Luton Town FC vs Leeds United (23rd Nov 2019)

LUTON TOWN 1-2 LEEDS UNITED

Collins on target, but determined Hatters deflated by late Leeds winner

The Hatters suffered late heartbreak despite producing a determined display as they lost 2-1 against Leeds United at a wet Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

Town fell behind in the 51st minute as Patrick Bamford struck the Leeds opener, but the Hatters were quickly back on level terms as James Collins grabbed his sixth goal of the season.

Matty Pearson had the ball in the back of the net minutes after but his effort was ruled out for offside, as Leeds went on to win the game in the final moments with the ball going past James Shea off the defender, despite the Hatters producing a wholehearted display until the final whistle.

The result means Town remain in 21st place, whilst Leeds moved up one place into second behind leaders West Bromwich Albion.

The opening exchanges were certainly entertaining and chances were aplenty at both ends of the pitch.

Tyler Roberts thought he was bearing down on goal for Leeds but Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu shrugged him off the ball before he could get a shot away.

The midfielder – brought back into the starting line-up after not featuring against Reading – then had the game’s first shot just before the 20 minute mark, but fired over from the edge of the box.

It was Town in the ascendancy for a spell after that, with Harry Cornick almost the architect on both occasions. First the winger saw his effort blocked by Gaetano Berardi after being played through by Izzy Brown, next he produced some fantastic work down the right-hand-side to win a corner.

From the resulting delivery, Brown’s low ball was met by Sonny Bradley, who fired just wide of the goal.

After the half hour mark, Leeds created a number of chances to take the lead if it wasn’t for the brilliance of James Shea.

First the keeper could only watch as Bamford hit the post with a left-footed shot, but he was quickly called into action shortly afterwards.

Kalvin Phillips produced a low-drive from the edge of the box which Shea did well to parry. Harrison was quickly onto the rebound, but Shea was up again to deny Leeds.

Just before half-time, Shea was the hero once more as he denied Roberts from the edge of the box – a shot that took a big deflection on the way through.

Six minutes into the second half, Leeds took the lead through Bamford despite protests for a foul on Izzy Brown up the other end of the pitch. His left-footed effort went past Shea but their lead lasted for a matter of minutes, as James Collins scored his first goal since the victory against Blackburn Rovers in September, ending his seven-game goal drought.

Up against the club with whom he spent last season on loan, Izzy Brown provided his sixth assist in the Championship as he crossed for Collins, who powerfully headed the ball beyond Casilla.

Town thought they had taken the lead in the 58th minute, but after bundling the ball into the back of the net, Matty Pearson was judged to be in an offside position.

The game continued its high intensity and end-to-end fashion as Leeds went close once more.

Pablo Hernandez weaved his way into the box, before firing a shot on goal which Shea saved well to keep the score level.

Leeds ramped up the pressure with minutes to play as Mateusz Klich was denied twice in quick succession – first from an acute angle and then after receiving the ball 12 yards out.

In the last minute, the midfielder turned provider as his cross went off Pearson and into the back of the net.

There was very nearly even later drama as Dan Potts had a chance with the final touch of the game, but he could only head James Bree's corner down into the ground and over the bar.

The Hatters can take plenty of positives from this afternoon's performance though, as they look to bounce back on Tuesday night when Charlton Athletic are the visitors to the Kenny.

TOWN: Shea, Bree, Pearson, Bradley, Potts, Tunnicliffe, Shinnie (Bolton 90), Mpanzu, Brown (LuaLua 75), Cornick (McManaman 75), Collins. Subs not used: Sluga, Galloway, Jones, Butterfield.

Goals: Collins (54)

LEEDS: Casilla, Ayling, White, Berardi (Cooper 59), Dallas, Phillips, Hernandez, Klich, Roberts (Clarke 71), Harrison (Costa 64), Bamford. Subs not used: Meslier, Douglas, Alioski, Gotts.

Goals: Bamford (51, 90)

Yellows: Ayling

Referee: John Brooks

Attendance: 10,068 (1,035 away fans)

GRAEME JONES ON THE 2-1 DEFEAT TO LEEDS UNITED

Hatters boss Graeme Jones spoke of his admiration for his players after today’s 2-1 defeat to Leeds United at Kenilworth Road.

Having got back on level terms through a James Collins header after going behind to Patrick Bamford’s low drive, the Leeds striker nicked a second late on to secure all three points for Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

Jones said: “I was delighted with aspects of the game today, just not the final result. But I think there comes a point where you have to admire the boys that give everything. We’re three minutes short really – one minute short of getting a result.

“If our ratio is one in 17 for a poor performance then I will take it now, but obviously we have to turn those performances into results.

“These are the best team in the league. I have analysed them enough to say that. We nullified them today. I see them cutting through teams and I mean at will. They had more shots today, they had more possession, but we were always in the game and that’s a satisfying aspect.

“I don’t think I am a biased manager, I think I try to be fair. I try to be subjective with things. In my opinion – I have watched the clips back – it’s a foul on Izzy, they’ve taken his leg away from him, in my opinion, it’s a foul on James Collins, he gets kicked. And in my opinion, Matty Pearson is onside.

“We are playing Leeds United, the gulf is already big enough and when you don’t get decisions going your way and your team has given absolutely everything they have got, it’s a difficult one to swallow.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woM5T9Mfzjw – Graeme Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKQwHctg6bE – Match highlights

Heartache for Luton as Bamford steals late Leeds winner

Championship: Luton Town 1 Leeds United 2

Luton suffered a truly gutting last-minute defeat against Leeds this afternoon, beaten by Patrick Bamford's close-range strike with just 60 seconds to go.

It had looked like the Hatters would hold on for a valuable and valiant point, keeping out their promotion-chasing visitors for large chunks of the second period, before Bamford popped up to win it for the Whites, condemning Graeme Jones' side to a fifth successive loss.

Defeat was incredibly harsh on Luton who deserve something from the game for their effort alone, but Leeds held their nerve even when the clock ticked into 89, as their calm and measured approach paid off with the winner.

Hatters went into the contest with five changes from the woeful defeat at Reading last time out, Izzy Brown, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, James Bree, Andrew Shinnie and captain Sonny Bradley all back in for Martin Cranie, Jacob Butterfield, Luke Bolton, Callum McManaman and Lloyd Jones.

The early stages saw Leeds begin to dominate the ball, as they looked increasingly comfortable when knocking it around inside their own half, often looking to spring wing back Jack Harrison foward on the left.

After a few range-finders, the one time he was picked out, he easily beat Bree's outstretched boot to deliver a dangerous cross that James Shea held on to well.

Town had the odd moment of danger, usually when Brown or Shinnie were trying to drive forward, before Mpanzu went closest, lofting an effort over from outside the box.

Brown weighted a lovely pass into Harry Cornick, whose effort was charged down, before a slip by Shinnie saw Leeds break, with Bamford's effort almost catching out Shea, who made a very awkward save at head height.

A full-blooded sliding challenge by Shinnie on 25 minutes saw the home crowd start to really get involved, as Cornick's cross was turned behind for a corner.

Town unveiled a move straight off the training ground, with Brown drilling his flag kick into the box, Mpanzu blocking his man off and Bradley volleying narrowly wide of the target.

Leeds then started to turn the screw though as they were inches away from moving in front on the half hour, Bamford getting behind Luton's defence and his side-footed effort hitting the outside of the post.

From the follow-up, Shea pulled off a superb double to save to keep Town on level terms, as he got a good hand to divert Kalvin Phillips' daisycutter away from the bottom corner, and then got up to block from Harrison's follow-up.

Leeds kept on pushing, Mateusz Klich and Luke Ayling both sending shots off target as Marcelo Bielsa's side begain to take the game by the scruff of the neck, Bamford's header straight at Shea.

The Town stopper kept his side in it once more on 41 minutes, as a fine United move saw Tyler Roberts in acres of space and his deflected drew was clawed behind by Shea.

Luton did have one last opportunity before the break, Brown going for the top corner, missing by quite some margin.

After the interval, Leeds looked to continue their dominance, taking the lead with a real dollop of controversy, as Brown appeared to have his heels clearly clipped in the build-up, but official John Brooks gave nothing.

The ball was still some distance away from the hosts' goal at this poing, but United countered with clinical precision, as they transferred the ball to Bamford, who inside the box, finally beat Shea's resistance at his near post.

United almost made it 2-0 immediately from the kick-off as Town gave the ball away, before a challenge by Luke Ayling on Dan Potts ignited the home support, and they saw their side level within three minutes.

Once again it was Brown who was the architect, doing superbly to dig out a wonderful cross from the right, on to the head of Collins, who nodded past Casilla for his first goal since the end of September.

Cornick's effort was parried behind by Casilla, but Town thought they had moved in front from the corner, Pearson converting after Casilla had blocked a header, only to see the goal ruled out for a linesman's flag.

Chances came and went at both ends, Bradley hammering over on his right after a free kick dropped to him, while Leeds should really have retaken the lead through Bamford, the £7m striker volleying waywardly after finding some space in the area.

Shinnie tried his luck from 25 yards, Casilla gathering with ease, while Shea kept up his barrier, stopping Hernandez's side-footed attempt and then denying Klich twice.

However, all of Town's hard work was undone with a minute to go, as Leeds once more found space inside their area and Bamford slid in to convert a cross past Shea.

With four minutes of injury time, Luton should have stolen a point in the very last second, as Potts was left completely unmarked from a corner, only to see his header bounce down and over the bar.

Hatters: James Shea, James Bree, Dan Potts, Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley ©, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Andrew Shinnie (Luke Bolton 90), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Izzy Brown (Kazenga LuaLua 75), James Collins, Harry Cornick (Callum McManaman 75).

Subs not used: Simon Sluga, Brendan Galloway, Lloyd Jones, Jacob Butterfield.

Leeds: Kiko Casilla, Luke Ayling ©, Ben White, Patrick Bamford, Tyler Roberts (Jack Clarke 71), Stuart Dallas, Pablo Hernandez, Jack Harrison (Helder Costa 64)(, Kalvin Phillips, Gaetano Berardi (Liam Cooper 59), Mateusz Klich.

Subs not used: Illan Meslier, Barry Douglas, Ezgjan Alioski, Robbie Gotts.

Booked: Ayling 53.

Referee: John Brooks.

Attendance: 10,068.

Jones felt three major decisions went against Luton in United defeat

Luton boss Graeme Jones was left to rue three decisions that he believed went again his side during their 2-1 defeat against Leeds United this afternoon.

With the second half just five minutes old, midfielder Izzy Brown had his heels clipped by Kalvin Phillips when deep in enemy territory, only for referee John Brooks to wave play on, United transferring the ball downfield seamlessly for Patrick Bamford to rifle the opening goal past James Shea.

Striker James Collins then levelled the scores moments later, before Town thought they had taken the lead through Matty Pearson's close range attempt, and was already off celebrating, before a late linesman's flag chalked his effort off.

Town were made to pay in the final minute, Bamford getting his second of the game, as speaking afterwards, Jones also felt his side should have had a penalty in the first period, saying "I don’t think I’m a biased manager, I think I try to be fair and try to be subjective with things.

“In my opinion, I’ve looked at the clips back, it’s a foul on Izzy, taking his legs from him.

“In my opinion, it’s a penalty on James Collins, he gets the other side and gets kicked and in my opinion, Matty Pearson is onside.

"There's no VAR to confirm it, it's purely subjective.

"There's a guy standing just inside the six-yard box and Matty's on the line.

"So for me, I can't draw a line across it, but for me, he's onside.

"Now I think that's why it's been disallowed, maybe John (Brooks) saw a foul in there that we're not talking about.

"If we're talking about it being onside, my subjective opinion is that he was onside.

“We’re playing Leeds United, the gulf is already big enough and when you don’t get decisions like that going your way and your team has given absolutely everything they’ve got, it’s a difficult one to swallow.

"I spoke to them about the penalty at half time, but it's after the horse has bolted.

"I've said before, what I don't want is little Luton, because we're playing Leeds.

"I felt the bitty decisions went against us today, never mind the big ones.

"John Brooks is an outstanding referee but I feel a little bit disappointed with how things went.

"It's nothing to do with the referee, you have to make your own luck.

"I'm certainly not blaming anybody here, but those things against a big team like Leeds can make the difference."

Despite the injustice Jones felt, he thought his side had nicked a point with the final action of the game, Dan Potts somehow heading wide from just six yards out.

He added: "We deserved that, where's the football gods when you need them?

"Dan's the cleanest headerer of the ball at the club and you think this is the least we deserve here.

"But nobody's going to help us, nobody's going to feel sorry for us, we've got to help ourselves and we'll get better results if we can repeat what we did today."