Millwall vs Luton Town FC (14th Sep 2024)

14/09/2024 Millwall 0-1 Luton Town - Mengi strike secures Town's first win

Teden Mengi's fine goal and two brilliant saves from Thomas Kaminski earn the Hatters all three points

The wait is over. Teden Mengi’s goal early in the first half together with two crucial late saves from Thomas Kaminski got the Hatters’ season up and running with their first win of the campaign at The Den.

Without a win stretching back to 6th April and a run of one victory in 23 games, manager Rob Edwards spoke beforehand about the Town’s confidence despite talk of a ‘losing habit’ following relegation to the Premier League.

Here, basking in the September sunshine, the Hatters looked anything but a side lacking in belief, as they secured their first win on the road of the calendar year. That was achieved thanks to centre-half Teden Mengi’s fine strike as early as the 10th minute and those vital pieces of Kaminski goalkeeping – but more on that later.

Showing three changes to the side that lost to QPR last time out, including a first start for Marvelous Nakamba in league action since December, the Town’s enterprising start was rewarded thanks to the former Manchester United centre-half.

Alfie Doughty, employed in the right-wing-back role in the absence of the ill Reuell Walters, saw his shot saved. The Hatters remained patient when receiving the ball back, Liam Walsh – making his first start for the club – laying the ball off to Mengi on the edge of the penalty area. The defender took aim early and his firm strike gave the unsighted Lukas Jensen no chance.

Ahead, the Town comfortably kept the Lions at arms’ length and it was almost 2-0 on 22 minutes when Tahith Chong’s wonderful shot on the turn back across goal rebounded off the post. Whenever Millwall push forward the Hatters defence coped easily with the Lions’ threat and moments before half-time Mengi came close to doubling his tally when his low shot following a Town corner was kept out well by Jensen.

It was end-to-end stuff at the start of the second half without clear-cut chances for either side. Walsh shooting at Jensen and Chong finding the side-netting in the early moments after the restart.

With Elijah Adebayo battling well in attack against the Millwall defence on his own, he was replaced with 20 minutes to go for Carlton Morris to make his 100th appearance in Luton colours and moments later Walsh spurned a good chance for 2-0, shooting straight down Jensen’s throat.

That would prove to the Hatters’ final chance of the afternoon as Kaminski took centre stage. With nine minutes to go Macaulay Longstaff raced clear of the Town defence with only Kaminski to beat. With 1-1 at his mercy the Millwall substitute’s low shot was denied by the outstretched right boot of the Hatters’ Belgian international and the Hatters’ lead stayed intact.

As time ticked down into five additional minutes it looked as though the Hatters had done enough – but there was to be one final chance for the hosts. In the sixth added minute, a left-wing corner was met by a towering header from Lions sub Shaun Hutchinson. The ball flew towards the top corner – but just when you thought the Town would be deflated by a last-gasp equaliser, Kaminski stuck out a strong right hand to turn the ball away to safety and seconds later the referee blew for full-time. Victory.

There was celebrations and relief for the Town at the end, with Edwards returning with the much-missed fist-bumps.

The Hatters are up and running with a victory in the Championship at the fifth time of asking – and now let’s get this season started.

Next up is a return to Kenilworth Road for the visit of Sheffield Wednesday next Saturday. We’ll see you then.

UTT.

Town: Kaminski; Doughty, Bell, McGuinness, Burke, Mengi; Nakamba (sub Mpanzu 68), Clark, Walsh (sub Holmes 90+3), Chong; Adebayo (sub Morris 67).

Subs not used: Shea, Andersen, Moses, Woodrow, Taylor, Nelson.

Attendance: 14,804, including 1,964 in the away end backing the Town.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3ewKqNUwOo – Rob Edwards post match interview

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKvczwxKTUk Gameday unmasked

Mengi's terrific strike ensures Luton record long overdue victory at Millwall

Championship: Millwall 0 Luton Town 1

Teden Mengi's stunning first half goal and two terrific saves by keeper Thomas Kaminski saw Luton finally end their wait for a first victory of the season with a battling 1-0 success at Millwall this afternoon.

Going into the match on the back of a four game winless streak since being relegated back to the Championship, the Hatters made three changes from their 2-1 loss to QPR, midfielder Marvelous Nakamba in for his first start since December, while Liam Walsh made his full debut, with Teden Mengi back in too, Carlton Morris dropping to the bench where he was named alongside new signing Victor Moses, summer additions Reuell Walters and Shandon Baptiste missing out as well.

Town boss Rob Edwards switched Alfie Doughty to an unusual right wingback role, which didn't hinder his efforts to get forward, finding Jordan Clark in a dangerous position, only to see the opportunity go begging. Millwall's danger from set-pieces was apparent on eight minutes, a long corner swung in for imposing centre half Jake Cooper to head over.

However, Luton went up the other end and scored with their first meaningful attack, Elijah Adebayo doing well to get hold of the ball in the area and finding Tahith Chong who had got back onside. The winger's deflected cross was tipped away by keeper Lukas Jensen as Doughty's rebound was charged down, before Mengi was teed up by Walsh to sidefoot brilliantly into the corner from just outside the box for Town's first goal away from Kenilworth Road this season.

Millwall had penalty shouts turned down when George Saville went over inside the area, referee Josh Smith uninterested in his pleas, while Casper De Norre's ambitious crack from range was easy for Kaminski. The Hatters almost had a second with 22 minutes gone, Doughty's free kick headed back across goal where Chong bumped his man before swivelling to shoot, his attempt hitting the inside of the post and bouncing out.

When Luton got their press on they were always a danger, Doughty nicking the ball away from Duncan Watmore in an advanced position, his ball nodded on by Chong for Jordan Clark, but he could only manage a tame volley that didn't test Jensen. The visitors didn't help themselves at times when playing out from the back, Walsh's pass behind Mark McGuinness whose ball back to Kaminski saw the keeper ungainly try and find Mengi, his clearance picked off allowing Millwall to win a corner.

Thankfully Town came through unscathed though when De Norre's volley from the edge of the box was wayward. When Luton did go long, it almost paid dividends as five minutes before half time, Doughty picked up a poorly directed header from Joe Bryan to reach the byline, his cross unable to be turned in by Clark.

In the closing stages, Doughty, who was a real threat for the visitors in the half, won the ball back impressively again, as Town attacked with a four on three situation, Chong eventually finding Adebayo whose shot was deflected behind. There was almost a second for Luton and a second for Mengi when the dead ball was headed up, the defender having a crack on left foot this time, Jensen making a sharp low stop.

The centre half might also have received his marching orders in an eventful few minutes as having been booked, he committed another foul that had the home supporters howling for his dismissal, but Smith kept his cards in his pocket. In the second period, a quick free kick from the Lions led to another opportunity for De Norre which he couldn't make the most of, blasting over from 20 yards.

A lung-busting run on the left by Chong with little support saw the midfielder relieve some of the pressure on Town, as eventually able to find a team-mate, when the ball was transferred across the pitch, Walsh's curler was gathered by Jensen. With referee Smith struggling to keep control, not stopping play when there was a head injury to Bryan, allowing Luton to move upfield and win a corner, incurring the wrath of a home support who were growing in their vocal displeasure towards the official.

Chong dragged a shot wide from the set-piece, which had gone in, would no doubt have sent The Den into meltdown. With a well stocked bench for one of the first times this term, Edwards was able to bring off Adebayo and Nakamba, who completed 68 minutes of his comeback, with Morris on for his 100th Luton outing and Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu swiftly joining him.

The Lions then weirdly started to take their time over possession despite their situation in the game, as Luton might well have given themselves some breathing space with 15 minutes to go, a good attack on the right seeing Clark's low ball dummied by Chong allowing Walsh to have a crack, the midfielder shooting straight at Jensen who didn't have to move a muscle.

Luton had their Belgian stopper to thank for remaining in the ascendancy, as Millwall should have been on level terms in the 81st minute with an equaliser that would have been entirely from the visitors’ own making. Mpanzu won the ball back in midfield, only to sell Walsh short as the Lions pounced, one pass slicing through Luton’s back-line, sending Macaulay Langstaff clean through on goal.

He went one on one with Kaminski who was crucially able to stick out a leg and divert his effort behind for a corner, ensuring the leveller that looked destined to occur, go wide. Millwall rang the changes in their hunt for a point, one of them, Aidomo Emakhu volleying into the side-netting at the back post from a well delivered free kick.

In the fifth and final minute of stoppage time, Luton were heavily indebted to their stopper as well, as Mengi this time had his pocket picked for a corner that was flung into the box, Jensen having joined his team-mates. It was met by Shaun Hutchinson, the towering centre half powering a header goalwards that Kaminski did superbly to claw away, ensuring the Hatters finally had their long overdue first victory of the season.

Lions: Lukas Jensen, Jake Cooper (C Shaun Hutchinson 46), Japhet Tanganga, Joe Bryan, Ryan Leonard, Duncan Watmore, Josh Coburn (Macauley Langstaff 33), George Saville, Casper De Norre (Aidomo Emakhu 79) Romain Esse (Calum Scanlon 79), George Honeyman (Femi Azeez 67). Subs not used: Liam Roberts, Danny McNamara, Ryan Wintle, Daniel Kelly.

Hatters: Thomas Kaminski, Alfie Doughty, Reece Burke , Mark McGuinness, Teden Mengi, Amari'i Bell (C), Marvelous Nakamba (Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu 68), Liam Walsh (Tom Holmes 90), Jordan Clark, Tahith Chong, Elijah Adebayo (Carlton Morris 67).

Subs not used: James Shea, Cauley Woodrow, Tom Holmes, Mads Andersen, Victor Moses, Zack Nelson, Joe Taylor.

Referee: Josh Smith.

Booked: De Norre 21 ,Mengi 41, Kaminski 84, Doughty 89, Hutchinson 90.

Attendance: 14,804 (1,964 Hatters).

Hatters boss admits first victory is a 'big relief'

Luton up and running at the Den

Luton boss Rob Edwards admitted it was a ‘big relief’ to see his side secure a first win of the season when beating Millwall 1-0 at the Den this afternoon, although conceded the victory came in a manner he hadn’t hoped for.

Town took the lead early on when centre half Teden Mengi dispatched a sweetly struck effort from outside the box into the corner of the net right in front of the near 2,000 travelling fans. Although Tahith Chong hit the post in the first half, the Hatters couldn’t make the most of some good attacking positions and were indebted to Belgian international Thomas Kaminski after the break, who saved Macaulay Langstaff’s one-on-one, then terrifically denying Shaun Hutchinson’s thumping header in stoppage time.

The result saw Town climb out of the relegation zone and end a run of 11 games without a win since beating AFC Bournemouth 2-1 in the Premier League on April 4, as speaking afterwards, Edwards said: “It is important, I’ve tried to remain fairly level and look at overall, but of course we needs results and we need points to keep buy-in and belief. We needed it, so it is a big relief, but there’s a bit that’s bugging me, I want to be able to do it better than that.

"We had to battle. It's funny, the worst we played with the ball and everything, but we found a way to win. Winning is obviously important, we know that and I'll never be disrespectful, but the game just became a fight, a scrap, and we had to deal with it really well. That was very, very pleasing that we showed that side of ourselves which we had in abundance when we did get promoted a couple of years ago.

"We are evolving and we are trying to change the team but that has to remain, so that was really good. We've shown a couple of times with clean sheets this season and we didn’t give big chances away in the last couple of games. Thomas had to make a couple of saves today, so there’s an element of frustration as I felt we could have got control of the game.

"I thought there were some really good bits of play in the first half with Chongy and Clicker (Jordan Clark) in those spaces that we’d worked on and looked really threatening. If a second could have arrived it might have taken the game away from them but it didn't and so it became a real slog and not really the game that we want, but in the end we’ve won the game.”