Nottingham Forest vs Luton Town FC (19th Jan 2020)

NOTTINGHAM FOREST 3 LUTON TOWN 1

Hatters take first-half lead but promotion hopefuls Forest hit back

The Hatters suffered a 3-1 defeat against Nottingham Forest in the Sky Bet Championship at the City Ground this afternoon.

Town had taken the lead through Harry Cornick midway through the first half, but Joe Lolley equalised for the hosts in the 36th minute.

It was Lolley who put Forest ahead before the hour-mark and Lewis Grabban secured all three points from the penalty spot in the last minute of the game.

Graeme Jones made three changes to his team following defeat against Birmingham City last weekend with Dan Potts, Ryan Tunnicliffe and Glen Rea returning to the starting line-up - the latter making his first league start in 13 months following a serious knee injury.

Town made a very positive start and had a couple of presentable opportunities during the first 10 minutes, both courtesy of set-pieces from James Bree.

First the right-back produced a deep free-kick from the left which narrowly eluded the reach of both Potts and Matty Pearson. His second delivery found Potts perfectly from a central position and after his header came back out to him, the left-back fired inches over the bar from close range.

After continuing their strong start to the game, the Hatters opened the scoring in the 23rd minute as Harry Cornick rounded off a brilliant team move.

It all started with Simon Sluga, who sprayed the ball wide to Kazenga LuaLua and he in-turn found Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu inside.

The midfielder then played a perfectly timed ball to the byline for Potts, who swiftly pulled it back to Cornick inside the box, where he managed to steer his first-time effort into the far corner.

After playing his part in the goal, Sluga was alert to keep Town ahead as he produced a fantastic reaction save to keep out Lolley’s dangerous corner delivery which took a touch off Matty Pearson on the way through.

However, the Hatters' defensive resilience was broken nine minutes before half-time as Lolley equalised for the hosts.

Yuri Ribeiro played an inch-perfect ball wide to the winger, who drove forward and finished low past Sluga.

Forest had a dangerous free-kick on the stroke of half-time which Joe Worrall was on the end of, but Sluga stood tall to deny him.

The home side did take the lead in the 57th minute as Lolley scored his and Forest’s second of the game with a fantastic effort into the top corner from 18-yards out after cutting in from the right.

Forest had chances to extend their lead during the remaining half-an-hour, notably when Worrall was denied at the back post and substitute Sammy Ameobi saw his 20-yard effort go just wide of the post.

Town weren’t going down without a fight though, and did create a good chance with 10 minutes to play. Moncur played a smart ball down the line for Collins to run onto, he took the ball towards goal and forced Brice Samba into a smart stop at his near post.

But in the dying embers, referee Tony Harrington pointed to the spot after Silva’s free-kick struck the arm of Sonny Bradley in the box.

Grabban took the resulting penalty and rolled the ball down the middle of the goal to seal the points for the hosts, who move up to fifth in the Championship table, while the Hatters remain four points adrift of safety at the bottom.

FOREST: Samba, Cash, Worrall, Dawson (C), Ribeiro, Watson, Sow, Silva (Carvalho 90), Lolley (Yates 83), Adomah (Ameobi 67), Grabban. Subs not used: Smith, Jenkinson, Semedo, Chema

Goals: Lolley (36, 57) Grabban (90)

TOWN: Sluga, Bree, Pearson, Bradley (C), Potts, Rea (Lee 72), Tunnicliffe, Mpanzu, Cornick (Moncur 50), LuaLua, Collins. Subs not used: Shea, Berry, Shinnie, Bolton, Daniels

Goals: Cornick (23)

Yellows: Rea, Tunnicliffe, Potts

Referee: Tony Harrington

Attendance: 27,081 (1,554 Hatters)

GRAEME JONES ON THE DEFEAT TO FOREST

Hatters boss Graeme Jones felt that today’s defeat to Nottingham Forest could have gone a lot differently had the Town taken their chances and if decisions had gone their way.

Harry Cornick gave the visitors a deserved lead as he converted from Dan Potts' cut-back after smart work from the Town down the left, but were pulled back when Joe Lolley fired in from just inside the box.

The former Huddersfield Town man put the Reds in the lead with an emphatic finish just after the break, before Grabban converted from the penalty spot late on.

Jones said: “It’s an improvement on last week, which is a bonus. We came here with the belief that we could get something. I don’t think everything went in our favour today.

“But overall I was really satisfied with the first half performance, certainly the mentality coming to Nottingham Forest, in their backyard. How we performed, how we controlled the game to an extent off the ball for the first time. It’s good to have Glen Rea back in there.

“Obviously we know what happened with the first goal, it could have been a free-kick. Second goal, Lolley has got that individual quality that a lot of Championship teams have got, it’s not about tactics or work, it’s about his ability to cut inside and find the top corner.

“James Collins had a good chance and Dan Potts had a great chance from a set-piece. It could have been a lot different.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtXXmTmPvSY – Graeme Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrwfGNyj3M4 – match highlights

Luton beaten by Forest to suffer a 10th successive away league defeat

Championship: Nottingham Forest 3 Luton Town 1

Luton Town's familiar failings on the road saw them fall to a 10th successive away league defeat for the first time since the 1927-28 season, with a 3-1 reverse at Nottingham Forest this afternoon.

The Hatters had given themselves every chance of ending that miserable run on their travels, leading through Harry Cornick's seventh goal of the season, only to see the defensive problems that have blighted their campaign rear their ugly head once more, conceding three times to their promotion-chasing hosts.

Hatters chief Graeme Jones made three changes to his side from the 2-1 defeat to Birmingham, Glen Rea starting his first league game in over a year, while Ryan Tunnicliffe and Dan Potts returned, Andrew Shinnie, Luke Berry and Donervon Daniels dropping to the bench.

Town made a bright start to proceedings, settling well, with Kazenga LuaLua once more winning a number of fouls and James Bree's dangerous free kick narrowly eluding Matty Pearson at the far post.

For once, Luton were causing problems from their set-pieces and another led to a great opportunity on 11 minutes, when Bree produced another delivery and Potts rose highest, unfortunately clearing the bar with his follow up.

It was a game of set-plays in the opening 15 minutes, Forest's Michael Dawson directing his header off target from a deep corner.

Town then had the lead on 23 minutes with a wonderful move on the left hand side. Simon Sluga picked out the LuaLua with his goal kick and rather than take anyone on himself, the attacker found Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu.

He threaded a pass through to the onrushing Potts, who looked up to pick out Cornick, the striker firing into the bottom corner.

Town were indebted to Sluga on 29 minutes, as Joe Lolley's corner was flicked goalwards by Pearson, the keeper parrying excellently and then collecting the following cross.

Albert Adomah shanked well wide as Forest responded well to going behind, with Tiago Silva swivelling to shoot over the bar after another quick break.

They were level on 37 minutes in controversial fashion after another quickfire counter which came from home keeper Brice Samba just beating Cornick to a cross from James Collins.

As the ball came out, LuaLua was clearly pushed to the ground by Ben Watson, only for referee Tony Harrington to wave play on.

The ball was transferred to the other end where Potts, so good for the Luton goal, backed off and off, as the shot from Lolley eventually came in and went tamely underneath the sprawling Sluga.

Town's keeper then made a fine stop on the stroke of half time from Dawson's downward header at the far post, as Luton's back-line threw their bodies on the line to prevent Forest from taking a lead into the interval.

After the break, Lolley sent an effort into the stands, before Jones was dealt another injury blow, Cornick having to go off, George Moncur replacing him.

Luton were behind on 57 minutes when the ball was transferred wide to Lolley, with Potts once more allowing him to cut on to his favoured left foot just inside the box and swerve a shot beyond the grasp of Sluga.

Once the hosts had the advantage, they always looked comfortably in control, Sammy Ameobi coming off the bench to fire a low effort that deflected just wide, with Lolley almost grabbing his hat-trick, Town getting back, just, to prevent him doing so.

Hatters did come close to levelling with nine minutes to go, Collins finally manoeuvring some space to drive forward and shoot low, Samba unconvincingly finger-tipping behind.

The visitors' misery was completed in the 90th minute though when captain Sonny Bradley handled Tiago Silva's free kick in the area and Lewis Grabban sent Sluga the wrong way from the penalty spot to make it 3-1.

Forest: Brice Samba, Yuri Ribeiro, Joe Worrall, Lewis Grabban, Ben Watson, Matty Cash, Michael Dawson ©, Samba Sow, Joe Lolley (Ryan Yates 83) Tiago Silva (Joao Carvalho 90), Albert Adomah (Sammy Ameobi 67).

Subs not used: Jordan Smith, Carl Jenkinson, Alfa Semedo, Chema Rodriguez.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, James Bree, Dan Potts, Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley (C), Glen Rea (Elliot Lee 72), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Kazenga LuaLua, Harry Cornick (George Moncur 50), James Collins.

Subs not used: James Shea, Luke Berry, Andrew Shinnie, Luke Bolton, Donervon Daniels.

Booked: Rea, Tunnicliffe, Potts.

Referee: Tony Harrington.

Attendance: 27,081 (1,554 Luton).

**Jones felt Forest equaliser shouldn't have stood for a foul on **LuaLua

Hatters boss Graeme Jones felt Nottingham Forest’s equaliser at the City Ground this afternoon should haven’t have stood after a foul on Kazenga LuaLua in the build-up.

With 37 minutes on the clock and Town leading 1-0 thanks to Harry Cornick’s goal midway through the first half, LuaLua was shoved to the ground by home midfielder Ben Watson.

Referee Tony Harrington waved play on, as Forest broke away with pace to equaliser through Joe Lolley’s strike.

They went on to add two more goals in the second period, but on the leveller, Jones said: “I think there was three or four fouls given before that and maybe he thought that wasn’t a foul at that point and played on.

“I’ve looked at it, my own personal opinion is I thought it was a foul, but I'm not the referee.

“I prefer to talk about stopping the shot and then saving the shot, things you can control and that was the disappointment really.”

Returning midfielder Glen Rea was of the same opinion as his manager, saying: "It's a foul in the middle of the pitch, I think, and the ref doesn't see it, but we've still got to do better in stopping the goal."

The strike when it came saw both Dan Potts and Ryan Tunnicliffe back off the dangerous Lolley, while Town keeper Simon Sluga, who made some excellent saves throughout the afternoon, let the ball squirm through his grasp and into the net.

Jones added: “He’s a fantastic reflect keeper, that’s him at his best, when he’s tested, you see it in training.

“But it wasn't just Simon on the goal, you think about the possible free kick, stopping the goal, Tunni and Dan out in that area and then it was a soft finish in the end, so that’s disappointing.”

Jones believes Reds display was a 'breakthrough' for Luton

Luton boss Graeme Jones believed that his side's display during their 3-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest yesterday afternoon was a 'breakthrough' performance.

The Hatters had moved ahead on 23 minutes through Harry Cornick's seventh goal of the season, and were more than holding their own, even after Joe Lolley levelled for the hosts, his shot slipping through Simon Sluga's grasp.

However, Town couldn't really force the issue in the second half, conceding twice, Lolley on target again, with Lewis Grabban's 90th minute penalty after Sonny Bradley's handball, wrapping up the win.

It means Luton have now lost 10 league games in a row for the first time since the 1927-28 season, scoring just six goals and conceding 31 in that miserable run, their last win coming at Blackburn Rovers on September 28, almost four months ago.

However, Jones said: "I prefer to look at the positives because I was really, really disappointed last week (defeat to Birmingham).

"If we’ve got that mentality now, that’s what I’ve been waiting for all season, I’ve been waiting for that breakthrough in terms of coming to places like this and really think we can get something out of it.

"I felt a change, we need to get everybody fit, hopefully add a couple, we’ve got 18 games and we’ll have a right go, as I do believe we can get out of it."

It's not just on the road that Luton have struggled in recent weeks as since beating Wigan Athletic on December 7, they have only taken one point from a possible 24 anywhere, losing eight out of nine matches in all competitions.

Although understandably clear favourites to go down, four points from safety, Jones was heartened by what he felt were signs of real belief shown by his side at the City Ground.

He added: "It was a big improvement on last week which is a real bonus.

"I think we came here with a real belief that we could get something, that’s the first time I’ve felt like that away from home.

"I don’t think everything when in our favour today, but overall I was really, really satisfied with the first half performance.

"Certainly the mentality to come to Nottingham Forest, into their back yard and how we performed, how we controlled the game to an extent off the ball.

"It was good to have Glen Rea back in there and obviously then, we all know what happened with the first goal, it could have been a free kick, second goal, Lolley’s got that individual quality that a lot of Championship teams have got.

"That’s nothing about tactics or work, that’s about his ability to cut inside and put it in the top corner.

"The third one, I think if someone was kicking a ball at me now, I’d jump and try to protect my face, it’s hit Sonny’s arm and suddenly it looks a lot worse than it was.

"James Collins had a good chance, had a great chance with Dan Potts from the set-piece and it could have been very different."