Luton Town FC vs Sheffield Wednesday (27th Feb 2021)

Match Report | Luton Town 3-2 Sheffield Wednesday

The Hatters fight back to win a five-goal thriller at Kenilworth Road!

The Hatters mounted an unbelievable second half comeback to seal a memorable win at Kenilworth Road against relegation-threatened Sheffield Wednesday. After a disappointing first half display resulted in Wednesday taking a two goal lead, Luton struck back with three second half goals to turn the tide on their opponents.

Wednesday came flying out of the blocks, testing the Hatters' back three with an early ball over the top that required goalkeeper Simon Sluga to race out and clear on the edge of his box.

After a period of sustained pressure, Sheffield Wednesday took an early lead at Kenilworth Road. The Hatters gave the ball away inside their own half allowing Callum Paterson to race into the box down the right, as he pulled back to find Josh Windass who tapped home from close range.

Wednesday continued to pile on the pressure, winning a number of corners that Luton were just about able to clear. The Hatters were lucky to not go two behind in the 22nd minute after Wednesday broke at speed from their own half, sending Windass through on goal who fired over the bar to the relief of the Hatters.

A few minutes before half-time and Wednesday grabbed what was a deserved second goal after a disjointed first half performance from the Hatters. Matty Pearson slipped as Kadeem Harris crossed in from the right, with the ball spilling through to Windass at the back post who smashed home first time for his second of the game.

Luton went into the half-time break with it all to do after a very disappointing first-half display.

Nathan Jones made three changes at half-time whilst changing to a diamond formation in an attempt to turn the tide in the second half, introducing Glen Rea, Harry Cornick and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu in place of Martin Cranie, Joe Morrell and Tom Ince.

The changes had the desired affect just five minutes into the second half. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall delivered a low corner from the left that January signing Kal Naismith met first time running across the front post, steering into the far corner and giving Luton the start that they needed if they were going to mount an unlikely comeback.

The half time changes continued to have to desired effect as the Hatters continued to play with an energy, quality and intensity that was not present in the opening 45 minutes.

Before the hour mark Ryan Tunnicliffe drew the Hatters level as Luton took the game to Sheffield Wednesday and looked most likely to go on and win the game. Dewsbury-Hall fed the impressive Elijah Adebayo down the left flank with Tunnicliffe racing in at the edge of box, firing home first time to draw the Hatters level.

In a breathless second half where the Hatters dominated every aspect of play, Elijah Adebayo completed an unbelievable comeback by giving Luton the lead with five minutes to play. Harry Cornick raced down the right flank, clipping to the back post to Adebayo who rose highest to head home at the near post.

Despite being faced with seven minutes of stoppage time, Luton came through unscathed and celebrated an unbelievable but fully deserved second half comeback to seal three points at Kenilworth Road that moved them up to 14th in the Championship table.

Town: Sluga, Potts, Pearson, Cranie (Mpanzu 45), Naismith, Clark, Morrell (Rea 45), Dewsbury-Hall, Tunnicliffe, Ince (Cornick 45), Adebayo.

Subs not used: Shea, Bree, Berry, Moncur, Collins, Hylton.

Yellows: Rea

Goals: Naismith (50), Tunnicliffe (58), Adebayo (86)

Sheffield Wednesday: Wildsmith, Urhoghide, Lees, Borner (Dunkley 83), Penney (Reach 68), Harris, Hutchinson, Bannan, Brown, Windass (Marriott 79), Paterson (Rhodes 68).

Subs not used: Jackson, Hunt, Palmer, Pelupessey, Kachunga,

Yellows: Urhoghide, Hutchinson

Goals: Windass (6, 42)

Nathan Jones' reaction to victory against Sheffield Wednesday

The gaffer's thoughts after comeback win against The Owls...

Manager Nathan Jones was delighted with the manner of his side's second-half performance as they completed a remarkable turnaround to beat Sheffield Wednesday.

Following a poor first half which saw the Hatters fall two goals behind, Town responded with three goals in the second period, the last of which was scored by Elijah Adebayo – his second in as many starts for the club.

“It couldn’t have been any worse in the second half whatever happened,” the Gaffer admitted. “I knew I was going to get a reaction. We were totally inept first half, got out-battled all over the pitch, out worked. There was nothing elaborate with what Sheffield Wednesday did, they won their headers, put it in the corner.

“Every time they turned the ball over, we were nowhere near and it looked like they should have been further ahead.

“It could have been more, so second half we changed something. We had a real calculated chat and figured out what to do.

"I went with a bit more of what I know, what is tried and trusted at this football club, what has got this football club two promotions and retention in the Championship, and what's done really well this year, and they responded again.”

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiJIAeGQVD0 – Nathan Jones post match

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

Adebayo is the match-winner as Town complete astonishing second half comeback to beat Sheffield Wednesday

Championship: Luton Town 3 Sheffield Wednesday 2

A quite magnificent and truly brilliant second half comeback from Luton saw the Hatters emerge 3-2 winners over Sheffield Wednesday at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

There had only looked like one winner when referee Michael Salisbury whistled for the interval, the visitors 2-0 to the good thanks to Josh Windass's double, having 14 attempts to Town's one, the hosts a pale shadow of the side who had impressed against Millwall in midweek and lucky to be only two behind.

However, a triple change by Town boss Nathan Jones breathed life into his troops and with 15 minutes gone, they had wiped off that deficit thanks to strikes by Kal Naismith and Ryan Tunnicliffe.

With both sides then having chances in the final stages, it was Luton who took theirs when it came, Harry Cornick hanging up a cross where new hero Elijah Adebayo rose highest to power home a downward header at the far post to win it, sending manager Jones on a Jose-Mourinho style sprint down the touchline.

It had all looked like being a very different outcome an hour or so earlier, as the Hatters made just one change to their side from the 1-1 draw against Millwall on Tuesday night, skipper Sonnny Bradley missing out due to a tight thigh, Matty Pearson back in from his hamstring problem.

Town got off to the worst possible start on six minutes as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall gave the ball away from a short goal kick, allowing Callum Paterson to reach the byline and he cut it back for Windass to prod home from close range.

The visitors threatened again inside 10 minutes, Windass this time off target from outside the box, as Town simply could just not get going, looking miles off it.

Julian Borner was unable to direct his header on target from a corner, as Kadeem Harris saw two shots deflected behind as well, with Luton still no showing signs of waking from their early slumbers.

The visitors should have gone 2-0 ahead on 22 minutes, as Town's ponderous defence was sprung wide open, Windass going clean through, but faced with just Sluga to beat, he lifted wastefully over the bar.

That saw home chief Jones alter things on the field, moving Naismith to the centre of defence, while Jordan Clark came out to the left hand side.

Town's recent addition made a superb and absolutely vital challenge when left one v one against Windass to prevent the visitors attacker from going clean through again as the Hatters defence was teetering at times, badly outnumbered when Wednesday went forward.

Windass was being afforded the freedom of Kenilworth Road to do as he pleased, Luton finally getting out to block one shot, before Matt Penney took aim from outside the box, Sluga parrying, an offside Paterson hammering over from close range.

Any hopes that Luton had of getting through to the break just a goal behind disappeared into smoke with two minutes of the half remaining, a cross reaching the completely unmarked Windass and he rifled into the top corner.

Jones reacted to the abysmal first half display with a triple change for the second period, Joe Morrell, Martin Cranie and Ince making way for Cornick, Glen Rea and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu.

The changes had the desired effect as Luton were back in the contest with their first attack, a low corner met by Naismith, who managed to divert a clever left footed attempt into the net to pull one back.

It got even better for the hosts on 58 minutes as Adebayo did marvellously on the left hand side, holding the ball up and then sending a low cross into the area that Tunnicliffe showed a superb desire to reach ahead of anyone else, side-footing firmly home for his first of the season and out of nowhere, the hosts were level at 2-2.

Adebayo, who got better and better as the game wore on, displayed excellent close control to wriggle around his marker in the area and fashion an opportunity, but could only fire into the side-netting.

Mpanzu couldn't quite stretch to reach Dewsbury-Hall's searching cross, but the Owls weren't without their moments too, Paterson volleying Barry Bannan's cross narrowly wide of the target midway through the half.

The game then quietened down somewhat after an absorbing opening, although Town still looked for a winner, Tunnicliffe hammering well over from 20 yards with eight minutes to go.

Luton did complete their comeback though with just four minute left, when some wonderful wing play by Cornick saw him stand up a cross to the far post.

It was met by Adebayo rising highest to power a downward header that went in despite the best efforts of Wildsmith and already show his work with Mick Harford on improving his headed goals was paying dividends.

Having been criticised for the manner in which they tried to see the game out in midweek against Millwall, this time Luton played it perfectly, going for the corner when needed, but still retaining a threat, Cornick bursting away, and just failing to pick out a team-mate.

It mattered not on this occasion though as Town could celebrate a first home win in the league since the turn of the year and move 12 points away from the relegation zone on what was a true rollercoaster of a second tier contest.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, Martin Cranie (Glen Rea 46), Kal Naismith, Matty Pearson ©, Dan Potts, Joe Morrell (Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu 46), Ryan Tunnicliffe, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Jordan Clark, Tom Ince (Harry Cornick 46), Elijah Adebayo.

Subs not used: James Shea, Danny Hylton, George Moncur, James Bree, James Collins, Luke Berry.

Owls: Joe Wildsmith, Callum Paterson (Jordan Rhodes 68), Sam Hutchinson, Kadeem Harris, Barry Bannan (C), Julian Borner (Chey Dunkley 83), Matt Penney (Adam Reach 68), Tom Lees, Josh Windass (Jack Marriott 78), Osaze Urhoghide, Izzy Brown.

Subs not used: Liam Palmer, Joey Pelupessy, Alex Hunt, Luke Jackson, Elias Kachunga.

Booked: Rea 83, Urhoghide 85.

Referee: Michael Salisbury.

Jones reveals he made 'clinical decisions' rather than rant and rave at his players during half time as Hatters hit back to beat the Owls

Luton chief felt staying calm was crucial to the magnificent comeback victory

Luton boss Nathan Jones revealed he didn’t rant and rave at his players during the half time interval as the Hatters came back from 2-0 down to record a stunning 3-2 victory over Sheffield Wednesday this afternoon.

Following an opening 45 minutes when the Hatters were comfortably second and probably even third best against their relegation threatened visitors, they trooped off no doubt expecting to be met by a ear-bashing from their manager which would been totally deserved.

However, Jones let his players stew in the dressing room before making three changes, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Glen Rea and Harry Cornick replacing Joe Morrell, Tom Ince and Martin Cranie, with Town looking a completely different side for the second period.

Kal Naismith got the ball rolling on 52 minutes, with Ryan Tunnicliffe making it 2-2 six minutes later and then Elijah Adebayo’s towering header saw Luton snatch all three points late on, sending his manager sprinting up the touchline in pure unadulterated ecstasy.

When asked exactly what he said to under-performing players during the interval, Jones said: “I didn’t say too much to the players actually because we had about 10, 12 minutes in the manager's office where we thought calmly and collectively about what is going to turn this around.

“We deliberated and deliberated, went right to the wire really and then came out with those changes, with that personnel and then second half was just categorically different from what we got first half.

“A few years ago I would have gone in ranting and raving and not made clinical decisions and we wouldn’t have got the game back, but I've learned as a manager, I'm growing as a manager.

“I’m only five years into my managerial career so hopefully I've got another 20 years, hopefully it won't be 20 years of stress in terms of that.

“You have to make clinical decisions, what's the solution to the problem?

"And it was a huge problem, a huge problem, as it wasn't like they are getting in down the right hand side, so I'll change that, or tweak that, it wasn't.

“Everyone pretty much was inept first half, second half to a man everyone stepped up, we had more energy, more desire, and I thought we were superb second half.”

Although he only made the three substitutions at the break, Jones admitted no-one bar two of his team could have any complaints had they been hauled off.

He continued: “It was my worst half as a manager and bearing in mind when I was at Stoke I had some tough, tough days, that was my worst performance.

“I literally could have made 10 changes as (Simon) Sluga would have been exempt from anything and maybe Ryan Tunnicliffe could have been exempt at half time.

“We can talk about the negatives as we were absolutely miles off it first half, second half we were the type of team that I want us to be, front footed in everything we do.

"We played a diamond again which I’ve been much maligned for doing and I thought we were absolutely outstanding.

“To a man second half they were outstanding, I don’t think they had a shot on target whereas first half they could have had a hundred, literally could have had a hundred.

“It was just such a chalk and cheese performance, the levels went up, the basics went up, every single thing went through the roof and I’m just so happy and proud.”