Luton Town FC vs Swansea City (21st Dec 2019)

LUTON TOWN 0 SWANSEA CITY 1

Hatters fall to another late goal as winning home run comes to an end

The Hatters were left to rue missed chances as they fell to a 1-0 loss against Swansea City at Kenilworth Road.

Andre Ayew scored the only goal of the game with eight minutes to go as he bundled the ball in from close range, ending Town’s two-game winning run at home.

The hosts had a number of chances throughout the 90 minutes but were ultimately left disappointed as they remain 21st in the Sky Bet Championship.

Graeme Jones made three changes to the side that lost 2-1 at Preston North End last week, with Simon Sluga, Andrew Shinnie and Harry Cornick all coming back into the starting line-up.

The Hatters controlled play early on and could have gone ahead within the first 11 minutes if it wasn’t for a last-ditch block in the penalty area.

Pelly Ruddock-Mpanzu done well on the left to get the ball into the box and his delivery found Berry, who flicked it towards Cornick, but as the forward was about to fire towards goal George Byers produced a timely interception, with referee David Webb waving away appeals for a penalty for handball.

Ayew went closest for the away side in the first half after darting in from the right, but he only found the side netting.

Town had a presentable opportunity to take the lead five minutes before half-time. Cornick played the ball across to Shinnie and his fiercely struck effort stung the gloves of Freddie Woodman from 25 yards out.

The resulting corner also found its way to the midfielder on the edge of the box, but he drove the ball back in and Mpanzu was inches away from diverting it towards goal.

On the stroke of half-time Borja Baston went close with an acrobatic effort and Swansea remained on the front foot at the start of the second half, as Baston had a clear sight of goal before Matty Pearson blocked well.

The Hatters quickly grew into the half as Luke Bolton’s deep cross went all the way through to Cornick at the far post, but his left-footed shot flew wide of the post.

Swansea then had three threatening corners in succession, the first of which Sluga did extremely well to save Ayew’s header.

But Town responded yet again and had two good chances to score. Substitute Ryan Tunnicliffe played a lovely ball over the top for Cornick to run onto, he rounded Woodman and laid the ball back to George Moncur, but the midfielder’s effort was cleared away.

Less than a minute later James Collins provided a brilliant cross for Shinnie at the far post, but his diving header went over the bar.

The end-to-end encounter went the way of Swansea as they found a way through in the 82nd minute courtesy of Ayew, as he chested in substitute Jay Fulton’s heavily deflected cross, which looped up off Tunnicliffe's boot, to give the away side the lead.

The Hatters continued right to the last whistle but couldn’t find an equaliser, even as Sonny Bradley went close and Moncur was denied from the edge of the box.

Town are back in action at Kenilworth Road on Boxing Day as they face Fulham, while Swansea - who moved up to sixth - face Brentford.

TOWN: Sluga, Bolton, Pearson, Bradley (C), Bree, Butterfield (Moncur 61), Mpanzu, Shinnie, Berry (Tunnicliffe 61), Cornick (McManaman 74), Collins. Subs not used: Stech, LuaLua, Jones, Sheehan.

Yellows: Collins

SWANSEA: Woodman, Roberts, Wilmot, Van der Hoorn, Bidwell, Grimes (C), Byers, Carroll (Fulton 75), Ayew, Celina (Naughton 87), Baston (Routledge 75) Subs not used: Nordfeldt, McKay, Kalulu, Cooper.

Goals: Ayew (82)

Yellows: Bidwell, Byers

Referee: David Webb

Attendance: 10,062 (1,032 away)

GRAEME JONES ON THE DEFEAT TO SWANSEA CITY

Hatters boss Graeme Jones felt his side did very little wrong in their 1-0 defeat to Swansea City at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

Having gone close to opening the scoring through George Moncur, the Town were punished late on as Andre Ayew was able to convert from close range.

The result leaves the Town in 21st place, two points above the relegation zone.

Jones said: "The big moment again is Harry going around the keeper, ball comes back to George and the keeper is out of his goal. That was the moment we could have won the game.

"The goal comes, Ryan Tunnicliffe doesn’t stop the cross. It spoons in the air, James Bree gets tripped I think, accidentally, but Ayew runs across him and he’s on the floor, he should be marking him, obviously it’s not James’ fault, but he was there to head the ball in the back of the net and we're just getting hurt.

"We’ve done very little wrong today and the boys have given absolutely everything and we got beat one-nil, I feel sorry for the lads today because they can’t give anymore.

"They’ve given everything they have got, we are just a little bit short at the minute and again I’m going to have to mention, I think we need to understand that Swansea’s front three was £40 million so this is what we are up against.

"We got beat by one goal, a fortunate trip and I’ve told the boys that nobody is going to help us, nobody is going to feel sorry for us. We need to dust ourselves down and the only measurement is giving everything we have got.

"We are trying to get a tactical advantage against Fulham which won’t be easy because we know the calibre of player that is coming here and see if that is enough to get some points."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-Srkn-1kSw& - Graeme Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp5-JvSRLXs – Match highlights

Town beaten late on again as Ayew seals victory for Swansea

Championship: Luton Town 0 Swansea City 1

Luton's Achilles heel of conceding late goals struck once more as they were beaten 1-0 at Kenilworth Road by Swansea City this afternoon.

With eight minutes remaining, the Hatters looked like they had done enough to earn a point against the Swans, and extend their unbeaten run on home soil to three matches,

But, just as at Preston last weekend, they couldn't hold on, striker Andre Ayew chesting home from a matter of inches to seal victory for the visitors.

Although Town didn't offer too much going forward at times, they hung on doggedly, centre half Matty Pearson excelling with a number of terrific blocks, as he put his body on the line, particularly during the second half.

But it wasn't quite enough as a third straight defeat, coupled with Barnsley triumphing at Millwall, means Graeme Jones' side are just one point above the drop zone now, going into the congested Christmas period.

Then Town chief made three changes to his side, the most notable being goalkeeper Simon Sluga's return in place of a concussed James Shea, the Croatian starting for the first time since his shocker at Derby some 11 games ago.

Andrew Shinnie and Harry Cornick were also in, as Luton reverted to the diamond, with Callum McManaman and Kazenga LuaLua dropping to the bench.

With Sluga back, there was almost an intense desperation on the terraces for the keeper to do well, cheered as he took his place between the posts, and also when saving easily from Connor Roberts' tame effort early on, plus controlling a backpass.

The Hatters gave as good as they got against an excellent-looking Swans team in the opening stages, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu doing superbly to fashion a cross from the left, with Cornick blocked just as he pulled the trigger.

Big money signing Ayew then showed his quality in advanced areas, turning James Bree to break into the box and fire into the side netting

Luton then looked to contain the Swans threat where possible, countering on occasion, Shinnie dragging a half volley wide, the midfielder then going closer, forcing Freddie Woodman to tip over his 22 yard blast.

It was Shinnie who almost turned provider on 40 minutes, taking a touch when a corner fell for him, his low effort just out of the reach of a stretching Mpanzu.

City looked to have taken the lead on the stroke of half time, when a free kick wasn't dealt with by the hosts and it ended with Borja Baston's overhead volley trickling inches wide.

After the break, Pearson was required to make a crucial block on Baston as he let fly when racing on to Ayewe's clever backheel.

Luton had a decent chance of their own after working a good opening on the right, with Luke Bolton's cross finding Cornick, who shanked disappointingly wide.

The game began to finally open up though, with Swans looking the more likely, Sluga forced into an excellent diving save from Ayew's downward header, with the visitors then sending another two attempts that deflected narrowly over.

Jones brought on George Moncur and Ryan Tunnicliffe for Butterfield and Luke Berry as Luton had to weather a real storm of pressure, Pearson making a stunning block with his face to prevent Bersant Celina from hitting the target.

Town then began to feature as an attacking force, one break seeing Cornick released and he rounded Woodman, who had raced miles out of his area, finding Moncur, who couldn't beat the covering defenders, while Shinnie stooped to nod over the bar from Collins' bouncing cross.

Pearson, who was having an incredible game, repelling efforts time and time again, then saw George Byers just nip in front of him and go down, only to see referee Dave Webb opt to book the visiting attacker for diving.

However, the visitors did finally have the goal their play deserved on 82 minutes when Jay Fulton got the better of Tunnicliffe in the area and his cross deflected over Sluga, Ayew finally breaking clear of his markers to chest home from virtually the goal-line.

Luton tried to hit back, winning two corners in stoppage time, even sending keeper Sluga upfront, but there was no fairytale finish, as the Hatters couldn't find that last-gasp equaliser.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, Luke Bolton, James Bree, Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley ©, Jacob Butterfield (Ryan Tunnicliffe 61), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Andrew Shinnie, Luke Berry (George Moncur 62), Harry Cornick (Callum McManaman 74), James Collins.

Subs not used: Marek Stech, Lloyd Jones, Alan Sheehan, Kazenga LuaLua.

Swans: Freddie Woodman, Mike van der Hoorn, Matt Grimes ©, Borja Baston (Wayne Routledge 75), Bersant Celina (Kyle Naughton 87), Tom Carroll (Jay Fulton 75), Ben Wilmot, Andre Ayew, Connor Roberts, Jake Bidwell, George Byers.

Subs not used: Kristoffer Nordfeldt, Barrie McKay, Aldo Kalulu, Brandon Cooper.

Booked: Bidwell 37, Collins 45, Byers 79.

Referee: David Webb.

Attendance: 10,062 (1,032 Swans).

Luton chief Jones felt Bree was tripped in build-up to Swansea's winner

Hatters boss Graeme Jones felt that his side should been awarded a foul for a trip on defender James Bree in the build-up to Swansea City's winner this afternoon.

With eight minutes to go, Swans striker Andre Ayew escaped the attentions of Hatters' on-loan Ipswich Town full back, who was left lying on the turf, to chest home Jay Fulton's deflected cross from a matter of inches.

However, Jones pointed to an incident moments before the goal and a missed chance for Town shortly prior to the winner as the two major moments in the contest, saying: "The big moment is Harry (Cornick) going round the keeper, the ball comes back to George (Moncur), the keeper’s out of his goal, that was the moment we could have won the game.

“The goal comes when Ryan Tunnicliffe doesn’t stop the cross, it spoons in the air, James Bree gets tripped, I don’t know if you’ve seen it back, he gets tripped I think accidentally, but Ayew runs across him and he’s on the floor.

“He should be marking him, obviously it’s not James’ fault, Ayew was there to head the ball in the back of the net, and we’re just getting hurt.

“We’ve done very, very little wrong today and the boys have given absolutely everything and we got beat 1-0.

“I feel sorry for the lads today as we couldn’t have given any more."

Jones was also keen to point out the difference in quality between the two teams, as Swans lined up with big money additions Ayew, Bersant Celina and Borja Baston in attack.

"He added: "We’re just a little bit short at the moment and again we have to mention it, I think we need to understand, Swansea’s front three was 40 million pounds, so this is what we’re up against it.

“We got beat by one goal, a fortunate trip.

"I’ve told the boys nobody is going to help us, nobody is going to feel sorry for us, we need to dust ourselves down and the only measurement is giving everything we’ve got.

“Ayew's 20 million pounds and he's their top goalscorer.

"If you attack too much on the counter attack, he'll just stay up the pitch a little bit and you'll get done in transition.

"So you have to measure how potent he is, with your attacking play and try and do it in a different way.

"Celina on the opposite side, you've seen his quality the whole game, we've got a 20-year-old boy playing against him, who did absolutely fine, James Bree was excellent.

"We're talking about two key moments again.

"One which doesn't go in the back of the net for us and one that does.

"So I find that difficult to take for everybody at the club as my job is to get every area of the football club giving everything they've got, and we are."