Millwall vs Luton Town FC (1st Jan 2020)

MILLWALL 3-1 LUTON TOWN

Town take the lead but lose out to three goals in 12 second half minutes

The Hatters suffered a 3-1 defeat to Millwall in the first EFL match of the new decade at The Den this afternoon.

Town took the lead just before half-time as Sonny Bradley headed into the bottom corner from captain Alan Sheehan’s free-kick, but Millwall hit back with just over 20 minutes to play as first-half substitute Tom Bradshaw equalised for the hosts.

Connor Mahoney - who was also introduced from the bench - then fired in a shot from the edge of the box nine minutes later, before crossing for Matt Smith to score in the 81st minute.

The result leaves the Hatters 23rd in the Championship while Millwall moved into the play-off places.

Manager Graeme Jones made three changes to the starting line-up following defeat away at Bristol City on Sunday. Sheehan, Martin Cranie and Callum McManaman all started in place of Luke Bolton, Luke Berry and Harry Cornick respectively.

Town made a solid start to the game but it was the hosts who had the first shot on target. James Shea saved with ease from Smith’s header before the Hatters had a chance of their own just after 20 minutes on the clock, as Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu fired towards goal but Bartosz Bialkowski got down low to deny him.

After some tenacious wing-play from Callum McManaman, who managed to dig out a cross, Millwall’s attempted clearance fell into the path of James Bree, who unleashed a curling effort towards goal with the outside of his right foot only for the Polish keeper to deny the Hatters once more.

Town reaped the rewards for their fine performance in the first half as they went ahead just before half-time. After Mpanzu was brought down on the left-hand-side, Sheehan produced a pin-point delivery for Bradley to head his second goal of the season into the bottom corner.

Bradley had scored the first goal of the whole EFL season live on Sky against Middlesbrough in August, and this one would be the first league goal of the new decade - again, live on TV.

Millwall came out strong in the second half and Jed Wallace immediately struck from distance, although Shea was equal to it. The Hatters keeper remained on his toes as Smith twice went close with his head before the hour mark.

The Lions went even closer in the 66th minute but Jake Cooper prevented his team drawing level on the goal-line. As a corner delivery came in, Aiden O’Brien got a flick-on at the front post but Cooper couldn’t direct the ball into the net and Town stayed resilient to defend the following corner as well.

But Millwall did manage to draw level three minutes later as substitute Bradshaw headed past Shea. Wallace crossed in from the right towards the back post where Smith flicked towards his strike-partner to level the contest.

The hosts then went in-front in the 78th minute as substitute Mahoney found the bottom corner from 20-yards out. The midfielder received the ball just past the halfway line, drove forward towards the box and unleashed a well-hit effort past Shea.

Mahoney turned provider three minutes later as Smith scored the Lions’ third goal of the afternoon, heading home from close range.

MILLWALL: Bialkowski, Hutchinson, Pearce (C) (Bradshaw 42), Cooper, Romeo, Molumby, Williams, Ferguson, Wallace (M.Wallace 84), O’Brien (Mahoney 71), Smith. Subs not used: Steele, Mitchell, Skalak, Bodvarsson

Goals: Bradshaw (69), Mahoney (78), Smith (81)

TOWN: Shea, Bree, Pearson, Bradley, Cranie, Sheehan (C) (Bolton 82), Tunnicliffe, Mpanzu, McManaman (Berry 62), LuaLua (Cornick 75), Collins. Subs not used: Stech, Shinnie, Jones, Butterfield

Goals: Bradley (41)

Referee: Stephen Martin Attendance:12,134 (945 away fans)

GRAEME JONES ON THE DEFEAT TO MILLWALL

Hatters boss Graeme Jones felt his side showed more resistance in their 3-1 defeat to Millwall this afternoon, but was ultimately disappointed that his side couldn’t maintain their performance levels.

Having gone in at the break 1-0 up, Town conceded three quick fire goals in the second half, meaning the Hatters start the New Year with a defeat.

Jones said: “The game plan worked really, really well but we couldn’t sustain it. I think the goal came on 69 minutes so for seventy minutes it was fine, I know we were under a bit of pressure, we tried to change it to get up the pitch a little bit and it’s been the story of our away season really, since Blackburn we have found it difficult.

“I could easily talk about the positives but I don’t think anyone wants to hear it, I just think it was a resolute display for 70 minutes. Lots of good, certainly better and a bit more resistance than what was shown against Bristol City so that would be a positive. But we couldn’t hold out and that is where the disappointment is.

“I think we just tired a little bit, we couldn’t get up the pitch anymore. We tried to bring Luke on because Bradshaw kept popping up from being a number nine to a number ten and we weren’t dealing with it.

“Then we tried to get Harry on the pitch, by the time we got Luke Bolton on the pitch it was 3-1 and it was too late. It’s just where we are, we are a little bit short and we need to get our best players fit, we need to get a couple of players in. We need to re-energise the club, re-energise the players, freshen it up and get ready to get a minimum of 20 points in the next 20 games.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-WXqUQNOF0 – Graeme Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3zBPc81v_U – match highlights

Second half capitulation sees Hatters blown away by Lions

Championship: Millwall 3 Luton Town 1

It was a case of a New Year, but the same old story for Luton as a second half blitz saw them beaten once again on the road at Millwall this afternoon.

The Hatters had led 1-0 at half time through Sonny Bradley's header, and then stood firm, just about, in the face of a Lions onslaught for the early stages after the break.

However, they never looked like being able to maintain their resistance, and so it proved, falling apart to concede three times in just 12 minutes, losing for the ninth successive time away from the confines of Kenilworth Road.

Boss Graeme Jones had made three changes from the 3-0 defeat at Bristol City, Alan Sheehan, Martin Cranie and Callum McManaman in for Luke Bolton, Harry Cornick and Luke Berry, Cranie dropping into the heart of Town's defence, as the visitors lined up with a 5-3-2 formation.

Millwall were quick to display their direct approach, as former Lion Ryan Tunnicliffe was dispossessed by Jed Wallace too easily, the attacker bursting forward to rifle over the top.

The Lions looked dangerous from set-plays, Smith's downward header easy for James Shea on 15 minutes, but Town gradually grew into the contest themselves, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu's 20-yard drive forcing a decent stop from Bartosz Bialkowsi.

Smith was, as expected, proving the main attacking threat for Millwall stooping to divert a header wide of the target from another teasing cross.

However, Town then had their best passage of play, with James Bree of all people seeing his angled half volley curl back into the grateful arms of Bialkowski, the home stopper then showing exemplary handling to gather Kazenga LuaLua's ambitious 30-yarder.

Luton finally got the goal their play deserved on 41 minutes, as Mpanzu won a free kick on the left, Sheehan swung it into the box for Sonny Bradley to head into the bottom corner, as Town led for the first time on the road since their 2-1 win at Blackburn in late September.

Importantly, the hosts brought on Tom Bradshaw in the aftermath of the goal, to play alongside Smith, as Millwall made a far better start to the second period, Shea saving well from Wallace, whose drive bounced awkwardly, before parrying the same player's volley moments later.

Millwall kept pressing though, Smith nodding over from close range after rising highest to meet a corner.

The Lions kept their foot on the pedal though and looked like they were level on 66 minutes when a corner flew across the area, Smith's touch at the back post somehow sending the ball away from the goal.

However, their resistance was broken on 69 minutes, with a goal that had been coming, Wallace's cross from the right met by Smith at the back post and Bradshaw escaped the Hatters' back-line to nod home.

The depressingly predictable second goal soon followed nine minutes later, as Town were caught on the attack, Lions transferring the ball to the left where Connor Mahoney was allowed a free run to the edge of the box, and plenty of time to pick his spot, which he did with unerring accuracy, giving Shea no chance.

Town were then undone again moments later, as a deep cross was met by Smith to make it 3-1 and put the result beyond doubt.

Lions: Bartosz Bialkowski, Shaun Hutchinson, Jake Cooper, Shaun Williams, Jed Wallace (Murray Wallace 84), Matt Smith, Shane Ferguson, Mahlon Romeo, Alex Pearce (C Tom Bradshaw 42), Jayson Molumby, Aiden O'Brien (Connor Mahoney 71).

Subs not used: Luke Steele, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, Jiri Skalak, Billy Mitchell.

Hatters: James Shea, James Bree, Alan Sheehan (C Luke Bolton 81), Sonny Bradley, Matty Pearson, Martin Cranie, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Kazenga LuaLua (Harry Cornick 75), James Collins, Callum McManaman (Luke Berry 62).

Subs not used: Marek Stech, Lloyd Jones, Jacob Butterfield, Andrew Shinnie.

Referee: Stephen Martin.

Attendance: 12,134 (945 Luton).

Jones: Lions defeat was the story of our away season

Luton boss Graeme Jones rued his side’s inability to hold on to a lead at Millwall this afternoon as the ‘story of our away season’ as the Lions hit back to triumph 3-1 at the New Den.

The Hatters had been 1-0 in front with 21 minutes to go, Sonny Bradley heading a second goal of the campaign late in the first half to put them in front.

However, once Tom Bradshaw levelled, Millwall’s incessant pressure paid off, Connor Mahoney (78) and Matt Smith (81) sealing victory as Town lost for the ninth successive game on the road.

Jones said: “The gameplan worked really, really well, but we couldn’t sustain it as the goal came on 69 minutes, so for 70 minutes it was fine.

“I know we were under a bit of pressure and we tried to change it, to get up the pitch a little bit, but it’s been the story of our away season since Blackburn (2-1 win) that we’ve found it difficult.

“I could easily talk about the positives, but I don’t think anyone wants to hear it.

“I think it was a resolute display for 70 minutes, lots of good, certainly better and a bit more resistance and resilience than we showed against Bristol City, so that would be a positive, but we couldn’t hold out.

“We just tired a little bit, we couldn’t get up the pitch any more, we brought Luke (Berry) on as Bradshaw kept popping up from a number nine or a number 10 and we couldn’t deal with it.

“Then we tried to get Harry (Cornick) on the pitch, by the time we got Luke Bolton on the pitch it was 3-1 and too late.”

Millwall’s first goal came after a linesman’s flag was raised for a foul by Bradley, only for referee Stephen Martin to wave play on, with a number of visiting players stopping.

They second saw Matty Pearson caught out on the edge of the Lions box, with Mahoney allowed to run and run into Town territory, before slamming home from the edge of the box.

Jones added: “I’ve got a linesman’s flag going at 1-0 up, now the wrong thing for our players, they should have played to the whistle.

“I’ve got five players stopping, ball in the box, goal, it changes the game, the dynamics change.

“I’ve showed them the first goal, you’ve got senior players stopping, that’s the reason for it.

“I don’t know the rules for the linesman’s flag goes up and the referee waves play on, he’s behind the play, nobody can see it, but I’ve said to my players, you can’t stop, you’ve got to play to the whistle.

“That’s the basics you get taught as a kid, that’s where the game changes.

“For the second goal I’ve got Matty Pearson dribbling up the pitch, I certainly never asked Matty to do that and on transition running back, Alan Sheehan gets cramp.

“That is just where we are at the minute.

"We need to have a level head, we need to be sensible, we need to get our players fit, as there’s no team who can win without their best players, even your Premier League sides suffer if they haven’t got like for like.

“It’s difficult to swallow, really, really difficult to swallow as we’ve done lots of things right in the game, in the build-up, the preparation, but we couldn’t see it out.”