Luton Town FC vs Swansea City (4th Mar 2023)

Report | Luton Town 1-0 Swansea City

Carlton Morris' 14th goal of the season ensured the Hatters completed a league double over Swansea City at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

Town moved up to fifth in the Sky Bet Championship table with a second win of a three-match unbeaten week, courtesy of Morris' first-half tap-in.

Manager Rob Edwards made one change with Allan Campbell, who netted the Town's first goal in the 2-0 win Swansea back in August, selected to start a league game for the first time since the win over Stoke City a month ago.

The Scotland international lined up in midfield alongside Marvelous Nakamba and Jordan Clark, with Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu named among the substitutes in the only switch from Tuesday night's 2-2 draw with Millwall.

The Hatters kicked off in sixth place in the table, occupying the final play-off spot, while the visitors from south Wales were in 15th position, 11 points behind Town with both clubs having played 34 matches.

Ethan Horvath was the first goalkeeper to be called into action, diving low to his left to keep out an 11th-minute shot from Luke Cundle.

But the Hatters were soon asking questions of their own, Elijah Adebayo climbing highest to meet Alfie Doughty's corner a couple of minutes later, but sending his header over the bar.

Top scorer Carlton Morris was next to have a go, Doughty and Adebayo causing problems down the left and when the former delivered another telling cross to the far post, Morris' downward header was parried by keeper Andy Fisher and gathered at the second attempt as Campbell prepared to pounce.

Town were picking the loose balls up as Swansea attempted to play out, Nakamba smothering them at every opportunity. But i it was from a longer goal-kick clipped into wide space in the centre circle that they nicked another, this time Campbell feeding Clark in the box, although Gabe Osho couldn't keep his eventual shot down.

Cundle became the first player to be shown yellow for pulling Amari'i Bell back just before the half-hour as the left-sided centre-back looked to race clear in the Swansea half. Doughty whipped in another terrific cross, but Clark's flick went begging at the far post.

Morris sent a thumping header that clipped the crossbar from a Clark corner in the 33rd minute, seconds after Swansea striker Joel Piroe had proved effective at the other end, diverting a low cross from Clark away from the former Barnsley hitman in the visitors' six-yard box.

The Welsh side were hanging on as Town piled the pressure on, Lockyer meeting another Doughty corner with a header that Jay Fulton somehow managed to chest off the line, with his goalkeeper patting the ball away from danger as the Hatters looked to capitalise.

The breakthrough finally came six minutes before half-time as the Hatters' relentlessness paid off, Doughty's initial cross from the left finding Cody Drameh, whose volley was blocked into the path of Clark, who also saw his shot diverted to Campbell.

The Scot had the presence of mind to feed Doughty once more on the left edge of the box, and when Fisher couldn't hold the ex-Stoke man's low delivery, Morris was there to snap up his 14th goal of the season.

Swansea midfielder Ollie Cooper picked up an early booking after the interval for kicking Lockyer in the face. But it was the City midfielder who then spurned a great chance to level in the 48th minute when he burst clear of his fellow Welshman and into the box, but ballooned his shot over the bar.

Clark soon followed Cooper into referee Dean Whitestone's book for a tug back on Ryan Manning in front of the Enclosure, and although Swansea had come out as a different side for the second half, it was Town who created the first real chance of the half.

Clark skipped past his man on the right edge of the box and centred for Campbell, whose glancing header at the near post was parried by Fisher, and with Morris primed to tap in again, visiting defender Ben Cabango reacted quickest to stab the ball wide of the post, although referee Whitestone was convinced it had come off the Town striker and gave a goal-kick.

Edwards made his first switch on 68 minutes, replacing Adebayo with Cauley Woodrow, while Swansea boss Russell Martin - who had already brought on Morgan Whittaker for the injured Joe Allen in first-half injury-time - switched Cundle and Matthew Sorinola for Liam Cullen and Liam Walsh.

Woodrow was the link man as Town created their next chance in the 72nd minute, Campbell winning the ball back in midfield and feeding the former Fulham and Barnsley forward to play Doughty in on the left, although the wing-back's shot was always rising into the Kenny End.

Morris fired into the side-netting with 15 minutes to go after Woodrow flicked on and Clark slipped the ball into the striker's path to strike at goal from 20 yards.

Lockyer and Doughty combined to set Woodrow up for another shot with just over ten minutes remaining, with ref Whitestone waving away appeals for a penalty with Nathan Wood blocking with his arm, but tightly tucked into his body.

Morris was taken off to a standing ovation, replaced by Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, but it was Swans sub Whittaker who was soon reminding Horvath that the Welshmen still carried a threat, the American beating his 86th-minute shot away.

Clark hit the outside of Fisher's right post with a clever 'Don't Watch the Eyes' sidefoot shot on 87 minutes, after Doughty had played man-of-the-match Drameh's diagnonal ball into his path.

City boss Russell Martin and Town assistant Richie Kyle were sent off for their park in a sideline melee caused after a foul on Nakamba was missed by ref Whitestone, and Town saw out the added time to secure a tremendous seven point week.

Goals: Morris 39'

Att: 10,072 (1,031 away)

Reaction | Rob Edwards on Swansea win

Hatters boss Rob Edwards was delighted by his side's 1-0 win over Swansea City this afternoon to move the Town up to fifth in the Sky Bet Championship table.

Speaking to the media after the match, won by Carlton Morris' 39th-minute goal, Edwards said: “I know it was a really important three points. Any three points at this stage of the season are really key, but after the week we’ve had, backing up the four points that we got from the Saturday and the Tuesday, it felt today like - we put the pressure on the lads a little bit - we’ve got to find a way to win this game, and they did.

“Swansea pose you a lot of threats as you all know, and they ask a lot of questions of you without the ball because they’re so good with it and they’re going to make us run and at the end of a really tough week, we’ve got to go and we need our energy, and we probably lacked a little bit today."

On Allan Campbell's impact on his return to the starting line-up, he went on: “Pelly came off the other day just feeling his groin, but Al, we know what he’s going to give us - loads and loads of energy.

"I’ve got no problem him coming in, we’re just as strong and he certainly gave us loads and loads of that today which he does. He’s great."

Edwards played down the touchline melee that resulted in Swansea manager Russell Martin and Hatters assistant Richie Kyle being sent off, describing it as "handbags" and explaining how he had spoken with his former Norwich City team-mate after the game, adding that "we're all good".

He went on: "It's hard to explain, because I know that supporters, you're kind of born into a football club, aren't you? Especially as passionate fans, and you are lifelong fans and the club means so much.

"For me anyways, when you work here, and how we've been embraced - I can't explain how much it means and how much it matters to us - and we are just desperate to do well, and desperate to win for the supporters, for the lads and obviously for ourselves as well.

"That'll go for every manager, and there was passion at times. I've got to look at it, and stay behind the line and stay in the box. I hold my hands up on that one, but yes, we care. We care."

On the game itself, he added: “I just felt when we played with a little bit more intensity and played forward and ran forward, got some action going, then we probably lifted the crowd a bit and then we did start getting some chances towards the end of that first half.

“I thought we deserved the goal. I was a bit disappointed we couldn’t go on and get that second, they made one or two tweaks and began to get a little bit more control. We retained a threat on the counter attacks as the game wore on, but we weren't able to press with the same intensity as we've been able to do in recent weeks.

"It was a similar sort of game to Burnley, if you think how Burnley play and think we did that that night for 96, 97 minutes, today it was a bit of a different way but that's fine, you've got to solve problems and we got over the line.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01lZGc53UMg – Rob Edwards interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0yr8n_e_CQ – full time scenes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W679PL9Wubs – match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aDAve7Fkv0 – Allan Campbell interview

Morris nips into score the winner as Luton do the double over Swansea

Championship: Luton Town 1 Swansea City 0

Striker Carlton Morris bagged his 14th goal of the season as Luton beat Swansea at Kenilworth Road for the first time since 2001 to further boost their play-off chances this afternoon.

The forward scored what turned out to be the winner in the closing stages of the first half, prodding home from Alfie Doughty's cross, as a mass brawl between both benches late on saw visiting boss Russell Martin sent off along with Town assistant Richie Kyle.

Midfielder Allan Campbell was recalled by manager Rob Edwards to the Town side after spending the last five games on the bench, replacing Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu.

Luton stopper Ethan Horvath had an early chance to boost his confidence from the mistake he made against Millwall in midweek, handling Luke Cundle's low daisycutter at his near post.

Town then had an opportunity of their own, Elijah Adebayo heading Alfie Doughty's corner over the bar, before the wingback did superbly on 16 minutes to reach a long ball on the left and send over another cross.

Morris met the delivery, his downward header forcing Andy Fisher into a decent stop, the Swans keeper gathering the loose ball ahead of the lurking Campbell.

With the visitors’ determined to play the ball out from the back, Luton nipped in with 20 gone, working it out on the right where Osho dropped his shoulder to beat a man and then couldn't quite retain his composure, lashing over the top.

Another Doughty free kick caused trouble midway through the half, Jordan Clark's touch just evading his team-mates in the box, before Clark's corner was met by Morris whose header glanced the top of the bar on its way over.

Doughty's corners and link-up play with Amari'i Bell on the left were causing City real trouble, his next attempt met by Tom Lockyer, whose nudge hit Jay Fulton, Fisher palming the ball away from underneath the bar.

Having started to up the tempo, Luton had their rewards on 39 minutes when a good move saw Clark mis-hit his shot, but Campbell made sure the danger remained, finding Doughty on the left.

He once more delivered another fine cross that Fisher could only fumble, Morris on hand to poke home from a matter of yards.

Swans looked to equalise instantly, but an unmarked Nathan Wood fortunately putting his downward header wide at the back post.

After the break, the visitors had a marvellous chance to restore parity when Lockyer's clearance cannoned off Ollie Cooper allowing the Swans midfielder to go clean through only to rashly scoop over the top when faced with Horvath.

The visitors had clearly upped their intensity, top scorer Joel Piroe having a crack from range, watching it deflect tamely into Horvath's gloves.

Although Swansea continued to dominate possession, it was Luton who created a real chance to double their lead just after the hour mark, Clark picking out Campbell, his header palmed away by Fisher, with Morris adjudged to have put the rebound wide.

Edwards brought on Cauley Woodrow for Adebayo and one of the sub’s first touches was to fire a pass out wide to Doughty who put his foot through a shot and lashed into the stands.

With midfielder Luke Berry wanting the decisions to finally go Luton's way in the week, after two didn't against the Lions on Tuesday night, they got their wish as sub Liam Cullen was played through to beat Horvath and find the net.

However, he had gone just a fraction too early and this time the referee's assistant had his flag raised to chalk it off, unlike a few days ago, when the Lions' offside strike was allowed to stand.

Hatters still searched for a second, Clark releasing Morris who took on a right footer that rippled the side-netting, before Woodrow was played in by Doughty, having half-hearted appeals for a penalty turned down when his shot was charged down.

In the closing stages, Morgan Whittaker’s snapshot was batted away by Horvath, Cody Drameh's wonderful reverse ball then seeing Doughty find Clark.

He tried to give Fisher the eye, only to see his sidefooter roll against the outside of the post.

Late on both benches got involved after an off the ball incident with Marvelous Nakamba and following an almighty brawl, visiting boss Martin and Kyle were given the marching orders.

Town managed to hang on in the face of some late pressure though, going on to complete the double over their opponents.

Hatters: Ethan Horvath, Cody Drameh, Gabe Osho, Tom Lockyer (C), Amari'i Bell, Alfie Doughty, Marvelous Nakamba, Allan Campbell, Jordan Clark (Joe Taylor 90), Elijah Adebayo (Cauley Woodrow 68), Carlton Morris (Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu 81).

Subs not used: James Shea, Sonny Bradley, Luke Berry, Fred Onyedinma.

Swans: Andy Fisher, Ryan Manning, Jay Fulton, Ben Cabango, Joe Allen (C Morgan Whittaker 45), Joel Piroe, Luke Cundle (Liam Walsh 68), Joel Latibeaudiere, Nathan Wood, Matthew Sorinola (Liam Cullen 68), Ollie Cooper (Jamie Paterson 77).

Subs not used: Harry Darling, Kyle Naughton, Andreas Sondergaard.

Bookings: Cundle, Clark, Woodrow.

Sent off: Martin, Kyle.

Referee: Dean Whitestone

Attendance: 10,072.

Edwards lauds a 'key' three points as Hatters boost play-off hopes by beating Swansea

Town make it three games unbeaten in a week

Hatters boss Rob Edwards described it as a ‘key’ three points picked up by his side during their 1-0 victory against Swansea City yesterday afternoon.

The hosts ran out narrow victors over their Welsh opponents courtesy of Carlton Morris’s 14th of the season in the 39th minute, tapping home after visiting keeper Andrew Fisher couldn’t hold on to Alfie Doughty’s deflected cross.

Speaking afterwards, Edwards, who has now seen Town claim two wins and a draw from their last three games, said: “I know it was a really important three points, any three points at this stage of the season are really key.

“But after the week we’ve had, backing up the four points that we got from Saturday and Tuesday it felt today like, we put the pressure on the lads a little bit, ‘we’ve got to find a way to win this game,’ and they did.

“Swansea pose you a lot of threats as you all know and they ask a lot of questions of you without the ball because they’re so good with it.

"They’re going to make us run and at the end of a really tough week, we’ve got to go and we need our energy, and we probably lacked a little bit today.

“We lacked a little bit of that energy and that intensity in the first 20-25 minutes, I’m trying to roar on from the sidelines, but it’s difficult to have an influence.

“I just felt when we played with a little bit more intensity and played forward and ran forward, got some action going, then we probably lifted the crowd a bit and then we did start getting some chances towards the latter end of that first half.

“I thought we deserved the goal, a bit disappointed we couldn’t go on and get that second.

"They made one or two tweaks and began to get a little bit more control.

“We retained a threat on the counter attack as the game wore on, but we weren't able to press with the same intensity that we've been able to do in recent weeks.

"It was a similar sort of game to Burnley if you think how Burnley play and we did that on that night for 96, 97 minutes.

"Today it was a bit of a different way but that's fine, you've got to solve problems and we got over the line.”

Edwards was happy to secure a third single goal victory out of five matches in front of their own fans, to make it four wins from seven games at Kenilworth Road since taking over, although would have liked a larger margin of victory to calm any nerves in the dug-out.

He continued: “We’re loving a 1-0 win, but getting that second goal would certainly calm things down a bit.

"We did have our chances, it was great that we are still creating those chances, so I know if we keep doing it and keep doing the right things then more goals will follow.

"When you’re difficult to break down like we are, then sometimes the one is enough but I would like us to get another to allow my heart.”

The win saw Town move up to fifth in the table, with just 11 matches to go, as Edwards added: “We can only control what we can do and that was doing the job today.

"Where we end up at the end of the day, it is what it is, we can just control us.”

Edwards declares he's a 'lover not a fighter' after mass brawl sees Swansea boss Martin sent off

Town assistant Kyle also given his marching orders

Luton boss Rob Edwards joked that he was a ‘lover not a fighter’ after a mass brawl between both dug-outs during the latter stages of this afternoon’s 1-0 win against Swansea City led to opposite number Russell Martin being sent off.

With time running out and the Hatters’ winning 1-0, an off the ball incident involving Marvelous Nakamba and Liam Walsh saw the two sets of backroom staff and substitutes react to the decision, in what quickly degenerated into a ruckus on the sidelines.

Martin was shown red for his part in the proceedings by referee Dean Whitestone, as was Town assistant Richie Kyle, and giving his view regarding what went on, Edwards said: “I probably started it all off by appealing.

"I felt there was a hand to the face, I’ll have a look back, whatever it was, I appealed.

“It's just emotions running high and two teams desperate to win and fighting - not literally fighting - and desperate to win, and that was all it was.

“So, it’s probably one of those boring ones, but there was a coming together, a bit of handbags, but nothing else.

“I’m a lover not a fighter.

"I appealed and then backed off really and left Richie, my bodyguard, to look after me.

"I don't think anything happened really, it was pretty boring.

"It was a coming together, it was nothing, just a lot of passion and emotion.

"Both teams were pretty desperate to win and that was it.

“Russ is a very athletic man. I wouldn’t want to get in any trouble with him.

"We’ve just had a chat outside and it’s all fine. We’re all good.”

Although not wanting to see the emotions spill over on to the pitch, Edwards felt the incident showed just how much passion there from himself and his coaching staff, as he continued: “It's hard to explain because I know supporters, you’re kind of born into a football club, and especially our passionate fans, and you’re lifelong fans and the club means so much.

“For me anyway, when you work here, and how we've been embraced, I can't explain how much it means and how much it matters to us.

“We’re just desperate to do well and desperate to win, for the supporters, for the lads and obviously for ourselves as well, and that'll go for every manager.

“There is passion at times.

"I've got to look at staying behind the lines, staying in the box and I'll hold hands up on that one, but, yeah, we care.”

Meanwhile, Martin, who played for Norwich City with Edwards during their time at Carrow Road over a decade ago, didn’t think the two red cards brandished were needed, adding: “I’m watching the action at the end, Rob’s jumped on the pitch, I told him to get off the pitch.

"I really like Rob, he’s an ex-teammate of mine, and then Richie got involved, so I sort of nudged him and pushed him away really, to get out of the way and not create that.

"Then it ended up in two red cards which I’m not convinced are necessary really but it was what it is.

“I think Walsh and one of their players were having an off the ball scuffle, I don't know as I was watching the game as it was in the goalmouth at the other end.

“There doesn't need to be two red cards if I’m honest, it happens every week on the touchline.

"It just happened today at Luton where the touchlines are incredibly close to the pitch and incredibly close together.

“It’s played its part, I’ve played my part, Rob has played his part, Richie’s played his part.

"Rob’s not going to get fined and me and Richie are, so Rob’s all right.

“I said to him (Whitestone), you're going to send us both off, we’re going to have to walk across the pitch, it's going to make your life harder for the next four minutes.

"It really doesn't need to happen, but it's happened, it is what it is.”