Luton Town FC vs Queens Park Rangers (30th Aug 2024)

30/08/2024 – LUTON TOWN 1-2 QUEENS PARK RANGERS

Hatters slip to defeat to Rangers

Despite taking the lead the Hatters go down 2-1 at Kenilworth Road

The Town were narrowly beaten 2-1 by QPR as the visitors came back from a goal to win at Kenilworth Road.

Just 58 seconds into the game Tahith Chong received an early yellow card for a handball after he thought he was fouled inside the Town’s half.

The visitors had the first attempt of the game. The ball dropped to Micheal Frey he was able to find Kader Dembele, who dragged his shot wide.

The Hatters would take the lead in the 18th minute, a powerful header from Mark McGuinness was parried back into his defender Jimmy Dunne who turned it into his own net.

The Town thought they had a penalty Calton Morris was deemed to be brought down following an Alfie Doughty free-kick from the edge of the Rs box, but referee waved it away.

The Hatters would keep up the persistent attacks; this time Doughty finding space down the left side before whipping a delightful low cross across the face of the goal as Elijah Adebayo was unable to get enough on it to score.

It could have been a second on the half-hour mark, Adebayo was played through by Doughty after a mismatch in midfield, but the shot was deflected just wide.

QPR had a couple of corners on the stroke of half-time, but they would both be dealt with well by Town's defence as we went into the break ahead.

Reece Burke would make way at the break for Teden Mengi at the break as we would start the strongest in the second half Adebayo and Morris linking up well.

Nardi would prevent the Hatters from doubling the lead, a fantastic through ball from Shandon Baptiste found Adebayo and he was unable to put it through the keeper’s legs.

The Rs would hit back on the hour mark making the most of the missed Luton chances, Nicolas Madsen tapping it in from six yards after a breakaway from Frey.

Rangers then took the lead minutes later with a cross from Kenneth Paal met by a clean volley from the striker Frey who put it past Thomas Kaminski.

The Town would look for an instant response, Adebayo yet again finding space in behind the Rs defence this time firing off a shot at the QPR goal which is saved comfortably at his front post.

It could have been three for the visitors, this time Dunne’s header, was cleared off the line by Kaminski before it was knocked out of play.

The Town then twice came close to find a late equaliser. Firstly Morris’ shot was saved well by Nardi before substitute Joe Taylor thought he had levelled the scores right at the end a cross from Doughty found the head of Morris who put the ball back in for Taylor but he was unable to guide it home.

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hl7C4JNXing – match highlights

Rob's QPR verdict

Boss holds his hands up after home defeat at Kenilworth Road

Rob Edwards took responsibility for the 2-1 home defeat against Queens Park Rangers after admitting “three minutes of madness” cost him team at Kenilworth Road.

Despite leading at half-time after an own goal from Rangers’ Jimmy Dunne the Town fell to a third defeat in four games after two goals in three minutes from the Hoops.

“It’s on me, it’s on us,” Rob said afterwards. “We were in a great position, 1-0 up and playing well and in control.

“We should be 2-0 up with the chance we had but things like that can happen. The goals we conceded were really, really disappointing but I’ve been saying things like that for too long.

“It’s too easy for them to score the first goal and that rocked us a bit. It was three minutes of madness that ultimately cost us.”

After the final whistle Edwards and the Town players went around the pitch to take in the reaction from the home faithful.

He said: “I was saying thank you and apologising to those who were showing their frustration. We took in the applause when we were winning.

“We’ve now got a couple of weeks to work on things but I’ve got no doubt we’re good enough and that results will come.”

Hatters' fragile confidence takes another battering as QPR hit back to triumph

Championship: Luton Town 1 QPR 2

Luton's fragile confidence was shot even further to pieces this evening as their terrible start to life in the Championship continued with a 2-1 defeat at home to QPR.

Having led through Jimmy Dunne's first half own goal, the Hatters looked on course to register an opening victory, but didn't make the most of their chances in the second period. They were then stung by two goals in the space of just three minutes, as Rangers, who had knocked Town out of the Carabao Cup on penalties in midweek, completed a quickfire double over Rob Edwards' side.

The Luton boss made two changes from Tuesday night, Mark McGuinness in for his home debut after being cup-tied, while Shandon Baptiste returned to the midfield. It meant Marvelous Nakamba could be named on the bench for the first time in the league since December last year, with Teden Mengi among the subs too despite the considerable rumours about his future.

The visitors looked dangerous in the opening moments, Michael Frey powering forward and picking out the unmarked Kaden Dembele who missed the target with the outside of his right foot. Although not quite at their best in the opening stages, Town did have the lead on 18 minutes when a corner came out as far as Baptiste.

He instantly put the ball back into the area where it was met by a thumping header from the unmarked McGuinness, and although keeper Paul Nardi was able to palm the effort away, it hit unfortunate team-mate Dunne to bobble over the line. With the goal clearly pepping up the hosts' spirits, they almost had a second when Alfie Doughty sent in a low cross that was just missed by the sliding Adebayo.

Town remained in the ascendancy for the rest of the half, as the visitors barely offered a threat, Jordan Clark teed up on the edge of the box only to put his shot too close to Nardi, while Burke's ambitious first time attempt didn't come off either. The signs were all positive until the final moments when Luton decided to try and wind the half down, as they invited some needless pressure and got caught trying to move the ball through the press, Michael Frey's effort deflecting behind, as did Alfie Lloyd's attempt.

Thankfully able to get to the break unscathed, Town brought on Mengi for Reece Burke, as they looked intent on doubling their advantage, Morris heading back across goal for Baptiste to rifle in a volley that was blocked away. The midfielder then picked out Adebayo with a brilliant pass that sent the striker clean through on goal, but with Nardi rushing out to meet him, he couldn't quite beat the stopper, in what was a clear turning point of the half

Things started to go wrong when Clark put another great opportunity to cross tamely over the bar, as on 59 minutes, long clearance was hoofed upfield by Steve Cook. For some reason, McGuinness opted to let it go, thinking it would go through to Kaminski, but it didn't have anywhere near enough pace, allowing Frey to nip in. With the new signing almost bringing down the Swiss attacker, he was able to outmuscle the centre half and poke across for Nicolas Madsen who simply couldn't, and didn't, miss.

It went from bad to worse for the Hatters as well, as they fell from a position of real comfort to chasing the game on 62 minutes, a deep cross by Kenneth Paal seeing two players completely unmarked at the back post, the first of them, Frey, slamming a volley beyond a helpless Kaminski. Town tried to rally themselves, Baptiste finding Adebayo in the box, his attempt pawed away by Nardi, as Edwards rung the changes, bringing on Joe Taylor and Liam Walsh for Tahith Chong and McGuinness, giving the pair 15 minutes to try and rescue something.

Dembele might have put the result beyond doubt, skying his free kick from the edge of the box, as Kaminski made a great save from Dunne, repelling his close range header. The Hatters almost mustered a late, late leveller though, Carlton Morris bursting into the box, Nardi to the rescue with a magnificent save, while Taylor put a glorious chance over from a matter of yards, as Luton's misery shows no signs of ending.

Hatters: Thomas Kaminski, Reuell Walters, Reece Burke (Teden Mengi 46), Mark McGuinness (Liam Walsh 75), Amari'i Bell, Alfie Doughty, Shandon Baptiste (Zack Nelson 84), Jordan Clark, Tahith Chong (Joe Taylor 75), Carlton Morris (C), Elijah Adebayo. Subs not used: James Shea, Cauley Woodrow, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Tom Holmes, Marvelous Nakamba.

Rangers: Paul Nardi, Jimmy Dunne, Jack Colback (Lucas Andersen 75), Steve Cook (C), Jake Clarke-Salter, Kader Dembele (Koki Saito 83), Sam Field, Michael Frey (Zan Celar 83), Kenneth Paal, Nicolas Madsen (Jonathan Varane 75), Alfie Lloyd (Paul Smyth 57). Subs not used: Joe Walsh, Liam Morrison, Elijah Dixon-Bonner, Hevertton Santos.

Referee: Robert Madley.

Booked: Chong 2, Cook 29, Doughty 47, Field 51, Clark 79.

Attendance: 11,798 (1,340 Rangers).

Hatters boss slams 'three minutes of madness' as Luton hand Rangers victory

Town fall to another defeat

Luton boss Rob Edwards slammed his side’s ‘three minutes of madness’ that saw them slump to a thoroughly dispiriting 2-1 defeat at home to QPR this evening.

The Hatters had led 1-0 at the break through Jimmy Dunne’s own goal, before the game’s crucial point just before the hour mark, Elijah Adebayo being put clean through on goal by Shandon Baptiste, only to shoot straight at visiting stopper Paul Nardi. Town were made to pay almost instantly, Mark McGuinness failing to deal with a long clearance allowing Michael Frey to show greater desire and strength to find Nicolas Madsen for the leveller on the hour mark.

The R’s then scored again three minutes later when Frey was left unmarked to hammer a volley beyond Kaminski. Edwards almost saw his side snatch a point in stoppage time, Carlton Morris denied by a brilliant save from Nardi, sub Joe Taylor also heading over, but they remain without a win from their opening four games of the Championship.

Speaking afterwards, he said: “It’s on me, and it’s on us, there’s no doubt about it. We put ourselves in a great position to win the game, 1-0 up and I thought playing really well in the first half, I thought we were still in really good control until their first goal. I thought we should have gone 2-0 up, we had a big, big chance, but that can happen. The goals were really disappointing, I've been saying that for too long and again, it's on me, I'm not blaming anyone.

“People can make mistakes, but then there's got to come a point where we've got to deal with the better. We got the press on really, really well, forced them to go long and then we've got to deal with the long ball. Even when we don't we've still got the numbers and the coverage to make sure we deal with it. We don't, it's too easy for them to score the first goal which rocked us for a minute or two. I don't think we should have thrown the ball into Shandon for the second goal and we didn't defend the cross, three minutes of madness have ultimately cost us.”