Millwall vs Luton Town FC (20th Oct 2020)

Match Report | Millwall 2-0 Luton Town

Hatters fall to a two-goal defeat against Millwall at The Den...

The Hatters suffered a disappointing 2-0 defeat against Millwall in the Sky Bet Championship this evening.

Martin Cranie’s own goal and Connor Mahoney’s long-range strike in the second period was enough to give the Lions three points at The Den as Town fell to a second defeat in a row.

Manager Nathan Jones made two changes following defeat against Stoke City on Saturday, with Kazenga LuaLua and Jordan Clark both brought in to start.

Striker James Collins remained out of contention after testing positive for Covid-19 but could be back for the home match against Nottingham Forest next week.

Millwall had more efforts on goal during the first 45 minutes and went extremely close to taking the lead through Smith midway through the half.

The striker rose highest in the box, but his header hit the post and Jed Wallace was denied a goal from the rebound after Simon Sluga got down well to save.

He later prevailed in added time at the end of the first half, providing the assist for Millwall’s opener after heading Connor Mahoney’s corner across goal, which deflected off the unfortunate Martin Cranie into the back of the net.

Town looked positive coming out for the second period but were thankful they didn’t fall two goals behind after Jed Wallace spurned a great chance in front of goal, as he fired wide after a neat one-two with Mason Bennett.

Danny Hylton went down in the penalty area under challenge from Jake Cooper and referee Tony Harrington quickly waved away claims for a penalty, although TV replays suggest the striker may have had a case.

Joe Morrell took to the pitch on the hour mark and almost made an instant impact with a long-range effort, but his attempt was just wide of Bartosz Bialkowski’s goal.

LuaLua followed suit and tried from distance but once more, his shot also went wide of the mark.

Millwall made the Hatters pay with a second goal in the 79th minute through Mahoney. He picked the ball up on the left-hand-side and fired low, in off the post past the helpless Sluga.

The Hatters were denied a late route back into the game after Bialkowski pulled off a remarkable save to deny Cranie’s goal-bound header.

Defeat at the hands of Millwall leaves Town in 10th place as attention now turns to Saturday’s away match against Sheffield Wednesday.

Town: Sluga, Cranie, Pearson (Moncur 87), Bradley (C), Norrington-Davies; Rea, Berry (Morrell 60), Mpanzu; Clark, LuaLua, Hylton (Lee 69).

Subs not used: Shea, Tunnicliffe, Cornick, Lockyer.

Yellows: Cranie

Millwall: Bialkowski, Romeo, Hutchinson, Cooper, Wallace; Wallace, Leonard, Woods, Mahoney (Thompson 86); Bennett (Zohore 80), Smith (Malone 64).

Subs not used: Fielding, Williams, Pearce, Bradshaw.

Goals: Cranie (45+4 og), Mahoney (79)

Yellows: Leonard, Woods

Referee: Tony Harrington

Nathan Jones' reaction to defeat against Millwall

NJ spoke after the 2-0 reversal at Millwall this evening...

Manager Nathan Jones was honest in his reflection of tonight’s 2-0 defeat against Millwall in the Sky Bet Championship.

The Lions scored a goal in each half and inflicted a second straight defeat on the Hatters, who dropped down to 10th position after losing at The Den.

Speaking pitchside after the match, Nathan said: “We weren’t brave enough, we didn’t compete well enough. We know they put balls in the box and it’s a real threat and we struggled with that.

“We felt that the goal was well over time in the first half and we just wanted to get to half time and re-group because we didn’t play well first half at all.

"We weren’t brave enough in possession, we gave the ball away and then we go long and to be honest, they can cause you problems because they have big, strong players.

“That’s what we didn’t do well. Second half I thought we were much better, I thought we were in control of the game without really penetrating, because that’s the disappointing thing.

“All the work we do, we didn’t penetrate at all, and then the goal came at the wrong time but if I’m honest, I’m not sure we really looked like scoring tonight anyway.

“We’ve got James Collins out, Harry Cornick out, Potts out, Bree out. There is a lot missing and that is showing because a lot of players are having to do a lot of big shifts at the minute, and that is taking a lot away from us.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwAr3UzSXnQ – Nathan Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MLUE5qiV5s – Match highlights

Poor Hatters are no match for the hungry Lions

Championship: Millwall 2 Luton Town 0

A hugely disappointing performance from Luton saw them fall to their second successive Championship defeat with a well below-par showing at Millwall this evening.

The visitors had appeared to have somehow made it to the break unscathed, despite being second best for the entire opening 45 minutes, only for Martin Cranie to unluckily put through his own net on the stroke of half time.

Although they improved slightly after the break, it was still never enough to really look like getting back into the contest, as their slim hopes were put to bed by Connor Mahoney's strike with 12 to play, making it zero points and zero goals since the international break.

Striker James Collins missed out after returning a positive coronavirus test meaning that he now faces a period of self isolation, as Danny Hylton led the line once more, while Nathan Jones made two changes to his side from the 2-0 defeat to Stoke City.

Kazenga LuaLua and Jordan Clark both came in, Harry Cornick and Elliot Lee dropping to the bench, as there was still no place for deadline day addition Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

Town keeper Simon Sluga was called upon in the sixth minute, easily gathering Mahoney's scuffed low shot from 20 yards, although he should have been beaten three minutes later, a lovely backheel from Mason Bennett finding the unmarked Ryan Leonard, who dragged wide.

The Lions were enjoying by far the better of proceedings, Jake Cooper meeting Mahoney's cross at the back post, only to get too much on his header.

Town took until 15 minutes to really threaten an opener, and it was ambitious at that, a clever corner routine seeing the ball deflect out to Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu who thundered into the stands from just outside the box.

Millwall were inches away from breaking the deadlock midway through the first period, Matt Smith, as he has done all throughout his career, rising highest, seeing his header cannon against the post.

The rebound fell to Jed Wallace, who looked certain to fire into the net, only for the heroics of Sluga, who reacted superbly to save and gather the loose ball.

Millwall kept pressing, as another good move on the right saw Mahlon Romeo's cross missed by Mahoney, with Murray Wallace's effort blocked and then Jed Wallace unable to test Sluga.

He was moments later, the Croatian getting down smartly to palm to safety, and then watching the increasingly influential midfielder curl his next attempt wide.

Millwall ratcheted up the pressure in the final stages of the first period, forcing a host of corners and with the imposing Smith in the area, it was really no surprise when one paid off on the stroke of half time, Cranie turning his header over the line.

Luton should have been further behind just four minutes into the second period, the Lions cutting through their defence with ease, Jed Wallace skewing woefully off target with just Sluga to beat.

Town started to finally enjoy some kind of territory during the second period, with LuaLua beginning to come into the contest slightly, Jones bringing on Joe Morrell whose first action was to drill narrowly wide from 25 yards.

Jones raided his bench again at the half-way point, Lee replacing Hylton, as the replacement found the run of LuaLua, whose low 25-yarder wasn't too far away.

However, there was no such let off from Mahoney with 12 minutes remaining, as after Mpanzu lost possession in midfield, he found space on the left and picked his spot beyond Sluga with unerring accuracy to put the game beyond Luton.

The visitors might have made the final moments that bit more nervy, as Cranie flicked an effort goalwards that Bartosz Bialkowski showed great agility to touch away.

Matty Pearson's ill-judged back-header was skied over the top by the hosts as although Mpanzu put a late attempt wide, Jones' side were well beaten.

Lions: Bartosz Bialkowski, Murray Wallace, Shaun Hutchinson (c), Jake Cooper, Jed Wallace, Matt Smith (Scott Malone 64), Mahlon Romeo, Ryan Leonard, Ryan Woods, Mason Bennett (Kenneth Zohore 80), Connor Mahoney (Ben Thompson 86).

Subs not used: Frank Fielding, Shaun Williams, Tom Bradshaw, Alex Pearce.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, Martin Cranie, Rhys Norrington-Davies, Matty Pearson (George Moncur 87), Sonny Bradley ©, Glen Rea, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Luke Berry (Joe Morrell 59), Jordan Clark, Kazenga LuaLua, Danny Hylton (Elliot Lee 70).

Subs not used: James Shea, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Harry Cornick, Elliot Lee, Tom Lockyer.

Booked: Leonard 38, Woods 60, Cranie 64.

Referee: Tony Harrington.

Jones blasts 'passive' first half display as Hatters are no match for Millwall

Town chief felt his side were never in the game during opening 45 minutes

Luton boss Nathan Jones blasted his side’s first half display during their 1-0 defeat at Millwall this evening.

The Town chief saw his side on the back foot from the opening moments, as they never got going, with the only surprise was it took their hosts until the last minute of stoppage time to open the scoring, Martin Cranie diverting Matt Smith's header into his own net.

Although the Hatters improved marginally in the second period, they were undone again with 12 minutes to go, Connor Mahoney's angled drive beating Simon Sluga.

Jones said: "First half, I thought we were pretty passive, we got out-muscled, we know we can’t come here and have a fight with Millwall as they’re probably better than you at doing that..

"We need to really be aggressive and to play, to move the ball quickly, but we didn’t

"Any time they pressed us, we went into front and their two centre halves ate it up.

"Then they put the ball in the box, ultimately they did it that much first half that eventually were cracked, so I'm really disappointed with the first half.

"Second was much better, we controlled the game, they scored against the run of play, but we never looked like scoring.

"We had a lot of possession, moved the ball well, but lacked penetration.

"We are missing four or five players, which would have given us a bit more impetus tonight, but we didn't really look like we were going to score and didn't look like we were going to get anything from the game.”

Luton boss admits Town were 'disrupted heavily' by 'minefield' surrounding Collins' positive Covid test

A number of** Hatters players couldn't train ahead of Lions clash**

Luton boss Nathan Jones has revealed the club were 'heavily disrupted' in the build-up to their 2-0 defeat at Millwall last night due to the ‘minefield’ surrounding striker James Collins’ positive coronavirus test.

The attacker missed Saturday’s 2-0 loss at home to Stoke City after showing symptoms of the virus and with the test confirming he was positive, it meant Town's leading scorer had to miss the New Den trip and won't be available until Nottingham Forest visit Kenilworth Road next Wednesday night.

However, it wasn’t just Collins who was affected though, as Jones said: “He’s absolutely fine, but he’s had a positive Covid test, so you’ve got to stick to the rules.

“At the minute, we’ve got games every three days, we’ve had people that have been waiting for tests that couldn’t train, so it’s a whole new world now.

“It’s a minefield in terms of everything. We’ve been disrupted heavily in the last four to five days, which has coincided with two defeats.

“It’s not ideal, but playing every two to three days, if you have a sniffle you have to be tested, you have to wait for the test, you can’t train, you have to isolate.

“Anyone that’s been in contact with you, you have to come away, you have to test them and wait for those. It’s an absolute minefield.

“Everyone’s Covid free, but we didn’t know that when we did everyone’s test on Saturday and we had to wait, some who featured tonight haven’t trained since Friday.

“We do the regulation tests that we normally do, but if anyone shows any sniffles, or any kind of symptoms, which can cover a multitude of viruses, in today’s world you have to isolate.

“It’s carnage at times, but this is the world we live in at the minute.

“It’s a truncated season, masses of games and obviously trying to stay safe and things, and it’s difficult.”

With Town facing another five more games in the next 18 days, Jones admitted they will need a rethink in how they train to make sure they aren't left so depleted again.

He added: “Because of certain things it meant we had to check, we had to test them, they were totally negative but it meant we had to test them and they can’t train.

“We have to review that because that can’t happen all the time because it’s disrupting us in what we do.

“We know the world we live in but we have to be clever in what we do.

“It’s been really disruptive, obviously losing Collo on Friday.

“Basically, we planned everything for him, he trained fully and then he came in and said, ‘I feel sick’, so, then we had to pull him out, wait for a test, it’s the world we live in.

“As soon as you get symptoms you have to isolate.

“If I have symptoms now, if I suddenly developed a cough, then I won’t be here.

"I’d have to sit at home and wait for a test, it could be negative, but then because I’ve had that cough, if I’ve come into contact with you, you have to get tested.

“It’s the way of the world, so it’s very difficult to plan once something happens.

“We’ve been very good at our club and haven’t had any positives (before) and we’ve been very diligent with the work that we’ve done.

“It’s just that, when it happens, this week it’s been very disruptive and it’s coincided with two defeats and two not great performances.

“I don’t know if there’s a correlation with that, but we’ll have to see.”