Luton Town FC vs Rotherham United (4th May 2021)

Match Report | Luton Town 0-0 Rotherham United

Point secures top-half finish in Town's second season back...

The Hatters were held to a goalless draw by a Rotherham side fighting for their Championship lives in the final home game of the season at Kenilworth Road tonight.

Elijah Adebayo came closest to breaking the deadlock for Town, rattling the post in a first half in which the visitors were also denied by the woodwork, Matt Crooks' lob bouncing back off the upright into Simon Sluga's hands as the point lifted the Hatters back up to 12th place and ensured a top-half finish for the first time since 2005/06.

Manager Nathan Jones made two changes, with Dan Potts making his first start for the Hatters since he suffered an injury in the first half of the Swansea City defeat back in March.

Ryan Tunnicliffe started in midfield alongside Glen Rea, who scored in the 1-1 draw versus Middlesbrough at the weekend, as Town looked to extend their unbeaten run to six matches.

In an even start to the game, both sides had attempts on target - Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall firing straight at visiting keeper Jamal Blackman, before Lewis Wing's 30-yard deflected free-kick had Simon Sluga diving low to his right and holding on to a ball that skidded off the greasy surface.

Dewsbury-Hall was next to have a go for the Town as Rotherham struggled to clear a James Bree corner, but his curling effort from just inside the area wouldn't bend back enough to creep inside the far post.

Then, as the half developed into a end-to-end affair, it was Millers midfielder Ben Wiles who cracked a 25-yarder that Sonny Bradley threw himself in the way of before the Hatters ploughed forward again in the 21st minute and Elijah Adebayo rattled the upright with a powerful half-volley on 21 minutes.

Rotherham went close in the 25th minute when Ryan Giles' cross from the left found Michael Smith in the middle, but his glancing header was a whisker wide of the far post, seconds before Adebayo was making inroads on the Town right, arcing in an inviting cross that just eluded Collins and Potts in the six-yard box.

Sluga was his reliable self again to gather a low cross-shot from Matt Crooks, and still we hadn't played half-an-hour! Down the other end, Dewsbury-Hall's corner from the right almost ended up directly in the back of the net, but for Blackman's reaction save against the post.

The Hatters broke quickly again when Bradley picked out Adebayo with a raking ball from left to right, bur Bree - racing through the middle - couldn't get a shot off, then neither could the striker and finally Collins was forced too far wide.

A quieter spell followed, but it was Rotherham's turn to his the woodwork four minutes before the break when Crooks latched onto Smith's flick, but his looping lob over Sluga bounced up against the post and into the keeper's grateful arms.

Dewsbury-Hall fizzed another shot just wide in first-half injury-time, before Jones added more attacking flair at the break with Cornick on in place of Potts.

There was little goalmouth action in the opening quarter of the second half, and Jones withdrew Collins to introduce Mpanzu with 63 minutes gone, and it was the substitute's driving run into the box that led to a chance for Adebayo almost immediately, but Blackman was well positioned to hold onto the striker's attempted curler.

Millers sub Chiedozie Ogbene made a similar impression on 68 minutes, skipping inside Naismith and Cornick but driving his shot straight at Bradley, defending the Town six-yard box as well as he had all night.

Giles stood up an inviting 73rd minute cross that Crooks rose at the far post to meet, but thankfully fot the Hatters his header flew past Sluga's left post.

Matty Pearson sent a header on target from Dewsbury-Hall's deep free-kick, just as Jones brought Kazenga LuaLua on in place of Tunnicliffe, then Mpanzu rattled the scoreboard above the Oak Road goal after Dewsbury-Hall's run towards the Millers' box had been halted by a clean tackle by Wood.

The on-loan Leicester midfielder was pulling the strings in the middle of the park, and he was again at the heart of the Town's next attacking move, with Naismith this time firing over, right-footed, from 20 yards out.

Wing forced Sluga into another save from a free-kick with four minutes of normal time remaining, before the Hatters broke at lightning pace from the resulting corner, Cornick feeding Bree to set Adebayo up for a shot on the run that once again flew high into the Oak Road stand.

A grand-stand finale was short-lived as Bradley's header in the 92nd minute was swiftly ruled out by referee David Webb, despite replays suggesting a foul in the area may have been a harsh judgement.

Nevertheless, the point took the Hatters up to 62 for the season ahead of the final match of the campaign against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.

Town: Sluga; Bree, Pearson, Bradley (C), Potts (Cornick 46), Naismith; Tunnicliffe, Rea, Dewsbury-Hall; Collins (Mpanzu 63), Adebayo

Substitutes: Shea, Cranie, Cornick, Moncur, Mpanzu, LuaLua, Nombe, Morrell, Pereira

Rotherham: Blackman, Olosunde (Ogbene 65), Harding, Wood (C), Ihiekwe, Giles, Barlaser (Mattock 74), Wiles, Wing, Crooks; Smith (Ladapo 65).

Substitutes: Johansson, Mattock, A.MacDonald, S.MacDonald, Lindsay, Sadlier, Jozefzoon, Ogbene, Ladapo.

Referee: David Webb

Nathan Jones' reaction to the goalless draw with Rotherham United

The gaffer reflected on a superb achievement post-match...

Manager Nathan Jones spoke of his pride after his team secured a top-half Sky Bet Championship finish, following the 0-0 draw against Rotherham United.

On the night itself there was nothing to split the two sides, but the gaffer is well-aware of the levels his players have gone to this season to outperform their first campaign back in the division, now comfortably and deservedly a mid-table side.

“I’m so proud of the team because they have shown real honesty and we didn’t give up. We haven’t played flippantly, we have played properly, kept the integrity of the league and our club. We have guaranteed ourselves a top half finish which is some achievement.

“Not a side has come here and has thought it would be an easy game, and anyone that did usually went home pointless. I think teams now are seeing what we are doing and respecting us.

“We have the respect of the Championship, we’re a top half side, we wanted to establish ourselves and I think we well and truly have done that.

"I’m so proud of them because compared to other clubs, we lack so much and compared to other clubs we have more than they have in abundance. I’m so proud of what we have and what we have achieved because a top half finish is beneficial for everyone, on every level.

“If we had said, with one game to go, that we would be on 62 points, guaranteed 12th, every sane Luton fan and person that surrounds this football club would have taken that. I’m sane, and would have taken that!”

https://issuu.com/lutontownfc/docs/rotherham_bcd - programme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O2hy67VJV0 – Nathan Jones interview

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

**Luton are held to a stalemate by struggling **Rotherham

Championship: Luton Town 0 Rotherham United 0

Luton ended their 2020-21 home campaign with a goalless draw against relegation strugglers Rotherham United this evening.

The visitors went into the game needing to win to keep their survival hopes in their own hands going into the weekend finale at Cardiff City, which made it into a frantic evening at times, with real quality at a premium, but plenty of near misses at both ends.

Town boss Nathan Jones made two changes from the 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough on Saturday, Dan Potts and Ryan Tunnicliffe in for Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and Harry Cornick who dropped to the bench.

Adopting a 3-5-2 formation with Potts and James Bree the wing backs, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall had the opening effort, his 25-yarder comfortable for Jamal Blackman.

Town stopper Simon Sluga then had to quickly change direction to save Lewis Wing's long range free kick which took a slight deflection on its way through, the midfielder having beaten the Croatian with a wonderful effort on his Championship debut when at parent club Middlesbrough last term.

Dewsbury-Hall had Town's only other effort in the opening 15 minutes, another curler out of the reach of Blackman this time, but also wide of the target, while Sonny Bradley bravely threw himself in the way of Ben Wiles' powerful drive from outside the box that looked to be seriously troubling Sluga.

Striker Elijah Adebayo came the closest for both sides with 20 minutes gone, bursting into the area and thrashing a shot against the bar from 10 yards.

Some sloppy play at the back by Naismith and Glen Rea led to a great opening for Rotherham as Ryan Giles' inviting cross was met by Michael Smith, whose glancing header was only narrowly wide.

A poor mistake by Wes Harding allowed Adebayo to get away on the right, his delivery only just over the head of Potts who was careering in at the far post.

The woodwork came to Rotherham's rescue again on the half hour, Dewsbury-Hall's wickedly inswinging corner palmed on to his own post by Blackman as the Millers survived the pinball that followed.

A lovely cushioned header by Adebayo, who was Town's biggest threat all night, sent James Bree away, but as the right back closed in on the box, he bizarrely opted to try and find Luton's deadline day signing rather than go for goal himself and the move eventually broke down.

It was Town who were grateful to the post on 42 minutes when Smith's header saw Matt Cross deftly lob Sluga from close range, the ball carressing the woodwork before Town's Croatian international got back in the nick of time, as a quick check of the watch by referee David Webb signalled it hadn't crossed the line.

Luton forced a flurry of corners to end the half, Blackman palming one behind, the second cleared to Dewsbury-Hall who volleyed wide from the edge of the box.

The hosts made a change at the break, with Harry Cornick on for Potts as Town switched back to the diamond they adopted against Middlesbrough, Collins dropping slightly deeper once more.

A scrappy start to proceedings saw the hosts bring on Mpanzu for Collins, with the midfielder's first action to set off on a driving run, the ball ricocheting for Adebayo whose curler was straight at Blackman.

Rotherham, getting increasingly desperate for the win they required, had a glorious chance, the impressive Giles sending over another pinpoint cross that a back-pedalling Crooks could only nod wide.

Luton still couldn't create anything clear-cut though, Matty Pearson meeting Naismith's deep free kick, his header easy for Blackman, while Mpanzu ought to have done better when the ball dropped to them just outside the box, skying disappointingly over.

Moments later it was Naismith who had a crack from a similar position, his rising shot also clearing Blackman's goal.

Wing had a pop from a free kick 25 yards from goal that Sluga scampered to palm behind, as from the corner, Town broke with a wonderful flowing move that saw Adebayo unable to apply the finishing touch, slamming waywardly behind.

Right at the death, Luton thought they had won it, Bradley's header from Dewsbury-Hall's corner beating Blackman to find the net, but it was ruled out for a push.

The result did see Jones' side make it six unbeaten, as they stayed in 12th place ahead of their final match at QPR on Saturday, while United need to win their game and hope other scorelines go their way.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, James Bree, Dan Potts (Harry Cornick 46), Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley ©, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Glen Rea, Ryan Tunnicliffe (Kazenga LuaLua 75), Kal Naismith, James Collins (Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu 63), Elijah Adebayo.

Subs not used: James Shea, Martin Cranie, Joe Morrell, Dion Pereira, George Moncur, Sam Nombe.

Millers: Jamal Blackman, Lewis Wing, Richard Wood (C), Ben Wiles, Wes Harding, Michael Ihiekwe, Matthew Olosunde (Freddie Ladapo 65),Michael Smith (Chiedozie Ogbene 65) Matt Crooks, Dan Barlaser (Joe Mattock 74), Ryan Giles.

Subs not used: Viktor Johansson, Shaun MacDonald, Jamie Lindsay, Kieran Sadlier, Angus MacDonald, Florian Jozefzoon.

Bookings: Smith 43.

Referee: David Webb.

Hatters** chief 'devastated' to see Bradley's stoppage time winner wrongly disallowed against Millers**

**Town manager felt late header should definitely have **stood

Luton boss Nathan Jones felt his side were denied what he thought was a perfectly good stoppage time winner against Rotherham United this evening.

With seconds of the contest remaining, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall swung a corner in from the right where it was met by captain Sonny Bradley who powered his header beyond Millers keeper Jamal Blackman.

However, referee David Webb blew the whistle for an incident that only he spotted in the area, which baffled Jones, as he said: “I categorically do not think it was a push.

“I think someone fabricated something there that I haven’t seen, but it’s the way football is.

“It was a safe decision, a real safe decision. I can understand why he’s given it, I'm devastated he has, because categorically it wasn't a foul in any way shape or form.

“If he gives that as a foul then some of the stuff that went on...I’ve seen the replay, I make sure I come out and have seen the replay and it is definitely 100 per cent not a foul.”

Although Town were held to a second home draw in three days, it means they have now assured themselves of a top half finish in the Championship, which is some achievement considering they only stayed up on the final day last term.

Up against a Rotherham side who will now go into the last game of the campaign with the destiny out of their own hands following this result, as they needed victory to put themselves in the driving seat, Jones added: “I thought it was very competitive, lacked a little bit of pure quality,but in terms of endeavour, in terms of an honesty for a game, it couldn't have had any more.

“That’s what the Championship us, they’re fighting for their lives, anything can happen.

"We want to keep the integrity, we want to finish as high as we can and it’s two teams wanting to win the game.

“No-one sat back, no-one wanted to stifle the game, no-one tried to slow it down and that’s the honesty of the league.

“I’m proud of my team for that as we wanted to guarantee a top 12 finish which means we’re top half, which is a fantastic achievement.

"As when you look at Sky Sports and you see those Championship tables, we are guaranteed to be on the first page and not the second that’s the massive thing for us.”