Luton Town FC vs Nottingham Forest (28th Oct 2020)

Match Report | Luton Town 1-1 Nottingham Forest

The points are shared at Kenilworth Road against the Reds...

Two goals from Glen Rea in both nets meant the points were shared between the Hatters and 10-man Nottingham Forest under the lights at Kenilworth Road.

Nicholas Ioannou was sent off for the visitors before half-time in-front of the Sky Sports cameras on Wednesday evening.

Manager Nathan Jones made two changes from the side that defeated Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday as James Collins, back for the first time since his positive coronavirus result, and Rea came into the starting line-up after recovering from a broken nose, replacing Danny Hylton and Joe Morrell.

The game had an even feel to the opening 15 minutes, Collins had appeals for handball in the penalty area waved away after his strike was blocked before Anthony Knockaert’s cross from the right was the best Forest chance in the opening stages.

Croatian international Simon Sluga came out to deny Lyle Taylor an open goal in the 20th minute before Rea opened the scoring, the midfielder’s low strike travelled across Brice Samba into the bottom corner for his first goal in the Championship and his first for the Hatters since October 2018 against Walsall.

Forest went down to 10-men just before half-time after Ioannou made a nasty challenge on Martin Cranie to make the visitors' task even harder after the interval.

The Hatters were soaking up the pressure at the start of the second half until they eventually conceded in the 64th minute when Cyrus Christie’s cross hit the back of Rea’s head as he was tracking Ryan Yates inside the six-yard box.

Rea almost had the ball in the net for the third time six minutes later as he met Kiernan Dewsbury-Hill’s corner, but saw his free header blocked by the Forest defence.

Jones rolled the dice in the final 15 minutes when he sent on Kazenga LuaLua and Jordan Clark to try and force a winner.

Dewsbury-Hall made a great interception to deny Joe Lolley’s pass which would have sent Knockaert in behind with a clear chance to test Sluga in the final few minutes.

Then Clark had a great chance to repay Jones’ faith in him and win it, before Samba got down low at his near-post to palm the ex-Accrington man’s effort away.

The Hatters remain in ninth position and are back in Championship action on Saturday afternoon when they face Brentford at Kenilworth Road.

Town: Sluga, Cranie, Pearson, Lockyer (Clark 77), Bradley (C), Norrington-Davies; Rea, Mpanzu, Dewsbury-Hall (Moncur 84), Lee (LuaLua 77), Collins.

Subs not used: Shea, Morrell, Tunnicliffe, Hylton.

Goals: Rea (22)

Yellows: Mpanzu (55), Cranie (71), Rea (73)

Nottingham Forest: Samba, Christie, McKenna, Figueiredo, Ioannou; Lolley, Colback (C), Yates, Knockaert, Ameobi (Jenkinson 45); Taylor.

Subs not used: Smith, Mbe Soh, Freeman, Mighten, Guerrero, Sow.

Goals: Rea (64 og)

Red: Ioannou

Referee: Tim Robinson

Nathan Jones' reaction to draw against Nottingham Forest

The gaffer's reaction to this evening's draw at Kenilworth Road...

Nathan Jones felt his side missed out on two points following tonight’s 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest.

After taking the lead midway through the first half with Glen Rea, the Reds were reduced to 10 men when Nicholas Ioannou was dismissed by referee Tim Robinson for a late tackle on Martin Cranie.

But Forest fought back and Rea was unfortunate to score at the wrong end too, as the gaffer reflected on preceedings after the match.

“Two points missed," the Welshman began. "Start with the positives, first half I thought we were excellent, really moved the ball well, took the lead, they went down to 10 men.

“You always know it is going to be tricky. It shouldn’t be but they sat in, we were passive, we moved the ball with no intensity.

“We didn’t look like we really wanted to penetrate them in any way and we paid the penalty for that because it was a lacklustre, real passive second half performance.

"I’ll take a lot of blame for that because I could have changed stuff earlier but if I’m honest, the only time we looked like we might concede or if they were going to score was a header in the box.

“We showed them on the video at half-time, them running off the back of our players and if the ball had been better, he would have had a chance.

“Self-fulfilling prophecy or whatever it is. We are disappointed with a point because our first half performance was a platform for three.”

https://issuu.com/lutontownfc/docs/luton_v_forest_bcd_e-programme_c344a15e9361be - programme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWGyhngRab4 – Nathan Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK01_FIxL_8 – match highlights

Rea on target at both ends as Luton are held by 10-man Forest

Championship: Luton Town 1 Nottingham Forest 1

Luton saw two points slip from their grasp this evening as they were held to a 1-1 draw by a Nottingham Forest side who had to play the entire second half with 10 men.

After Town midfielder Glen Rea scored his first goal in over two years to put the hosts in front, Reds defender Nicolas Ioannou was then shown a straight red just before the interval for a lunging challenge on Martin Cranie.

With Hatters in the box seats to go on and seal a second successive victory, they appeared unsure as to whether to really stick or twist after the interval, eventually doing neither and coming unstuck when Rea headed into his own net under pressure from Ryan Yates midway through to earn the visitors a point.

Home boss Nathan Jones made two changes to the team who won 1-0 at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, leading scorer James Collins straight back in after completing his self isolation period after testing positive for coronavirus, with Rea included too following his broken nose.

They took the places of Danny Hylton and Joe Morrell who dropped to the bench, with Luke Berry missing out, Harry Cornick still not fit enough to be included.

Town had early shouts for a penalty on six minutes when Collins connected with Rhys Norrington-Davies' low cross, the striker appealing vociferously for a penalty, but referee Tim Robinson gave nothing.

In an opening stanza that saw neither side given an inch, Town were content to move the ball from left to right, unable to break through a visiting side who shuffled across time and time again, meaning Hatters had to often retreat and keep hold of possession, which they were content to do.

A burst of action then saw keeper Simon Sluga called upon, as Anthony Knockaert threaded a ball through to Lyle Taylor, only for the Croatian to come out and save bravely at his feet.

Town then went up the other end and rather surprisingly took the lead with their first real attack on 22 minutes.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's corner was headed back into the danger area by Sonny Bradley where Cranie looked like had been fouled, but as the Town bench screamed for a spot-kick, Rea was there to slot into the bottom corner for a first goal in over two years, his last one coming in a League One fixture against Walsall on October 20, 2018.

For the second game running, Luton were to be faced with 10 men, as just before half time, Ioannou was shown red for what the official deemed a dangerous challenge on Cranie, dismissing the Cypriot defender after a period of treatment.

After the break, both sides had lengthy spells of possession without ever really threatening, although both Tom Lockyer and Matty Pearson had to be alert to block a low cross that Taylor was extremely interested in.

Almost fed up with the situation, Joe Lolley tried for the most ambitious of 35-yard drives that was never testing Sluga.

Sensing their moment though, Forest had the leveller they would have been desperate for, as Cyrus Christie was allowed too much time to size up a cross which saw Rea beat the hovering Ryan Yates to the ball, only to then unfortunately divert it into his own net.

If anything, despite having the man disadvantage, it was Forest who looked stronger at times in the second period, any apparent gaps for Luton to squeeze though often quickly filled by their hard-working defence.

Knockaert's drive required a last-ditch block from Lockyer as with 14 minutes to go, Jones brought on Kazenga LuaLua and Jordan Clark to try and pep up their attacking momentum in the final stages.

A corner from the left almost paid off, Rea with a chance of a brace, but he got his finish all wrong, spooning the volley over the bar.

Yates then had a pop from 25 yards, Sluga getting down well to gather, before Luton created the best opportunity, Bradley's long ball forward seeing Clark beat the offside trap to scamper away.

With Collins in the middle, Clark went for goal though, trying to beat Samba at his near post, the keeper parrying away to prevent Town's summer signing from bagging another late winner.

Knockaert was high and wide with an even later effort, as Luton were held to a first draw of the season, ahead of Saturday's home clash with Brentford.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley ©, Tom Lockyer (Kazenga LuaLua 77), Rhys Norrington-Davies, Martin Cranie, Glen Rea, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (George Moncur 84), Elliot Lee (Jordan Clark 77), James Collins.

Subs not used: James Shea, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Joe Morrell, Danny Hylton.

Forest: Brice Samba, Cyrus Christie, Tobias Figueiredo, Jack Colback (C), Sammy Ameobi (Carl Jenkinson 46), Ryan Yates, Joe Lolley, Scott McKenna, Anthony Knockaert, Lyle Taylor, Nicholas Ioannou.

Subs not used: Loic Mbe Soh, Jordan Smith, Luke Freeman, Alex Mighten, Miguel Angel Guerrero, Samba Sow.

Booked: Mpanzu 55, Cranie 70, Rea 73

Sent off: Ioannou 43.

Referee: Tim Robinson.

Jones not impressed by Town's 'lacklustre' second half display during Reds draw

Hatters boss felt his side handed the initiative to visitors Forest at Kenilworth Road

Luton boss Nathan Jones labelled his side's second half efforts as 'passive' and 'lacklustre' as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Nottingham Forest this evening.

The hosts looked to be on their way to a second successive victory at the break, leading 1-0 through Glen Rea's first goal in over two years, the visitors also down to 10 men when Nicholas Ioannou saw red for a lunging challenge on Martin Cranie.

But Town just couldn't get going for the second period, Rea diverting Cyrus Christie's cross into his own net under pressure from Ryan Yates midway through, as they ulimately finished with just a point.

Speaking afterwards, Jones said: "The second half performance we were passive, really lacklustre, we didn’t start on the front foot and that enabled them to get a foothold in the game and start to gain a bit of confidence.

“We didn’t go after the jugular and that’s something that we’ve been used to doing in the past, but this is a relatively new level for us and it showed.

“We’re disappointed as first half I thought we were excellent at times.

"We moved the ball, caused them real problems, took the lead, and this is a very good Nottingham Forest side, let’s not forget about that.

“But second half we allowed the game to get slow and passive without any real penetration and ultimately they nicked a goal from something which we’ve highlighted for I don't know how long."