Luton Town FC vs Queens Park Rangers (15th Oct 2022)

Report | Luton Town 3-1 Queens Park Rangers

The Hatters moved back into the Championship play-off spots with a 3-1 home win over joint leaders Queens Park Rangers in the lunchtime kick-off at Kenilworth Road.

Elijah Adebayo set the Town on their way with his third goal of the season, heading home a cross from strike partner Carlton Morris in the 18th minute.

A 77th-minute second, which was originally credited as Jimmy Dunne own goal but owed everything to sub Cameron Jerome's persistence and replays seemed to back up the striker's claim that it came off his knee last, looked to have secured the win.

But an unfortunate 91st-minute Ethan Horvath OG at the other end gave Rangers hope, only for Luke Freeman to grab one against his former club at the death to seal the three points.

Manager Nathan Jones named an unchanged starting line-up from the goalless draw at West Brom, with Sonny Bradley back leading the side for the second match in a row following his clean sheet against West Bromwich Albion last weekend.

Rangers, third on goal difference but level on points with top-of-the-table Sheffield United and second-placed Norwich City at kick-off, started on the front foot and Tom Lockyer had to produce a perfectly timed tackle in the box to deny Luke Amos a shooting opportunity after three minutes.

But Town were soon on the attack with Adebayo seeing an angled shot deflected wide for one of a flurry of Hatters corners in the opening exchanges, before Henri Lansbury rolled the ball into James Bree's path on 11 minutes, but the right wing-back's 20-yarder was always rising.

The breakthrough wasn't long in coming, however, and it was that combination up front again who proivided it, Morris sending in a delicious cross from the left byline that Adebayo gobbled up with a nod of the head from close range for his third goal in as many matches.

His brace against Huddersfield in the last home match both came courtesy of assists from Morris, and the six-goal top scorer was once more the architect here as the front pair's partnership continued to flourish.

The visitors looked to hit back and Lansbury timed a sliding tackle brilliantly on the edge of the box just as Rangers captain Ilias Chair prepared to pull the trigger, then Lydon Dykes headed a Jake Clarke-Salter cross straight at Horvath before the back three of Lockyer, Bradley and Dan Potts all got their heads on crosses to clear danger as Town stood strong.

The Hatters were playing well in a cracking game, however, and after some clever play on both sides of the penalty area, Lansbury sliced a half-volley wide that looked perfectly set for him, when considering the one he struck from 25 yards out at Hull a fortnight ago.

Town were knocking at the door and Bradley saw a header cleared off the line before Bree, also the provider of that chance, whipped two more balls in from the right; the first saw a Morris shot blocked from a clever free-kick routine, before Adebayo's header thumped the inside of the post and went across the goalline with Hoops keeper Seny Dieng pawing the ball away.

Jordan Clark became the first player from either side to be shown a yellow card for a late challenge on Tim Iroegbunam a minute before half-time, but Horvath was right behind Chair's 30-yard free-kick and the Hatters went in at the break holding the advantage.

Then second half started in similar fashion to the first, Lockyer blocking a shot from Scotland striker Dykes on the edge of the area

Then, with 52 minutes on the clock, Morris and Adebayo combined on the right to set Clark racing into the QPR box, only for a sliding challenge from substitute Osman Kakay to deflect the ball wide for a corner as Dieng spread himself.

Dunne fired over from 20 yards at the other end as Rangers threatened, then Tyler Roberts hit a left-footer from further out that fizzed just past Horvath's left post.

Jones made a triple change midway through the half, with Harry Cornick, Jerome and Freeman coming on in place of Morris, Adebayo and Lansbury, who was by this point on a yellow.

Town survived a huge scare on 73 minutes when Roberts smashed a shot against the crossbar, with Horvath reacting well to fall on Clarke-Salter's follow-up effort.

Campbell came close to extending the Hatters' lead in the 76th minute when Dieng had to back-pedal to tip Campbell's attempted lob over the bar, then Cornick sliced wide from the resulting corner.

Within a minute the lead was doubled and it owed everything to Jerome's persistence, first in nicking the ball ahead of Dunne, who then had the ball smashed against him by his own keeper Dieng before Jerome shepherded it over the line, convinced he had touched the ball last, although it was officially credited as an own goal at the time.

It would be an unhappy end to Dunne's afternoon, as the central defender had to go off injured courtesy of Dieng's follow through.

Jerome raced clear again moments later, this time crossing for Clark to steer wide when Freeman might have been better placed to take it on his left.

Town survived an 87th-minute scare when a free-kick from wide on the left by Chair was deflected through the six-yard box, but Rangers did pull one back when Andre Dozzell's cross skimmed off Bradley's head, came down off the bar and went over the line via Horvath's back.

There was still time for Luton to restore the two-goal advantage, however, when Jerome and Cornick combined intrucately on the right edge of the box for the latter to square for Freeman to flick home his second goal for the Hatters three minutes into injury-time.

A first win over Rangers in seven attempts since returning to the Championship took the Hatters up to sixth before the afternoon and evening kick-offs, and on a six-game unbeaten run heading into a midweek trip to face another top side in Norwich.

Goals:

LT - Adebayo 18, Jerome 77, Freeman 90+3

QPR - Horvath (OG) 90+1

Att: 10,011 (1,038 away)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6jsDNZ0sHo – Nathan Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_pn9I6Q1N0 – Full time scenes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly5pL_0um7s – Match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dNDxQV0iz4 – Cameron Jerome interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68oeoLtmA3w – Reverse angle

Nathan Jones on QPR victory

Manager Nathan Jones praised a superb team performance as his side extended their unbeaten run to six matches with a 3-1 victory over Queens Park Rangers.

Following Elijah Adebayo’s first-half header, an own goal and a late third from Luke Freeman meant that Luton ended their wait for a highly anticipated win against QPR - their first since 2007.

“I thought right from the off, Elijah wins the first header and then we knocked the centre-half over and I think that set the tone for the game,” Jones said when speaking in his post-match press conference. “First half we were really aggressive, I thought we were excellent in and around their box. It should have been more, we hit the bar, had a lot of good situations where with a little bit more composure and quality we could have gone in a bit further up.

“We know they are a tough side to play against, they came out, had a bit of play second half. I still think we had the best chances because we had one cleared off the line, and even when they did score there was an element of fortune to it in terms of we should have cleared it with Sonny.

“Overall, wonderful, wonderful performance. You know you have to play well, QPR are a good side, Mick is doing a great job there and they have tricky players that can hurt you. Today I thought we defended really well and we were magnificent.”

All three substitutes were introduced to great effect and the boss said this about his game-changers after the game: “That is what we want. We call them game-changers, we want that impetuous so we changed both of them, it was a gamble because they’re good from set plays in both boxes.

“When you have two to bring on in terms of Cameron Jerome and Harry Cornick, then Luke Freeman instead of Henri, it shows we’re in a decent place squad-wise. We ask them to buy into that, they have to train and that is the good thing about the environment.

“They have to train like they’re going to play so when they do come on, they’re able to impact and that is a credit to the group.”

Hoodoo is finally over for Luton as the Hatters end long overdue wait to beat QPR

Championship: Luton Town 3 QPR 1

Luton finally, finally, finally put an end to their seemingly endless search for victory against QPR with a brilliant 3-1 triumph at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

Going into the contest, the Hatters hadn't won any of their six meetings against their West London opponents since returning to the Championship back in 2019, their last league victory coming back in January 2006, when they won a second tier clash 2-0.

If you look back even further though, Luton’s misery had gone on for decades, with just one victory in their previous 22 league meetings, that in 1988, some 34 years ago, while manager Nathan Jones had never beaten the Loftus Road club in seven contests either, making this victory even more sweeter for Luton's elated chief.

The Town boss went with an unchanged side for the clash, although Cameron Jerome replaced Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu on the bench

A quiet opening 10 minutes saw the Hatters' best moments come through the trickery of Jordan Clark, with Town's first opportunity seeing Henri Lansbury tee up James Bree 20 yards out, only for the defender to slice wide.

Rangers were hampered soon afterwards, defender Leon Balogun forced off with injury, Osman Kakay on, before Luton had the lead on 19 minutes, with the Kenny End able to celebrate only the third goal in front of them this term.

Clark again pulled the strings to find Adebayo on the right, his cross just inches over the head of the leaping Allan Campbell.

It dropped to Morris though, who sized up his defender and dinked over a cross for the stooping Adebayo to nod home from virtually on the line for his third of the season, all three now set-up by his strike partner.

Lansbury, fresh from his nomination for Goal of the Month after ‘that’ strike at Hull, showed just how important he is at the other end, unfurling a brilliant sliding block tackle as Rangers looked destined to level the scores up on 27 minutes.

Still the intricate visitors pressed though, but Luton's defence was spot on, particularly their zones from set-pieces, Sony Bradley with a thumping near post header clear from one such corner, meaning Ethan Horvath had precious little to do behind them.

Lansbury quickly showed his array of passing with one magnificent crossfield attempt to Amari'i Bell, while it was something of a surprise that he hadn't made the net ripple when, following his Hull heroics, he was picked out by Bree's clever header, only to get it all wrong, an angled volley dropping tamely wide.

That was to begin Town's best spell of the game, with a reenergised Adebayo in particular causing problems, winning a free kick on the right, which almost led to the hosts moving 2-0 in front on 38 minutes.

First, Bree's ball in was met by Morris, a covering defender doing just enough, before the wingback was fed again, picking out Adebayo who leapt highest, arching his back to send his header against the inside of the post and out again, keeper Seny Dieng a mere spectator.

With Rangers looking for a way back in the closing stages of the half, Bradley was there to make sure Town looked watertight from corners, while Ilias Chair's 25-yard free kick was easy for Horvath.

After the break, Luton's impressive build-up play continued as Morris's backheel picked out Adebayo, whose through-ball saw Clark go close, QPR getting men back in the nick of time.

The visitors always looked capable of finding a way back into the game when they went forward, Jimmy Dunne having go, Horvath able to watch it sail into the stands before Tyler Roberts's daisycutter was inches away from restoring parity on the hour mark.

With Rangers clearly in the ascendancy, Jones made a triple substitution, taking off Adebayo, Morris and Lansbury, for Harry Cornick, Jerome and ex-QPR midfielder Luke Freeman.

The visitors almost made the changes obsolete though, as the ball fell to Jake Clarke-Salter no more than eight yards from goal, but he thundered against the crossbar, then seeing his rebound claimed by a diving Horvath, as you sensed it might just be the Hatters' day.

That feeling increased when Scottish international Lyndon Dykes blazed into the side-netting after finally getting away from the attentions of Bradley, as Campbell almost increased Luton’s lead when his tremendous dipping volley was tipped over by a back-pedalling Dieng.

Luton's changes were to make a significant difference with 13 minutes to go though as Jerome, eager to press his man, won the ball back from Rob Dickie and went through on goal, only to see Dieng come sliding out to clear.

However, the visiting keeper could only manage to smash against the head of Dunne, the rebound bouncing over the line, Jerome already off celebrating before it reached the net.

Dunne, whose post-match celebrations stuck in the craw of Luton following last season’s 2-1 victory for the visitors, could play no further part, limping off after feeling the full impact of Dieng’s challenge, the Hatters should have making it 3-0 moments later, Jerome again doing splendidly to race away on the left, but Clark took the ball of Freeman's toes as he waited to convert.

Horvath once again showing expert handling when Taylor Richards had a pop from range, but as the game ticked into stoppage time, QPR set the nerves jangling, pulling one back as a cross glanced off Bradley’s header, cannoned against the woodwork and deflected in off the back of an unfortunate Horvath.

An equaliser would have no doubt crushed Jones, who was so crestfallen after last term’s defeat, but this time there was no such cruel luck coming his way, Jerome nodding to Cornick, who did brilliantly to delay his pass until just the right moment, picking out Freeman to tap home against his former side.

In a second, all that pressure was alleviated, allowing the home fans and Jones to enjoy the final moments, and toast a first and long, long overdue victory.

Hatters: Ethan Horvath, James Bree, Tom Lockyer, Sonny Bradley, Dan Potts (C), Amari'i Bell, Henri Lansbury (Luke Freeman 67), Allan Campbell, Jordan Clark, Carlton Morris (Harry Cornick 67), Elijah Adebayo (Cameron Jerome 67).

Subs not used: Harry Isted, Luke Berry, Fred Onyedinma, Alfie Doughty.

Rangers: Seny Dieng, Jimmy Dunne (Andre Dozzell 79), Jake Clarke-Salter, Luke Amos (Stefan Johansen 62), Lyndon Dykes, Ilias Chair (C), Tyler Roberts (Taylor Richards 79), Sam Field (Rob Dickie 62), Kenneth Pael, Leon Balogun (Osman Kakay 13), Tim Iroegbunam.

Subs not used: Jordan Archer, Albert Adomah.

Referee: Tony Harrington.

Booked: Clark 42, Lansbury 54, Iroegbunam 90.

Attendance: 10,011 (1,038 Rangers).

Jones reveals Luton used QPR's 'disrespect' and defender Dunne 'doing the conga' as motivation to finally defeat Rangers

Hatters boss ends long wait to taste victory against West London opponents

Luton boss Nathan Jones admitted he used QPR’s celebrations during their win at Kenilworth Road last season, which include what he described as defender Jimmy Dunne 'doing the conga’ as part of the motivation in finally ending the Hatters’ lengthy wait for a victory against their West London opponents in today’s 3-1 success at Kenilworth Road.

Back in March, Town had looked like they were on their way to a rare success against their play-off rivals, leading 1-0 at half time, only for Andre Gray’s penalty after a needless challenge by Kal Naismith to draw the visitors level.

Rob Dickie then headed home what proved to be the clincher with seven minutes left, which led to the R’s players showing some ‘disrespect’ in their post match scenes according to Jones, Dunne in particular enjoying the success in front of the home supporter.

However, this afternoon, Elijah Adebayo put Town in front in the first period, before Dunne scored an own goal when keeper Seny Dieng’s clearance cannoned against him after the break, the centre half going off injured with a knee injury suffered in the resulting collision.

The visitors gave themselves hope of snatching a point in the final minute, the ball hitting the bar and going in off the back of the unfortunate Ethan Horvath, only for Luke Freeman to seal the win in stoppage time, as speaking afterwards, Jones said: “We let them off the hook, they over-celebrated and stuff here, we used that.

“I said in the press that we didn’t, but of course we did, because we don’t want that on our patch in our back garden.

“If you have a look, Jimmy Dunne was doing the conga down the left-hand touchline and (Stefan) Johansen was whooping like he was on Wheel of Fortune, so it was a little bit, but I’ve been guilty of that, I’ve jumped into crowds, as I’ve said.

“So we hold no malice in that to call them out, but that’s what happened on the day.

“To be fair, it drove us on a little bit and it was a sick thing (losing the game in such a manner), the way they celebrated, the disrespect they showed us, which we kind of used, but we didn't emphasise, because that happens in football.

“Sometimes I celebrate and it can be misconstrued as disrespectful, but it's not, it’s exuberance, so they were exuberant after a win in a tough place.

“But we finished above them last year, so it didn't detract from us.

"Maybe it actually galvanised us a little bit, as after that we didn’t lose many more games.

"We lost the Fulham game and then to Huddersfield, so it didn't have a detrimental affect on us and shows what a great group we have.

"As it shows that when we get punched on the nose, or sneakily punched on the nose as the winning goal was offside, we can come back from that, so it shows we've got good character.”

Luton went into the game having not won against their rivals in the league since April 2006, that being their only victory in the last 22 league meetings.

Jones too had failed to triumph in any of his seven meetings with the R’s, as although elated to finally get the result he felt Town deserved, he didn’t want anyone getting carried away.

The boss added: “I’ve got into them this week as realistically we’ve let QPR off the hook in recent years.

"We haven’t beaten them, they beat us here when Charlie Austin made his debut (January 2021), it was probably the right result.

"Apart from that, we should have beaten them on any one of the three occasions, we let them off the hook.

“I wouldn’t say it was a special result, it’s a wonderful win, we won’t over-egg it.

"We’ve had some wonderful wins here to achieve things, Blackburn when there was no-one here and Watford when there was no-one here, when we beat Forest Green to get promoted, all those, so we’ve some real good days here, good nights, but that was a big win for us.

"As these are a good side, in good form, have won the last three, beat Sheffield United away, they're a good, good side, a really tricky side.

"But we showed today that we are and I've stopped saying we’re competing with these sides as we’re not, we’re on a par if not better than a lot of sides we play against now.”