Luton Town FC vs Middlesbrough (24th Apr 2023)

Report | Luton Town 2-1 Middlesbrough

The Hatters maintained the pressure on second-placed Sheffield United by coming from behind to beat Middlesbrough at Kenilworth Road in front of the Sky cameras tonight.

Tom Lockyer and Carlton Morris, with his 20th goal of the season from the penalty spot, were on target in the second half as the Town reversed Cameron Archer's opener for Boro to take all three points from the third versus fourth clash and extend their unbeaten run to 12 matches.

The victory moved the Hatters to within four points of Sheffield United, although the Blades have two games in hand, and four points above Boro.

Manager Rob Edwards made one change to the side that drew 1-1 at Reading last Wednesday, Elijah Adebayo back in the Hatters' starting line-up after missing the win at Rotherham through injury before coming off the bench in Berkshire to provide the assist for Morris' equaliser.

The other change was on the substitutes' bench, where 17-year-old Joe Johnson made his first matchday squad appearance in the EFL having featured among the subs in the FA Cup replay at Grimsby and travelled with the first team in recent weeks.

Third-placed Hatters were looking to extend their 11-match unbeaten run against Boro, who sat a point behind them at kick-off in fourth place, with both sides already guaranteed a play-off spot.

After a cagey start with both sides trying to get a foothold in the game, Adebayo had the first shot on target, taking Alfie Doughty's cross down and creating space to fire straight at Zack Steffen from the edge of the box just after the quarter-of-an-hour mark.

Boro soon found their attacking rhythm, Isaiah Jones' cross on the run rolling into the path of Matt Crooks, but the scorer of the Teessiders' injury-time winner at the Riverside in December couldn't repeat the trick and his side-footed effort went over comfortably over Ethan Horvath's bar.

Town were pressing high and Marvelous Nakamba pinched the ball to combine well with Adebayo on the right, the latter's cross cleared only as far as Cody Drameh, whose shot was blocked.

The right wing-back was soon sending another dangerous volleyed cross in towards Morris, Boro clearing their lines well - and the visitors had the lead five minutes before the break when Archer raced onto Crooks' ball over the top, beat Horvath to a bouncing ball on the edge of the box, then walked it into and empty goal.

The Hatters' best chance of the half came a minute into three added on, when Adebayo nutmegged his way past Jonny Howson, then saw his cross deflected off Darren Lenihan and palmed away by Steffen.

Town were level within four minutes of the restart, Lockyer meeting Doughty's corner with a thumping header that went in off the inside of the far post.

It was Lockyer's third goal of the season on his 98th appearance for the club, and came a night after he was named in the Championship Team of the Season at the EFL awards.

The Hatters were moving the ball around well in an end-to-end game, but after Crooks had shot wide at the near post from a Ryan Giles cross, the hosts had the perfect opportunity to get their noses in front.

Jordan Clark, on as a sub for Allan Campbell, won the ball juist inside the Boro half and fed Morris into space. The Town top scorer looked to have over-run it in the box, but Steffen came sliding out and appeared to catch Morris' trailing leg with his knee.

Morris took on the responsibility from the spot, stroking in his 20th goal of the season and the Hatters' first converted penalty of the campaign.

Marc Bola wasted a good chance to level with just under 20 minutes to go, stabbing his effort wide from Giles' cross, then Edwards made two more changes, Morris leaving the pitch to a standing ovation to be replaced by Joe Taylor, and Luke Berry on in place of Mpanzu.

Lockyer threw himself in the way of a Bola shot from 18 yards with ten minutes to go, and Berry produced one of the tackles of the season in the box to deny another shooting opportunity.

In a landmark moment on 83 minutes, Edwards handed Johnson his senior debut, putting the teenager on in place of Doughty, with Luke Freeman replacing Adebayo, who also walked around the perimeter of the pitch to rapturous applause.

Johnson, who signed his first professional contract after turning 17 in February, made a couple of good interceptions, blocked a couple of crosses and looked assured in all he had to do on his first appearance.

Congratulations Joe from all at the club, we look forward to many more to come!

TOWN: Horvath, Drameh, Lockyer, Bradley (C), Bell, Doughty (Johnson 83'), Nakamba, Mpanzu (Berry 76'), Campbell (Clark 56'), Morris (Taylor 75'), Adebayo (Freeman 83').

Subs: Shea, Lansbury.

Goals: Lockyer 49', Morris (pen) 67'

BORO: Steffen, Jones, Giles, Mowatt, Barlaser, Archer (Muniz 78'), Dijksteel, Howson (C), Crooks, Lenihan, Bola.

Subs: Roberts, Akpom, Hackney, Bilongo, Stott, Sykes.

Goals: Archer 40'

Referee: Graham Scott

Att: 10,063 (1,040 away)

Reaction | Rob Edwards on Boro win!

Hatters boss Rob Edwards praised his side's response to going a goal behind as they bounced back to beat Middlesbrough 2-1 at Kenilworth Road tonight.

“Credit to the lads, I thought the response was really good," said Edwards. “Middlesbrough showed how good they are, the job that he's done Michael with his staff, they've done a really good job and that's obvious, everyone knows that, everyone's seen that.

“When you go up against them, you can see the quality that they have, they overload you, they've got threats in behind, and they can build slow as well.

“Tonight was always going to be a really tough game and also a mindset thing as well, both teams knew they were in the play-offs, but I'm pleased with the response. We showed some good things, but I do think we could be better."

Edwards added: "Psychologically the games are quite difficult, the next couple of games as well. We've got to try and keep that momentum. We want to keep trying to win, but when tthose play-off games come, there will be I'm sure another per cent or two.

"It's really difficult, subconsciously, no matter what you talk about and how we try and drive it, there is an element of 'Ok, but we know what's coming in a few weeks' time'.

"But look, I can sit here and say we could have done this better or we could have done that better, but we've won the game - and I think that's probably a good place to be in."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1trE9CWk54 – Rob Edwards interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFaxitxnjDc – full time scenes

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmxFxSsRbfY – Carlton Morris interview

Morris reaches 20 for the season as Luton produce impressive second half comeback to beat Boro

Championship: Luton Town 2 Middlesbrough 1

Carlton Morris's 20th goal of the season sealed a terrific second half fightback from the Hatters as they beat fellow promotion rivals Middlesbrough at Kenilworth Road this evening.

With both sides sitting third and fourth in the Championship ahead of the game, then as far as dress rehearsals go for a potential play-off final at Wembley, the first half was anything but what Luton, who made one change, Elijah Adebayo in for Cauley Woodrow, would have been hoping for.

In front of the Sky cameras, the visitors, who opted to leave the division's highest scorer in Chuba Akpom on the bench, settled quicker, knocking the ball around with some real class at times, leading to Marc Bola shooting over from 25 yards.

Town looked like they were starting to get a grip on proceedings, producing some attacking moments of their own, Marvelous Nakamba's crossfield pass picking out Alfie Doughty, the move eventually breaking down.

Doughty did then send over a terrific cross that saw Adebayo, who was fighting a losing battle with the offside flag in the early stages, bring it down and quickly fire a left-footer into keeper Zack Steffen's midriff.

Boro boss Michael Carrick's Premier League coaching credentials were clearly on display though, Isaiah Jones breaking away on the right with 20 minutes gone and picking out Matt Crooks, who fortunately for Town, skied wastefully over.

Defender Tom Lockyer almost added to Luton's defensive injury concerns when clashing heads with Crooks and needing treatment a few moments later, but after a change of shirts, he was thankfully back up and taking his place on the field once more to continue what was yet another stand-out showing this term.

Just when it looked like the hosts might get through to the break unscathed, those plans went up in smoke with a goal that was completely avoidable, a hopeful pass over the top from Crooks beating Sonny Bradley.

Keeper Ethan Horvath, came out to try and beat Cameron Archer to the ball, but rather than take man, ball, the lot, did neither, instead rather embarrassingly completely missing his kick.

Archer then showed great guile to ease past Bradley's attempted Hail Mary recovery sliding tackle and walk the ball into the net.

Town came out for the second half on the front foot, winning two quick corners and it was from the second that they levelled, Doughty's ball met by Lockyer, who fresh from his inclusion in the Championship Team of the Year, guided his header in off the inside of the post.

With the home supporters now awake and risen from the malaise that they had been under during the first period, Kenilworth Road was bouncing again, with Boro finally knowing they were in for a game, eventually being harried and hassled out of their stride by the Hatters.

They could have been back in front themselves on 55 minutes though, Luton cut open on the right and Ryan Giles' low cross slammed wide by Crooks from 10 yards out.

Boosted by the leveller, Doughty had an ambitious crack on the angle, hammering well over, as the game became a proper Championship encounter, crackling away in the Bedfordshire night sky.

Luton completed the turnaround on 66 minutes, as Jordan Clark, on for Allan Campbell, picked up a loose ball and sent Morris away.

Although his first touch was heavy, the forward was able to get to the ball ahead of Steffen who had come sliding out, appearing to have his right leg clipped in the process.

It looked like Adebayo was going to take the spotkick, but in fact Morris stepped up instead, as he coolly sent Steffen the wrong way to find the bottom corner and score his 20th league goal of the season, the first Luton player to do that in the second tier since Brian Stein back in the 1981-82 campaign.

Boro weren't going to take it lying down though , as the dangerous Giles was free on the left once more, his ball toe-poked wide by a stretching Bola.

Town then brought on 17-year-old Joe Johnson for his first team debut in place of Doughty, the wingback tasked with stopping Jones in full flight, which he managed to do with an encouraging first ever seven minutes of senior football.

With Boro dominating territory, Luton through Nakamba and sub Luke Berry to the fore, the already booked latter with one incredible sliding challenge inside the area, managed to quell any threat, as when Anfernee Dijksteel put a free header wide in stoppage time, the game was up.

Hatters: Ethan Horvath, Cody Drameh, Tom Lockyer, Sonny Bradley (C), Amari'i Bell, Alfie Doughty (Joe Johnson 83), Marvelous Nakamba, Allan Campbell (Jordan Clark 59), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (Luke Berry 75), Elijah Adebayo (Luke Freeman 83), Carlton Morris (Joe Taylor 75).

Subs not used: James Shea, Henri Lansbury.

Boro: Zack Steffen, Isaiah Jones, Ryan Giles, Alex Mowatt, Dan Barlaser, Cameron Archer (Rodrigo Muniz 78), Anfernee Dijksteel, Jonny Howson ©, Matt Crooks, Darragh Lenihan, Marc Bola.

Subs not used: Liam Roberts, Chuba Akpom, Hayden Hackney, Bryant Bilongo, Jack Scott, Cain Sykes.

Bookings: Berry 78, Bell 90.

Referee: Graham Scott.

Attendance: 10,063 (1,040 Boro).

Edwards pleased with Luton's response as Hatters overturn a first half deficit to beat Boro

Lockyer and Morris score as Town hit back after the interval

Hatters boss Rob Edwards praised his side’s response as they came back from a goal down for the second game running at home to triumph 2-1 against Middlesbrough on Monday night.

As they had done in the 3-1 victory over Blackpool recently, Town conceded the opener in the first half, breached in disappointing fashion, keeper Ethan Horvath losing out tamely to visiting striker Cameron Archer when trying to reach Matt Crooks’ forward pass.

The attacker then easily danced round ​a last-ditch attempt from skipper Sonny Bradley to walk the ball into the net, giving Michael Carrick’s side a deserved advantage.

However, it all changed in the second period, Luton stepping their game up to level four minutes in through Tom Lockyer’s header, before Carlton Morris was felled by keeper Zack Steffen for a penalty that he converted just after the hour mark.

With both sides already securing a top six berth last week, Carrick opted to make five changes, leaving top scorer Chuba Akpom on the bench, as Town resisted the urge, just one alteration from the 1-1 draw with Reading, Elijah Adebayo replacing the injured Cauley Woodrow.

Speaking afterwards, Edwards said: “It was good, credit to the lads, I thought the response was really good.

“Middlesbrough showed how good they are, the job that he's done, Michael with his staff, that group of players, they've done a really good job and that's obvious, everyone knows that, everyone's seen that.

“When you go up against them, you can see the quality that they have.

"They overload you, they've got threats in behind like the goal, and they can build short as well.

"So they’ve got a number of threats and a few not involved on the bench that they can bring into the team.

“It was always going to be a really tough game and also a mindset thing as well, both teams knew they were in the play-offs.

"You can see they’re thinking one or two changes, we thought we’d do it in-game and try and manage our players in-game, so there’s different ways of going about it, but I was pleased with the response.

“We showed some good things, but I do think we could be better.”

With Boro easily winning the midfield battle during the opening 45 minutes, Edwards made sure his side got their press right after the interval to prevent the visitors being able to retain possession in the manner they had done so beforehand.

He continued: “We know that’s the shape of the team they can make and they can adapt to whatever way you press and they can find spaces.

"With Crooks dropping in our centre backs just got to go and we’ve got to try and be aggressive, but we know that could then leave spaces behind as well, so it’s just a bit of a game of cat and mouse.

"When we’re at our best, we’re a very aggressive team, on the front foot, not thinking as much that way (behind), its lets go.

"People can’t break the chain, if someone goes and presses, the next ones got to go, next ones got to go.

"It’s got to happen at the same speed, so a few adjustments at half time, not much.

"The lads knew there was one or two bits we could be better in, and our quality needed to be better as well, especially when we got into the final third.

"We had some decent moments in the first half, the space was there.

"There were some good movements from the strikers but we just didn’t find them with that final pass, so we needed a little bit more quality in the second half.”

Town did have that extra quality after the break that Edwards had been yearning for, Alfie Doughty’s corner headed in by Lockyer, with Morris notching Luton’s first successful spotkick in the Championship this term.

The boss wasn’t afraid to ring the changes too, five of them in fact, with a senior debut for 17-year-old Joe Johnson, while Luke Berry was a man possessed, with one stunning goal-saving challenge in the closing stages.

On the second 45, Edwards added: "You need the set-pieces, you need to be a threat.

"We have been a threat, you look at the expected goals we’ve had from set-pieces, chances created, it's just not gone over the line for us.

"We’ve had a couple recently, that was a great header tonight, real quality from Alfie, well worked, created the space for Tom and he finished it really well.

“What was really pleasing was we were able to make five subs.

"We had to try and get our in-game management right, Luke Berry’s tackle in the box, what a tackle that was, that’s as important as a goal.

"The lads coming on and affecting it like that, young JJ coming on and getting his debut, doing really, really well against as tough an opposition as you’re going to get.

"So we’re pleased with how we managed to manage the group and still win the game.”