Luton Town FC vs Leeds United (5th Apr 2025)

05/04/2025 – LUTON TOWN 1-1 LEEDS UNITED

Spirited Hatters earn deserved point

Isaiah Jones on target as the Hatters hold promotion chasers to draw

The Hatters added another point towards their quest for Championship survival with a deserved point against promotion-chasing Leeds.

A spirited showing got off to the best possible start when Isaiah Jones volleyed the Town in front after 15 minutes.

Leeds, who came into the game second place in the table, were level 13 minutes later when Dan James curled home a fine finish from the edge of the penalty area.

Despite having the better of the play after the break, the Town couldn’t find a winner but Matt Bloomfield’s side can be happy with a point on the board as they aim for survival in the closing weeks of the season.

The manager made one change to the side that beat Hull last weekend as Jones returned to the starting line-up after recovering from a knock sustained on international duty.

But it was the visitors who threatened first on an early spring afternoon when James headed straight at Kaminski after three minutes.

And the Hatters had Kaminski to thank nine minutes later for keeping the score goalless when reacting superbly to keep out Junior Firpo’s inadvertent effort after the ball had bounced into his path from a free-kick.

Kaminski then prevented Manor Solomon’s effort and, moments later, the Hatters were ahead. Elijah Adebayo sped clear on the counter to feed Jordan Clark and his deep left-wing cross was met by the unerring finish of Jones at the back-post. It was the Guyana international's first goal for the club.

However, the Town’s lead did not last long when Leeds levelled on 28 minutes. The Hatters half-cleared a corner to James on the right-hand side of the penalty area. The Welsh winger cut inside and sent a sweet curling left-foot shot past the despairing dive of Kaminski.

There was no sign of a second for Leeds, though, as, to their credit, the Hatters looked comfortable as half-time approached.

Chris Makosso, imperious all afternoon, was close to getting on the end of a deep Thelo Aasgaard cross on 40 minutes before Adebayo nodded at Karl Darlow two minutes later.

The second half was only a couple of minutes old when the Town lost the physical presence of Adebayo, with the striker helped off the pitch following an innocuous challenge near the dugout. Tahith Chong took the frontman’s place.

Moments after the winger’s introduction the Hatters came close to restoring the lead when Aasgaard took Amari’i Bell’s pass to cut inside and drive a shot goalwards that Darlow did well to parry. Clark fired over the follow-up into row Z of the Kenny end.

But the Town looked anything but a side in the bottom three as they kept the visitors at bay while chasing a winner for themselves.

Kaminski was equal to substitute Patrick Bamford’s shot on 73 minutes but Bloomfield made a triple sub for the final quarter-of-an-hour with Lasse Nordås, Milli Alli and Lamine Fanne introduced in a bid to win the game.

Leeds came closest to a second with eight minutes to go only for Solomon to miss his cue at the back-post after James’ enticing cross but a late defeat would have harsh on the Hatters after a determined display not short on quality.

Eight minutes of additional time came and went without incident with the Hatters the happier with a point come the final whistle.

10,000 Lutonian voices would have taken that before a whistle was blown in the morning and now attention turns to a big one up at Stoke on Tuesday night.

See you then. UTT.

Town: Kaminski; Jones (sub Alli 77), Doughty (sub Lamine Fanne 77), McGuinness, Bell, Makosso; Clark, Walsh (sub Nordås), Aasgaard; Morris, Adebayo (sub Chong 49).

Subs not used: Krul, Naismith, Burke, Nelson, Bowler.

Attendance: 11,860, including 1,273 from Leeds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6DkLB6j6R4 – Matt Bloomfield post match interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB7NE9YVg7s – Match highlights

Luton claim a crucial point against title-chasing Leeds United

Championship: Luton Town 1 Leeds United 1

Luton picked up what could be a hugely valuable point in their battle for Championship survival this season when producing a battling and valiant display full of heart to hold promotion-chasing Leeds United at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

Although showing signs of faltering once more this term, the Whites came into the game having lost just once in 21 second tier matches, needing victory to remain in the top two, while the Hatters were desperate for the points themselves for very different reasons, trying to cut the gap on the teams above them. It looked like Matt Bloomfield's side might have done so by three points when Izzy Jones put the hosts ahead, but former Manchester United winger Daniel James equalised soon afterwards to ensure it was just the one they were able to haul back.

With boss Matt Bloomfield making just one change, the fit-again Jones replacing Reece Burke, it was the visitors who threatened first, Manor Solomon taking advantage of a slip from Christ Makosso to escape on the left and send over a cross that Daniel James headed straight at Thomas Kaminski. Town then needed Kaminski to come to the rescue on 14 minutes as Manor Solomon's free kick was deflected goalwards by Junior Firpo, the Belgian doing superbly to spring to his right and claw the ball away from the bottom corner.

He was at it again moments later when Solomon took aim from outside the box, parrying the shot before Liam Walsh completed the clearance. Town's industry in midfield was to prove key on 15 minutes though, as Walsh won the ball back with a tigerish challenge just outside his own box and send Elijah Adebayo away inside his own half.

The forward showed signs of the Adebayo of old, outmuscling his marker to find the overlapping Jordan Clark, who was able to wait for support and deliver a wonderful cross that picked out Jones, who had ghosted in at the far post, to volley in his first goal for the club. With Leeds starting to really crank up the pressure, having over 75 percent of the play, it was no surprise when the visitors drew level on 28 minutes, although the manner of the goal will frustrate Town.

A corner was half cleared by Carlton Morris, but James was able to pick up the loose ball after it ran out of the box, drifting away from the attentions of Adebayo to work an opening on his left foot and curl home exquisitely from 20 yards. Chances were few and far between after that, although Luton were holding their opponents at arms length, until another long throw by Makosso on 42 minutes was flicked on by Morris for strike partner Adebayo who got up well but couldn't force the recalled Karl Darlow into anything but a comfortable claim.

After the break, Luton were forced into a swap immediately as Adebayo went down following what looked like an innocuous tackle only to hobble off after receiving treatment, replaced by Tahith Chong. Luton almost retook the lead 60 seconds later, Amari’i Bell finding the advancing Thelo Aasgaard who swerved his way into a shooting position, only for Darlow to save well, Clark skying well over after being teed up afterwards.

Kaminski was off his line well to stop Solomon from getting to the ball as Town were more than giving their own in what was an increasingly even second period, as the neutral observer would be left wondering just how the Hatters find themselves in the position of fighting to stay in the second tier. As time wore on, United started to ramp up the pressure, Kaminski getting down well to prevent substitute Patrick Bamford from giving the promotion hopefuls the lead after coming off the bench.

The Whites then missed a huge chance with eight minutes left, James getting away on the right as Town fans and players screamed for an offside flag that never came, his inviting ball across the box met by Solomon just a few yards from goal, who thankfully skewed wide of the target. In the closing stages, young defender Makosso, who barely put a foot wrong all afternoon, made a brilliant point-saving challenge to prevent Solomon from winning it, as Luton added a precious point to what they will be a tally enough to stay up.

Hatters: Thomas Kaminski, Christ Makosso, Mark McGuinness, Amari’i Bell, Izzy Jones (Milli Alli 77), Liam Walsh (Lamine Fanne 78), Jordan Clark, Thelo Aasgaard, Alfie Doughty (Lasse Nordas 77), Elijah Adebayo (Tahith Chong 49), Carlton Morris. Subs not used: Tim Krul, Kal Naismith, Reece Burke, Zack Nelson, Josh Bowler.

Whites: Karl Darlow, Jayden Bogle (Sam Byram 87), Junior Firpo, Ethan Ampadu ©, Pascal Struijk (Max Wober 86), Joe Rodon, Daniel James, Joel Piroe (Brenden Aaronson 79), Manor Solomon (Isaac Schmidt 87), Ao Tanaka, Wilfried Gnonto (Patrick Bamford 63). Subs not used: Illan Meslier, Largie Ramazani, Joshua Guilavogul, Ilia Gruev.

Referee: Thomas Bramall.

Booked: Jones 21, Bogle 39, Solomon 60.

Bloomfield felt Town turned in a performance to be 'proud' of against Leeds

Hatters hold promotion hopefuls this afternoon

Luton boss Matt Bloomfield declared his side gave a performance to be ‘proud’ of when holding title-chasing Leeds United to a 1-1 draw at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

After Thomas Kaminski made a superb save from Junior Firpo early on, the Hatters took the lead through a fantastic team goal from Izzy Jones, as he volleyed home his first for the club when connecting sweetly with Jordan Clark’s inch-perfect cross, following a powerful run by striker Elijah Adebayo with just 15 minutes of the contest gone.

Although they were then pegged back as Daniel James curled in an excellent equaliser before the half hour mark, a game that ebbed and flowed during the second period saw Thelo Aasgaard denied by Karl Darlow, with the Whites then almost winning it late on, Manor Solomon slicing James’ delivery wide from close range.

Although they were then pegged back as Daniel James curled in an excellent equaliser before the half hour mark, a game that ebbed and flowed during the second period saw Thelo Aasgaard denied by Karl Darlow, with the Whites then almost winning it late on, Manor Solomon slicing James’ delivery wide from close range.

Speaking before the other matches were decided, a buoyant Bloomfield said: “It’s a performance to be well and truly proud of, a club to be proud of today. The supporters were incredible, backing the players, roaring them on, really responding to the effort the lads put in. I thought our discipline out of possession, we knew that the quality that Leeds have in possession, we’d have to be disciplined and structured, but we pressed at the appropriate moments and it was a performance to be proud of.

“The last couple of home games, Middlesbrough and Sheffield United stick to mind how we started really on the front foot, but I thought Leeds started really well today. They had a couple of good opportunities, especially down the left hand side, I thought they created really nicely, so Thomas had to make a couple of saves, but we built ourselves into it.

"A great move for the goal, I thought Eli was fantastic carrying us up the pitch, Clicker with a bit of quality and Izzy where we want him to be, tapping in at the back post, so Leeds started particularly well and we had to weather that a little bit, but in the main we have to be really pleased with our performance. I believed we could come and win the game today, but we’re talking about one of the best teams in the league and we have to respect that they’ve got Premier League players.

"I’m sure they’ll be playing in the Premier League next season, so it’s definitely a point added to our total, one to be proud of and keeps us heading in the right direction. To a man I think the work-rate and effort and intensity was brilliant and the crowd really responded. It’s a point on our total, we’ve still got a lot of work ahead, we’ve got six games and lots more points that we need. We have to be relentless and we understand that, but it’s a point, it keeps our momentum going and it sends us up to Stoke in good spirits on Tuesday.”

The only slight blemish for the Hatters was the way in which ex-Manchester United winger James was allowed the time and space to pick his spot what what was his 12th goal of the campaign. Once Carlton Morris had headed a corner away, Adebayo allowed the wideman to cut inside, and with Liam Walsh unable to get out quickly enough, the speedy attacker gave Kaminski no chance when bending his left-footed curler into the net.

Bloomfield continued: “We could have kept him outside in the first instance and then maybe closed him down quicker on the edge of the box. It’s probably the one time in the game we didn’t go and close that shot down on the edge, it’s a great finish on his wrong foot, a superb strike by a top player for the division. We know the quality that he brings, and we’re slightly disappointed in that, but it’s probably the one blip in a defensive display that we have to be really pleased with.

"Loads of elements, Christ’s (Makosso) tackle near the end, Amari’i (Bell) and Alfie (Doughty) had a couple of headers at the back post to defend, and I thought we blocked shots around the edge of our box really well apart from that one moment, so defensively I thought we were excellent. We were really resolute, one or two chances for Leeds but as did we, so in the main I thought it was a really good defensive display.”

Having lost out 3-0 to the Whites when the two teams met at Elland Road back in November, Luton barely laying a glove on their hosts that evening, then the difference in the two matches was stark as Town looked more than a match for their opponents, with any neutral observer no doubt wondering just why Bloomfield’s side find themselves in serious danger of being relegated to League One.

With the result seeing Luton now unbeaten in four matches, their best streak of the campaign, and losing just once in their last six matches, that when going down to 10 men against Burnley and losing 4-0, the boss knows improvements are being made under his guidance. He added: “We’ve just been having a chat with their staff in the office and they’ve said there’s an incredible change in performance levels from us from the two games when they played against us so we have to pleased with that.

"We have to be relentless with our work as there’s lots more to do. We can see the line, we want to get ourselves above the line, but in terms of consistency and work-rate and momentum, we have it. So we have to cherish it and keep working towards more points as that’s where we need the season to take us.”