Luton Town FC vs Swansea City (13th Mar 2021)

Match Report | Luton Town 0-1 Swansea City

A narrow defeat for the Hatters at Kenilworth Road...

The Hatters suffered a 1-0 defeat to promotion-chasing Swansea City in today's lunchtime kick-off at Kenilworth Road.

Manager Nathan Jones made five changes from last week's defeat at table-toppers Norwich, with Elijah Adebayo returning to lead the line, whilst there was a start for James Bree at right-back for the first time since defeat against Stoke City.

Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu was alongside Ryan Tunnicliffe and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in midfield, and Harry Cornick was the fifth change, back in the starting line-up after playing his part from the substitutes' bench last weekend.

The Hatters came close to taking the lead in the third minute when Pearson's flick-on was cleared off the line and Naismith's follow-up was held on the line by goalkeeper Freddie Woodman.

Swansea raced straight up the other end and grabbed the earlty advantage themselves seconds later, Yan Dhanda cutting back from the left byline for Hourihane to place his shot past Simon Sluga from eight yards.

Town responded well and Jordan Clark went close on 11 minutes, picking up the ball as Swansea struggled to clear a corner and playing a one-two with Tunnicliffe before bending in a low right-footed shot that just failed to come back enough.

Dan Potts headed home what he thought was the equaliser two minutes later, meeting a Cornick cross from the right, but replays showed the linesman's flag was correctly raised for offside.

Adebayo was also causing problems, bursting to the right byline and blasting a cross-shot that Woodman did well to repel with his foot, before the visiting keeper cleared the ball straight to Mpanzu in the 20th minute, but managed to back-pedal and push the midfielder's 35-yard first-time chip wide for a corner.

The Hatters were playing some cracking football, and after a period of possession on the left between Adebayo, Clark and Dewsbury-Hall with half-an-hour gone, the latter whipped in an inviting cross that Cornick couldn't get a clean head on six yards out.

Naismith was having another excellent game as the middle man of three centre-halves, Pearson and Potts either side of him, as the Hatters went in search of the equaliser after the early set-back.

Potts was soon leaving the action, carried off on a stretcher after suffering a head injury in an accidental collision with Hourihane that caused a seven-minute delay.

With Martin Cranie on to the right of the three centre-halves, and Pearson moving into the middle, Town started the second half as they'd spent most of the first - on the front foot.

Adebayo whipped in a low cross that was just too far in front of Cornick, then Naismith curled a free-kick over the bar after Pearson had been fouled, before Adebayo flashed a shot wide and headed Mpanzu's cross straight at Woodman, who was booked for persistent time wasting over goal-kicks.

That was all in the opening 11 minutes of the half, before Adebayo sent another header into Woodman's hands afteer Bennett flicked Naismith's cross into the striker's path.

Clark went closer still on 63 minutes as Dewsbury-Hall and Cornick led a lightning quick counter from a Swansea corner, but the wideman's glancing header from Cornick's right-wing cross went wide of the far post, with Tunnicliffe arguably better placed behind him.

The visitors survived a big penalty shout in the 79th minute when Adebayo chested Clark's cross down, and appeared to be blocked to the floor by Joel Latibeaudiere. Ref Darren England wasn't moved and the Town continued their quest to find a way through.

It almost came in four minutes of time added on, when Mpanzu picked out Adebayo, but the forward's downward header was straight at Woodman and the Welsh side held on for three points despite a spirited Town performance.

Town: Sluga; Bree, Pearson (C) (LuaLua 83), Naismith, Potts (Cranie 45+2); Tunnicliffe, Mpanzu, Dewsbury-Hall; Clark, Cornick (Collins 70), Adebayo.

Subs not used: Shea, Berry, Rea, Nombe, Morrell, Ince

Swansea: Woodman; Naughton, Bennett, Latibeudiere; Roberts, Grimes (C), Manning, Smith, Hourihane (Fulton 65); Dhanda (Lowe 65), Ayew.

Subs not used: Hamer, Routledge, Whittaker, Bidwell, Freeman, Cooper, Cabango.

Goals: Hourihane (3)

Yellows: Naughton, Bennett, Woodman, Roberts

Referee: Darren Bond

Nathan Jones reflects on Swansea City defeat

The gaffer was frustrated with the manner of defeat...

Manager Nathan Jones felt key decisions went against his side this afternoon following a narrow defeat to Swansea City at Kenilworth Road.

The Hatters were more threatening than their counterparts for much of the game after going behind but couldn’t find an equaliser against their promotion-chasing opponents.

“The reason we have ended up with nothing is two reasons. One, some people don’t make the right decisions and then we have missed chances that we should be scoring, that they wouldn’t be missing, neither would your Norwich’s and Brentford’s – people like that.

“That is the learning curve for us because we have had more of the play, more crosses, more possession, more shots, more entries into their final third and I’m really proud of the performance.

“To take Swansea on, who are second in the league, with aspirations of being a Premier League side. Got no qualms about the performance, they are a good side, but we’ve been as dominant as we could have been against a good side and I’m really pleased with that.

“It is just so hurtful that we haven’t picked up something from the game, and there are a number of factors for that.”

The gaffer was particularly displeased with the decision not to award a penalty for the foul on Elijah Adebayo, saying: “There is no potential, he has chested it away from him, he has wiped him out after the ball had gone, it is a clear penalty. First one is a little bit more open to interpretation, he has moved his hand towards the ball which is a penalty in the letter of the law.”

https://issuu.com/lutontownfc/docs/swansea_e-programme_bcd - Programme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tspRbqsnEr8 – Nathan Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2US-5QLrL4 – match highlights

Goal-shy Hatters are beaten despite dominating title-chasing Swansea

Championship: Luton Town 0 Swansea City 1

Luton were once again left to rue missed chances as they fell to an extremely harsh and completely undeserved 1-0 defeat to promotion-chasing Swansea City this afternoon.

The visitors had one real chance all game, which they took after just three minutes through Conor Hourihane, as the Hatters then made all the running from that point onwards.

Despite creating a host of opportunities, as has been their Achilles heel all season, a lack of quality in the final third meant they just couldn't make them count, as they also had a goal disallowed and late penalty appeals turned away.

Boss Nathan Jones made five changes from the 3-0 defeat at Norwich City last weekend with James Bree, Jordan Clark, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Harry Cornick and Elijah Adebayo returning to the side in place of Martin Cranie, Luke Berry, George Moncur, Tom Ince and James Collins.

The hosts almost took the lead early on when a corner caused havoc and was cleared off the line, Kal Naismith's follow-up deflecting into the grateful hands of Freddie Woodman.

City were ahead with their first attack though on three minutes, Matty Pearson caught out badly by a long ball, allowing Yan Dhanda to get down the left.

He easily got the better of Naismith and pulled a cross back to the completely unmarked Hourihane to sidefoot underneath the body of Simon Sluga.

Luton didn't let their heads drop with the setback, continuing to look a threat, particularly through Clark playing as a wing-back on the left in another new role for him, as he went closest on 10 minutes, breaking into the area yet again, only just missing the far post with his curler.

Town thought they had an equaliser with 13 gone, Dan Potts rising majestically to head home Cornick's hanging cross, but the linesman's flag for an apparent offside stopped the celebrations short.

Adebayo's fierce cross-shot was repelled by the legs of Woodman, who was then almost caught out when his underhit clearance went straight to Mpanzu.

The midfielder sent a first-time effort which appeared destined for the net, only for the visiting stopper to make a fine back-pedalling save, the ball just dribbling behind, before a Town attacker could pounce.

Luton remained in the ascendancy, with some fine passing creating a crossing chance for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall on the half hour, who whipped in a delivery that Cornick couldn't get a proper contact on, his header flying well wide.

With five minutes to go, Potts went in for a challenge with Hourihane, colliding heavily with the visiting player, as after some prolonged treatment on the field, he was stretchered off in a neck brace, Martin Cranie on in his place.

The Hatters stayed on the front foot after the break, Adebayo's wonderful first time cross from the the right inches away from Cornick's outstretched leg.

Naismith then put a free kick over the top from a decent position, while Adebayo, who was a real presence aerially, stabbed wide of the target, before placing his downward header too close to Woodman.

A slightly sloppy spell by the hosts saw Sluga collect Hourihane's low effort, but the fact that keeper Woodman saw yellow for time-wasting midway through the half, with Connor Roberts cautioned for kicking the ball away soon after showed just how under the cosh City were at times.

Luton kept up their attacking intent too as a wonderful break from a visiting corner saw Cornick's excellent cross missed at the near post by Clark.

With Town starting to tire, Swansea were finally able to keep their at arm's length more comfortably in the closing stages.

However, Luton had huge shouts for a penalty with nine minutes left, Adebayo charged over in the area, nothing given by referee Darren Bond despite cries from Town's players and bench.

Jones threw on Kazenga LuaLua for Pearson, meaning gaps opened up, Jamal Lowe slicing well wide on a foray forward, as did Matt Grimes.

But try as they might, the Hatters just couldn't get the goal their efforts deserved, and when Adebayo's header fell for Woodman and not James Collins, the game was up.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, James Bree, Dan Potts (Martin Cranie 45), Matty Pearson (C Kazenga LuaLua 83), Kal Naismith, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Jordan Clark, Harry Cornick (James Collins 70), Elijah Adebayo.

Subs not used: James Shea, Sam Nombe, Joe Morrell, Glen Rea, Tom Ince, Luke Berry.

Swans: Freddie Woodman, Ryan Bennett, Ryan Manning, Korey Smith, Matt Grimes ©, Andre Ayew, Conor Hourihane (Jay Fulton 65), Yan Dhanda (Jamal Lowe 65), Joel Latibeaudiere, Connor Roberts, Kyle Naughton.

Subs not used: Ben Hamer, Wayne Routledge, Morgan Whittaker, Jake Bidwell, Kieron Freeman, Brandon Cooper, Ben Cabango.

Booked: Naughton 28, Bennett 45, Woodman 60, Roberts 65.

Referee: Darren Bond.

Jones is 'baffled' after Luton are denied a 'stonewall' penalty in Swans defeat

Hatters boss frustrated with decision-making by both officials and his players

Luton boss Nathan Jones felt his side were unfairly denied a ‘stonewall’ penalty during their 1-0 defeat to Swansea City this afternoon.

Late in the second half, striker Elijah Adebayo appeared to be barged over inside the penalty area by a visiting defender, only for referee Darren Bond to wave away Town’s appeals.

Jones, who was already frustrated about not having a spot-kick awarded in the first period due to handball, said: “Elijah’s one is just a stonewall, there’s no debate about it, he’s chested it and he’s hit him after the ball.

“The handball is down to interpretation, but the letter of the law, he’s moved his hand to the ball, so if you move your hand to the ball and it goes to VAR, it’s a penalty.

“There’s a few things here that if VAR are here, we might be speaking about a totally different story.

“I spoke to him and the thing about it, refereeing a game is difficult, because you’ve got to make split second decisions.

“But what baffles me is people say 'it’s not a penalty,' when I know it is as I’ve seen it, and I've had the benefit of seeing it.

“So when they still say ‘no,’ they’re better off saying, 'I'll have a look at it and if I've made a mistake, I apologise.'

"And that's all you can do, because it’s human error.

“I make errors, someone says to me ‘you’ve picked the wrong team today,’ I say ‘hang on, I'll have a look at it.’

“Then I look at it and think maybe I did and I’m big enough to think that.

“Decisions baffle me sometimes and it’s everywhere.

“Pre-match it was spoken about the penalties they had lately which have been a tenth of the clarity of ours and yet we don't get them.”

Although critical of the referee’s display, Jones also felt his players should have done better to avoid falling behind with just three minutes on the clock.

Having gone close themselves, Luton then conceded the only goal of the game when Matty Pearson failed to cut out a long ball over the top as Yan Dhanda beat Kal Naismith and squared for Conor Hourihane to beat Simon Sluga.

Town saw Dan Potts’ header ruled out for offside shortly afterwards and went on to miss a number of opportunities themselves, as on the loss Jones continued: “Decision-making by both officials and players probably cost us really and that's the frustrating thing as I thought we were excellent for the majority of the game.

“We were front-footed, we were the better side as far I’m concerned.

"We had two penalties that should have been penalties, had some clear-cut chances, clear-cut headers, one goal disallowed, probably correctly, but it’s marginal, and then so many situations where we should have done better with.

“We kind of let them off the hook as we conceded after three minutes which we pretty much did in the away game which is ironic, then the performance levels I'm very pleased with.

“Sky asked me prior to the game in the interview, and their things were ‘you were excellent away from home against them, how can you turn that performance into points?’

“Our message was ‘don’t concede early,’ that was the thing.

“Now we want to start on the front foot, and we could have taken the lead,

“It was just a counter attack though and we’ve got to defend it better.

“Matty has to see the header whether it’s swirling, Kal has to defend better and we have to make sure that we stop the cut back and don't let him run off us.

“So much is disappointing, but there are so many positives, it’s just hard to see them, as we’ve just lost the game 1-0.”