Berry's close range shot was deflected onto the post off a combination of Onyedinma and Hull defender Lewie Coyle, whose team-mate Jacob Greaves managed to smuggle the ball behind for a corner.

Town had a deserved lead by the 17th minute, Onyedinma's dancing feet creating the space to deliver a beautiful bending cross to the far post, where Adebayo headed into the roof of the net for his seventh goal of the season.

Two minutes later, in the 19th, a rapturous tribute for Jacob Crawshaw, the 19-year-old Town supporter who tragically lost his life in a road accident hours after watching the Hatters win at Millwall last Saturday, took place with fans on all four sides of Kenilworth Road standing to applaud.

By the 21st minute, Town were forced into a change - Berry suffering a knock in a challenge on the edge of the Luton penalty area, and having to be replaced by Mpanzu.

The visitors' centre-half Di'Shon Bernard, on loan with the Tigers from Manchester United, because the first player into referee John Busby for pulling Adebayo back as he looked to latch onto a pass from Clark on halfway.

It was symbolic of a scrappy period of the half, but the Hatters burst back into life in the 39th minute when Adebayo fed Cornick, who laid the ball back for Onyedinma to curl another lovely cross towards the Hull six-yard box.

Clark jumped in front of keeper Matt Ingram, who strangely chested the ball clear but only as far as Glen Rea, who cracked a volley goalwards, only to be denied by a terrific recovery save by Ingram.

Rea was having an excellent half on his fifth successive start since being reintroduced to the team by Jones for the win over Coventry last month, as was Adebayo - although the goalscorer would become the second change at the break, going off injured and replaced by Cameron Jerome.

A slow start to the second period ensued before Clark stung Ingram's palms with a 20-yard drive just before the hour mark, then Bradley had to make two vital interceptions - one a brave header, the second a block - to help keep the scoresheet blank at the other end.

Hull had threatened briefly at the end of the first half, Mallik Wilks firing straight at Simon Sluga, and striker Josh Magennis headed wide from a Richard Smallwood cross as they enjoyed more territory in the second.

They introduced former Hatter George Moncur shortly after, the attacking midfielder's contribution to our League One championship success and establishment in the Championship recognised by a warm reception from the home fans as he replaced Wilks in the 64th minute.

Rea made another vital contribution, this time in his own box, on 74 minutes as Hull sub Tom Eaves looked to set up Keane Lewis-Potter for a shot after gathering a loose ball following slight hesitation by Sluga.

Jones withdrew Onyedinma in the 78th minute, replacing him with centre-half Reece Burke, who made the opposite move to Moncur in the summer transfer window, joining the Hatters after helping Hull win promotion from League One.

Cornick looked to latch onto a knock-down from Jerome with just over ten minutes to go, but it had proved a frustrating second half to that point for the Town, with the early substitutions having seemingly disrupted the team's rhythm.

Still, a fourth clean sheet in five matches - and seventh of the season - would ensure three points and Jerome did his bit to help that with a header clear as Hull piled pressure on late on, before Greg Docherty fired across goal and wide in injury-time.

Goals: Adebayo 17

Att: 9,999 (793 away)

Nathan Jones' Hull reaction

Manager Nathan Jones was pleased his side could record another Sky Bet Championship victory, stretching their unbeaten run to five matches thanks to a 1-0 win against Hull City.

Elijah Adebayo scored his seventh goal of the season early in the first-half to give the Hatters another win and the gaffer said post-match: “I thought we were the better side in the first half, with a bit more composure we might have scored again but they are fighting for their lives, it is a tough side to play against but to take seven points in a three-game week, I’m absolutely delighted however they come.

Town are flying high in fifth position or as Jones cautiously admitted, joint 11th with seven teams all on 21 points!

“That is how tight the Championship is, but we will take it. Our goal difference is good, this time last year it was poor so every time we did get points, we would be behind them on goal difference.

“To be on 21 points at this stage of the season, even though we believe we should have more, we are in a really good place considering some of the clubs behind us. I’m absolutely delighted with where we are and they have really had to dig in this week and I think we have been excellent.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFh4r5LQrnI – Nathan Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN9FTJDDax4 – Match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atwh6dh-C38 – Tom Lockyer interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-b7x6VyeoU – every angle of goal

Luton up to fifth in the Championship after Adebayo's goal sinks Hull

Championship: Luton Town 1 Hull City 0

Luton shot up the table to sit in the Championship play-offs for the first time this season after a workmanlike 1-0 victory over struggling Hull City this afternoon.

Although never at their sparkling best to produce the kind of free-flowing attacking football that saw Coventry put to the sword recently, this win was no less important as it showed the Hatters are capable of doing the hard yards and grinding out a victory, such a vital asset to have at this level.

It also took Luton's tally of points for the week to seven, no mean feat after back-to-back away games at Millwall and Derby County, with the clean sheet a seventh of the season already for Nathan Jones' side, who are beginning to show signs of achieving their in-house ambitions, and becoming a top six team this term.

Jones made two changes to his side for the fixture as Fred Onyedinma returned following his goalscoring appearance from the bench during Tuesday night's 2-2 draw at Pride Park, Luke Berry back as well.

They replaced the suspended Kal Naismith, while Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu dropped to the bench, joining former Tigers defender Reece Burke.

For City, ex-Luton midfielder George Moncur was also named among the substitutes in his first trip back to Kenilworth Road since leaving in the summer.

Luton almost had the lead inside five minutes as Hull got themselves into trouble trying to clear, the ball looping back into the area and Berry's effort clipped a defender, trickling against the outside the of the post and put behind by a covering City player.

The Hatters kept the pressure on, Hull barely able to get out of their half during the opening exchanges, Town finally making the breakthrough on 17 minutes.

It was a goal of pure simplicity as well, Amari'i Bell finding Onyedinma out on the left and he did a few step-overs, before crossing to the back post where an unmarked Elijah Adebayo stopped to head past Ingram and into the net for his seventh of the season and sixth in seven outings.

Town were then forced into an early change on 22 minutes as Berry, who had injured himself when making a block tackle in midfield, couldn't carry on and was replaced by Mpanzu.

Depute having the lead, Luton couldn't really hammer home their advantage as they had done in the past, unable to gather any kind of momentum in what was a stop-start affair.

With six minutes to go to the break, the Hatters almost moved 2-0 in front though when a good burst by Adebayo saw him find Cornick, the ball transferred to out Onyedinma.

His cross was bizarrely chested clear by Ingram, who might have thought Jordan Clark was going to get a touch, although the keeper did well to keep out Glen Rea's first time deflected follow-up.

The visitors then had their first effort of note in the closing seconds, Mallik Wilks doggedly advancing forward, hit tame shot no trouble for Sluga.

Town were forced into a change at the break as Adebayo, who had excelled in the first period, with his hold-up play and present up front, couldn't recover from a slight injury in the closing stages, replaced by Cameron Jerome.

Luton weren't able to get going fully after the break, Jerome taking a while to get used to proceedings, but just before the hour, he did collect Rea's pass and find Clark whose low left-footer was gathered by Ingram.

The Hatters still struggled to go through the gears, passes often overhit or misplaced and they were in danger of it costing them what should have been a comfortable three points, Magennis connecting with Richard Smallwood's cross, sending his diving header wide.

Hull wasted a marvellous opportunity to level on 74 minutes, Sluga needlessly coming out to try and collect a ball forward, only for Keane Lewis-Potter to nip in.

With the goal vacant, Tom Eaves tried to tee up a team-mate rather than find the net himself, the impressive Rea back to make a crucial interception.

An equaliser was starting to look a distinct possibility, although not with efforts by Lewis-Potter, slicing miles wide after coming off his left flank.

Defender Burke, on against his former club might have sealed the win with three minutes to go, but rising to meet James Bree's corner, couldn't get enough on his header as it skewed behind.

The tiring Cornick then tried to race through the middle, but with the ball not sticking, City had enough men back to clear the danger, quickly springing Greg Docherty in the area.

However, his cross-shot flashed behind, Town digging deep in injury time to extend their unbeaten run to five games and ensure their supporters will enjoy checking out the league table no no doubt more than once over the weekend.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, James Bree, Tom Lockyer, Sonny Bradley ©, Amari'i Bell, Glen Rea , Jordan Clark, Luke Berry (Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu 22), Fred Onyedinma (Reece Burke 78), Harry Cornick, Elijah Adebayo (Cameron Jerome 46).

Subs not used: James Shea, Carlos Mendes Gomes, Allan Campbell, Admiral Muskwe, Reece Burke.

Tigers: Matt Ingram, Lewis Coyle, Callum Elder, Jacob Greaves, Richard Smallwood ©., Mallik Wilks (George Moncur 64), Greg Docherty, George Honeyman (Randell Williams 83), Keane Lewis-Potter, Di'Shon Bernard, Josh Magennis (Tom Eaves 69).

Subs not used: Josh Emmanuel, Andy Cannon, Sean McLoughlin, Harvey Cartwright.

Bookings: Bernard 27.

Referee: John Busby.

Attendance: 9,999 (793 Hull).

Jones warns Town have 'done nothing yet' despite moving into the play-offs after beating Tigers

Reaction from Luton chief to today's victory against Hull City

After seeing his side climb into the play-off places for the first time this season following a 1-0 win over Hull City today, Hatters boss Nathan Jones refused to get carried away, admitting his side haven’t achieved anything yet.

Striker Elijah Adebayo netted the only goal of the game on 17 minutes, heading home Fred Onyedinma’s pinpoint cross at the back post to score his seventh of the season and sixth in seven outings.

It was enough to see Town leapfrog a whole host of teams and break into the top six, sitting as high as fifth, with goal difference separating them and six other sides, with Blackpool in 11th, also on 21 points.

When asked if they were now genuine promotion contenders this term, Jones said: “Let people say whatever they want, we know what we have inside, we know our own ambitions, where we want to be, what we want to do.

“It doesn’t matter what people think about us, we have a certain way of playing, a certain way of doing stuff, we have a belief about us that we can do certain things, but we’ve done nothing yet.

“It’s the third game in a week, we’ve had two away games again and then coming into the home games, so the important thing today was just to win the game.

“First half I thought we were the better side, second half was far more even and we lost a little bit more control than we would have liked, but we had to defend properly late on as they really went for it.

“Credit to them, they really had a go and we had to see the game out and I thought we did that well.

“We had to use the squad, but any win in the Championship is tough to do.

"It's tough fought and I'm just glad we got the win as that was more important than anything.”