Luton Town FC vs West Bromwich Albion (14th Jan 2023)

Report | Luton Town 2-3 West Brom

West Brom came from two goals down to take all three points away from Kenilworth Road this afternoon, bring an end to the Hatters' three-match winning run in the Sky Bet Championship.

Carlton Morris' 11th goal of the season and Elijah Adebayo's fourth put Town 2-0 up inside the opening ten minutes.

But Daryl Dike halved the deficit before half-time, then two goals in three minutes by Jayson Molumby and Conor Townsend turned the game on its head midway through the second half as Albion moved above the Hatters and into the play-off places.

Manager Rob Edwards made one change from the New Year's Day victory against Huddersfield Town, with Jordan Clark replacing Louie Watson in the heart of midfield after recovering from a knock.

Tom Lockyer missed last week's FA Cup match against Wigan Athletic but returned to the starting eleven, while Town's leading scorer Morris was joined by Adebayo up front as Town went in search of a fourth consecutive league victory.

Albion had made a bright start, with Jed Wallace's near post attempt deflected wide by Potts before Darnell Furlong couldn't quite connect with John Swift's deep corner.

Seven minutes in, the Hatters were in front, and the goal was another contender for goal of the month, Morris picking the ball up midway inside the Albion half, drifting across from the right to just left of centre, and seemingly setting himself to lay the ball off before zipping a 30-yard shot off the wet surface past former Town loanee Alex Palmer.

Albion tried to respond immediately with a Jayson Molumby header that landed on the roof of the net, but within three minutes of the opener it was two, when Adebayo rose to meet Bree's inch-perfect free-kick from the right with an emphatic header past Palmer from 10 yards.

It might have bee three on 12 minutes when a deep corner from Bree found Potts climbing highest at the far post. The skipper headed back across goal, and Albion could only clear as far as Mpanzu, whose volley into the ground bounced wide of Palmer's right post.

Town were rampant and playing some cracking football, but the Baggies served regular reminders of the threat the have been posing in recent weeks, Okay Yokuslu firing narrowly over from distance before Ethan Horvath had to tip Dara O'Shea's angled drive over his bar.

Morris had a huge penalty appeal rejected when he went down under an apparent push from Conor Townsend as he looked to get on the end of a Potts centre, before his former Barnsley team-mate Daryl Dike headed against the bar from close range.

Horvath had to react smartly to push away a ball that came at him quickly off Mpanzu's knee, before going down with a knock having also blocked the follow-up from Furlong.

Town were having to weather an Albion storm and needed Horvath to be in fine form again in the 36th minute when turning a Wallace shot around his near post.

The USA keeper was beaten on 39 minutes, however, when Dike raced towards a ball over the top from O'Shea and managed to deflect Horvath's attempted clearance goalward as they came together on the edge of the box, before shepherding it over the line as Lockyer looked to get back to clear.

Doughty carried the ball from his own box to the Albion penalty area two minutes later, before shooting straight at Palmer, then Mpanzu became the first into referee Josh Smith's book for a foul on Wallace as the end of a breathless first half approached.

After an interval in which neither manager made a change, it was Albion's Carlos Corberan who made the first move, bringing on Grady Diangana - scorer of a brace here in 2019 - in place of Swift.

Campbell couldn't keep his effort down as Town attacked just before the hour, and it was the Scot whose tenacity led to the game's next yellow card, for Molumby, as the Albion midfielder slid in late in front of the Enclosure.

It was the Irishman who forced the equaliser home on 65 minutes, when Horvath had palmed a Phillips cross down, then saved from Townsend before Molumby shot through a crowd of players on the line for 2-2.

Albion went 3-2 up on 67 minutes when a ball across the Hatters' six-yard box from Phillips was turned in at the far post by Townsend.

Edwards made a triple change with just under 20 minutes remaining, throwing Harry Cornick, Cameron Jerome and Cauley Woodrow into attack in place of the two goalscorers and Mpanzu, before bringing Louie Watson on for Clark ten minutes later.

Bell looked to have got in on the left and fired an inviting ball across looking for Woodrow in the six-yard box, with Erik Pieters getting back to turn it over his own bar, although the linesman's flag was up for offside as the Hatters' frustrations continued.

O'Shea seemed to have let Cornick in off his shoulder from a long kick forward by Horvath, only to recover and nod it back calmly to Palmer as the Town sub looked to profit.

It wasn't to come, however, and it was Albion who continued their winning run to move into the play-off places.

Goals:

LT - Morris 7, Adebayo 10

WBA - Dike 39, Molumby 65, Townsend 67

Att: 10,069 (1,042 away)

Reaction | Rob Edwards on West Brom defeat

Manager Rob Edwards shared his disappointment following a first defeat in five matches against West Bromwich Albion at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

His side raced into a two-goal lead within the first 10 minutes through goals from Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo, but the in-form Baggies staged a comeback to win their fourth match in succession.

“Obviously bitterly disappointed to lose the game,” Edwards said in his post-match press conference. “I’ll start with where credit is due, West Brom are a really good team and well done to them.

“I was delighted with our start and to go two-nil was well deserved and exactly how we wanted to try and be, aggressive and on the front foot playing forward.

“We scored a couple of really good goals but they still retain that threat. There was a couple of chances in those opening exchanges. It shifts the mindset a little bit, ‘okay we’re two-nil up now’, they probably shift their mindset and think ‘we’ve got to up this’.

“The shape of their team when they had the ball was difficult to press at times and we had to try and change it a little bit in that first half which we did and we were okay. Ultimately, it was the manner of the goals, the way we conceded the goals was the disappointing thing.

“Yes, we created chances but the goals we conceded were from our mistakes and that’s what we’re really good at – defending the box, stopping crosses, making clearances, we have done that really well this season.”

After West Brom scored two goals in quick succession, the Hatters fought valiantly to get back into the contest and made four changes but unlike games against Norwich City, Queens Park Rangers and Huddersfield Town, weren’t able to make the difference.

“It was difficult, we huffed and puffed, they went into a back five and we couldn’t quite create that moment. One or two crosses were overhit, we just needed that bit of quality and we didn’t quite have it today.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk2Mgx3EYBo – match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KdmReunaBg – Rob Edwards interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJVjNX1h1mw – Dan Potts

Hatters let two-goal lead slip as West Brom hit back to take the points at Kenilworth Road

Championship: Luton Town 2 West Bromwich Albion 3

Luton let a two goal lead slip as they fell to a first home defeat under manager Rob Edwards, as visitors West Bromwich Albion showcased their clear promotion credentials with victory at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

The hosts had been in dreamland early on, Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo putting Town 2-0 in front after just 10 minutes, but the Baggies didn't let it unduly bother them and after pulling one back before the break, took the points with a quickfire double midway through the second period.

Hatters boss Rob Edwards made five changes from the team who drew 1-1 with Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup last Saturday, Adebayo, Tom Lockyer, Jordan Clark, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and Alfie Doughty all recalled, as Harry Cornick, Cauley Woodrow, Louie Watson, Gabe Osho and Reece Burke dropped to bench.

Buoyed by a run of eight wins from nine, the visitors, as was to be expected, made the better start, Jed Wallace's stabbed effort deflecting wide and the resulting corner flashing across goal, just missed by Darnell Furlong

However, the Hatters then stunned their high-flying opponents as a neat move around the back three led to James Bree finding Carlton Morris in space on the right.

He took the ball on his chest, meandered across the field and then with an air of real authority and simplicity, unleashed a left foot daisycutter from fully 30 yards that arrowed into the bottom corner past former Town loanee Alex Palmer.

The visitors should have levelled immediately, John Swift was left totally unmarked, only to put his free header over the bar from 10 yards out.

With the Baggies having only conceded twice in their previous nine league matches ahead of the game, Town made it two in the space of three minutes moments later, Bree showing just why keeping him in the transfer window is crucial.

The wingback unleashed a quite terrific free kick from the right that was met by a thumping header from Adebayo for his first goal since October 15 to double the lead.

Town might have even had a third by the 12th minute, Adebayo having an attempt charged behind and from the corner, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu's first attempt was repelled, his next dragged awkwardly wide.

WBA were by no means about to roll over though despite the precarious nature of the situation, Okay Yokuslu sending his ambitious 25-yarder over the top, while Ethan Horvath had to flick Dara O'Shea's attempt behind.

Although not seeing too much of the ball, Luton were dangerous when they did have it, Dan Potts with a lovely cross from the left which saw Morris clearly pushed when trying to convert at the back post, referee Josh Smith waving away his vociferous appeals.

Somehow Albion didn't reduce the deficit on 25 minutes, when a corner caused real trouble, Horvath's punch going up rather than out, Daryl Dike heading against the bar from close range, Town rather desperately just about able to clear their lines.

Another corner caused issues with Horvath having to be alert to prevent the ball crossing the line, winning a free-kick for his troubles too.

In one of the most open matches seen at Kenilworth Road this term, a free kick from the Baggies almost led to another chance on 33 minutes, glancing away off the top of Furlong's head.

A poor touch from Amari’i Bell let in Jed Wallace, who went for a near post thunderbolt that Horvath was equal to.

However, the keeper was then picking the ball out of his net on 39 minutes following a long ball forward.

Losing out to Dike on the edge of the area, the visiting attacker just wanting it more with a block tackle on his clearance seeing the ball bounce into the unguarded net.

After the break, the Baggies didn't show any signs that the interval had halted their dominance of territory, bossing proceedings once more in the early stages.

Luton did begin to show signs of life having weathered the mini-storm, Allan Campbell sending an ambitious volley waywardly over.

However, there was no stopping the visitors, as after all the hard work Luton had done in preserving their lead, they were then undone by a really equaliser.

Once Horvath fumbled a deep cross, Town were on the back foot, as the keeper couldn't hold a follow up shot, with Jayson Molumby crashing home the loose ball.

In a flash, the Baggies were then ahead, Matt Phillips sending over a brilliant cross from the right which saw a statuesque Town defence freeze and Townsend arrive at the back post to slam into the roof of the net.

Edwards opted to bring on Cameron Jerome, Cornick and Woodrow for the two goalscorers and Mpanzu with 20 to go, Watson following shortly afterwards, but the additions couldn’t spark any sign of a leveller.

Bar one attempt that saw Cornick head straight into the hands of Palmer when looking to break through, the hosts were unable to rouse themselves for a grandstand equaliser, as they slipped to defeat.

Hatters: Ethan Horvath, Alfie Doughty, James Bree, Tom Lockyer, Dan Potts (C), Amari'i Bell, Allan Campbell , Jordan Clark (Louie Watson 81), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (Cameron Jerome 71), Elijah Adebayo (Harry Cornick 71), Carlton Morris (Cauley Woodrow 71).

Subs not used: Harry Isted, Reece Burke, Gabe Osho.

Baggies: Alex Palmer, Darnell Furlong, Conor Townsend, Dara O'Shea (C), Matt Phillips (Adam Reach 90), Daryl Dike, Jayson Molumby, Erik Pieters, Jed Wallace (Semi Ajayi 84), John Swift (Grady Diangana 56), Okay Yokuslu.

Subs not used: David Button, Tom Rogic, Jake Livermore, Taylor Gardner-Hickman.

Referee: Josh Smith.

Booked: Mpanzu 43, Molumby 61, Campbell 88, Bree 90, Dike 90.

Attendance: 10,060 (1,042 Baggies).

Edwards blames defensive errors for Luton's defeat to WBA

Town let a 2-0 lead slip as they are beaten at Kenilworth Road

Hatters boss Rob Edwards was left to lament the manner in which his side were breached three times during this afternoon’s 3-2 defeat to West Bromwich Albion at Kenilworth Road.

Leading 2-0 after a magnificent opening 10 minutes which saw Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo on target, the Hatters then conceded just before half time, when keeper Ethan Horvath lost out to Daryl Dike when trying to clear a long ball on the edge of his box, the ball rebounding into the net.

After the break, the Baggies looked to dominate, and were level midway through the half when a deep cross was fumbled by Horvath, the loose ball eventually crashed home by Jayson Molumby.

Conor Townsend then took advantage of a statuesque home defence to slam home a third from close range to ensure the visitors took the points, as Edwards said: “I was delighted with our start.

"To go two nil up was well deserved and exactly how we want to try and be, aggressive and on the front foot, playing forward, thinking forward, a couple of really good goals.

"They still retained that threat, they had a couple of chances as well in those opening exchanges, but it probably then shifts that mindset a little bit of, ‘okay, we’re two nil up now, good.’

"They probably shift their mindset a little bit now into ‘we’ve got to up this,’ and they just made the shape of their team when they had the ball, it was difficult for us to press at times.

"We had to try and change it a little bit in that first half which we did and then we were okay, but ultimately it was the manner of the goals.

"It was the way we conceded the goals, that as the disappointing thing.

"Yes they created chances, but the goals we conceded were from our mistakes and that’s what we’ve been really good at.

"Defending the box, blocks, stopping crosses, clearances, we’ve done that really well this season and today we got punished when we made some of those errors.”

Despite going 2-0 up so early in the game, Edwards didn’t think that should ever have been an issue, adding: “It was a long way to go, it's great to go 2-0 up at any stage, I know what you're saying, there’s a long way back for them as well.

"I think at 2-1 at half time, the game, they can gain a little bit of confidence from that.

"We started the second half probably on the back foot, but then we grew into it a little bit again, then the goals change games, changes people's perceptions, change the mindset.

“The second one deflates us, then they’re really on the front foot and we can definitely, definitely defend better in those moments.”