Nottingham Forest vs Luton Town FC (23rd Nov 2021)

Report | Nottingham Forest 0-0 Luton Town

The Hatters had to settle for a point at Nottingham Forest tonight, after Elijah Adebayo saw a second-half penalty saved with the hosts reduced to ten men following Jack Colback's sending off.

Adebayo missed out on the opportunity to net his ninth goal of the season from 12 yards, with Reds keeper Brice Samba saving with his foot on the hour, with the point enough to end the Town's two-match losing run.

Manager Nathan Jones made two changes to the side that was beaten 2-0 at QPR last Friday, with goalkeeper Simon Sluga missing out tonight having been identified as a close contact of someone who tested positive for Covid-19 while he was away on international duty with Croatia.

The 28-year-old was alerted over the weekend and must isolate until later this week, so James Shea comes into the line-up for his first league start of the season, and 87th appearance of his Luton Town career.

Admiral Muskwe came in for Harry Cornick as the other change, as the Hatters sought to end a run of successive defeats.

Forest had the game's first sight of goal, Philip Zinckernagel cutting in from the left but seeing his attempted curler deflected wide for a corner.

The Hatters dealt with that, and almost got Fred Onyedinma and Admiral Muskwe into promising positions in the Reds' box, before James Garner and Scott McKenna, with a header, sent efforts narrowly over Shea's bar.

The Town goalkeeper had littlt to deal with in the opening half of his first league appearance since Boxing Day, but what he had to do - a punch clear and a few clearances - he did with confidence.

It was a half when chances were few and far between, but Allan Campbell and former Henri Lansbury - on his return to the City Ground - were relishing the midfield battle, the Scot dragging one shot well wide and the former Forest man seeing his effort from the edge of box blocked by Jack Colback on the stroke of half-time.

Tom Lockyer picked up a yellow card for a handball preventing a Forest breakaway just before the interval, then home left-back Colback joined him in ref Jeremy Simpson's notepad for a cynical trip on Muskwe just after the restart.

Shea had to be alert to keep out a low shot from Lyle Taylor as the Forest striker looked to take advantage of a heavy touch by his former Charlton team-mate Lockyer on 51 minutes, then McKenna was booked for dragging Onyedinma back on the halfway line.

Zinckernagel bent one just over the bar, before the game's big moment came on the hour. Colback thought he had earned a goal-kick as Onyedinma tried to take him on by the right byline, believing the ball had come off the Town winger.

Ref Simpson and assistant Natalie Aspinall felt differently, and from the resulting corner, Colback pulled Lockyer to the ground and Simpson pointed to the spot, showing the Forest player a second yellow card.

Adebayo stepped up to take the penalty, only to see it turned over the bar by keeper Brice Samba's trailing leg - with the Forest stopper having moved well off his line before the ball was kicked.

Town might have had another penalty moments later, in the 64th minute, when Onyedinma nicked the ball in front of newly-introduced sub Tobias Figueiredo and was tripped on the very edge of the box. This time Simpson kept his whistle out of his mouth, and Naismith fired well over the bar from the loose ball.

Zinckernagel looked to have tricked his way past Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu in the 68th minute, and went to ground in the box, but referee Simpson rightly awarded a free-kick as the initial contact took place outside the penalty area.

Town defended the free-kick well, and after Lockyer had headed well over, Jones made his first changes with just over 15 minutes to go - Cornick and Jordan Clark introduced for Muskwe and Lansbury.

Within seconds Clark got on the ball, traded passes with Bradley and then sent in a low left-footed shot that fizzed just wide of Samba's left post.

Jones threw Danny Hylton on in place of Adebayo as they sought a winner, but it was Forest keeper Samba who proved the difference with a stunning save from Naismith's volley deep into injury-time, meaning the Hatters had to settle for a point.

Att: 25,715 (1,418 Hatters)

Nathan Jones' Nottingham Forest verdict

Manager Nathan Jones was left frustrated after his side couldn’t break down the ten men of Nottingham Forest on a night which marked his 250th game as Luton boss.

Town had a huge opportunity to leave the City Ground with three points as they did in March, but Elijah Adebayo was denied from the penalty spot in the second half as they failed to find the back of the net for the third successive fixture.

“We’re a good side and we have shown we are a good side. Before the sending off we were comfortable, our shape was good but then we need to demonstrate a little bit of quality.

“We’ve had 26 shots and five on target (across the last two matches), one in five which is not good enough," Jones admitted. "We’re creating enough, keeping the ball well enough, we’re defending well enough, our X.G is top three but I’m sick of the numbers.

“Then we have a penalty which we miss, we should have had two more penalties because straight after it is a foul on Fred, but he was never going to give that. Then there is a foul on Lockyer which is even more blatant than the first. If we score that penalty, they have to come out. It is two points dropped tonight because we were better.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5RuqUVgBSI – Nathan Jones post match interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3W214ngvQs – match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI9bHgBQzmU – James Shea interview

Adebayo misses from the spot as Luton are held by 10-man Forest

Championship: Nottingham Forest 0 Luton Town 0

Striker Elijah Adebayo missed a second half penalty as the Hatters were held to a goalless draw by Nottingham Forest this evening.

Although Town might have accepted a point ahead of the match, especially with a clean sheet, the feeling afterwards would be one of disappointment that they didn't leave with all three, especially with the hosts playing the final half hour with just 10 men, Joe Colback sent off.

Boss Nathan Jones, in charge of his 250th game for the Hatters, made two changes for the contest, one of them enforced with keeper Simon Sluga having been identified as a close contact of someone who tested positive for Covid-19 while he was away on international duty with Croatia.

That saw James Shea come in for his first start since the 2-1 defeat at Reading on Boxing Day 2020, while Admiral Muskwe was preferred to Harry Cornick upfront, partnering Adebayo.

The hosts had the first efforts of significance, Braian Ojeda's blast never testing Shea, although Fred Onyedinma almost got in for Luton, keeper Brice Samba, who was to have a major impact as the game wore on, nicking the ball off his toes.

James Bree drilled a low shot across goal, with Muskwe unable to get enough of a touch to divert it on target, while at the other end, Scott McKenna's header from James Garner's corner flew over the top.

Town created their first meaningful attempt on 26 minutes when Bree slipped Allan Campbell in on the right hand side and his cross was nodded off target by the lurking Adebayo.

Campbell then advanced himself but when faced with a shooting opportunity 25 yards out, could only drag tamely wide, while against his former club, Henri Lansbury's goalbound drive was charged down by a covering defender.

In between those rare passages of something near to excitement, Town looked solid at the back, able to withstand the hosts' dominance of possession, 61 per cent in their favour at the break, Shea able to have a relatively untroubled opening 45 minutes.

Town's only issue was a lack of any concerted pressure in the final third, with the ball not sticking with Adebayo enough, while at times, Onyedinma had his pocket picked too easily.

After the break, the Hatters were almost architects of their own downfall on 51 minutes, Tom Lockyer miscontrolling a high ball allowing Joe Lolley to pounce and tee up Lyle Taylor on his left, but Shea did his job, staying big to save with his legs.

As in the first period, Forest continued to have most of the ball, keeping it away from the visitors at will, with Philip Zinckernagel bending one over the bar.

Out of nowhere the game then came to life on the hour mark, when Town won a disputed corner which Lansbury sent into the area.

Colback pulled Lockyer back as the Welshman looked to win a header, referee Jeremy Simpson spotting the offence and to the fury of the previously quiet home support, awarded spot-kick, also showing Colback his second yellow.

Adebayo stepped up, but for the first time in his Luton career, couldn't convert, Samba's legs sending the ball flying over the bar.

Now with a man advantage, Luton could have had another penalty, Onyedinma tripped by sub Tobias Figueriedo, but having given one, it was unlikely they'd get another, this time Simpson waving the appeals away.

Jones threw on Harry Cornick and Jordan Clark with 16 minutes to go, Clark quickly arrowing a low shot just past the post with Samba at full stretch.

Although Town went on to boss the latter stages, throwing Danny Hylton on, bar a few Onyedinma bursts on the left to win the odd corner, they didn't look like breaking the 10 men down.

That was until late in stoppage time when the classy Naismith connected sweetly with a volley that the man of the hour Samba did excellently to parry away, earning a hero's ovation from the majority of the City Ground once the full time whistle went.

For Luton, it did end their run of back-to-back defeats, but Jones' men are now three games without a win, while haven't scored in four of their last five outings, a stat they will look to put right against Cardiff City this weekend.

Forest: Brice Samba, Djed Spence, Joe Worrall (C), Jack Colback, Philip Zinckernagel (Cafu 81), Brennan Johnson, Braian Ojeda, Joe Lolley (Gaetan Bong 69), Scott McKenna, Lyle Taylor (Tobias Figueiredo 65), James Garner.

Subs not used: Ethan Horvath, Joao Carvalho, Lewis Grabban, Alex Mighten.

Hatters: James Shea, James Bree, Tom Lockyer, Sonny Bradley (C), Kal Naismith, Fred Onyedinma, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Allan Campbell, Henri Lansbury (Jordan Clark 74), Admiral Muskwe (Harry Cornick 74), Elijah Adebayo (Danny Hylton 85).

Subs not used: Harry Isted, Glen Rea, Amari'i Bell, Cameron Jerome.

Bookings: Taylor 26, Lockyer 45, Colback 47, McKenna 58, Mpanzu 68, Bradley 90.

Sent off: Colback 61.

Referee: Jeremy Simpson.

Attendance: 25,715 (Luton 1,418).

Jones felt it was two points dropped for his Town side at the City Ground

Reaction from Luton chief to Nottingham Forest stalemate

Luton boss Nathan Jones felt it was a case of two points dropped for his side during their goalless draw at Nottingham Forest this evening.

After a quiet first hour, the hosts were then reduced to 10 men when Jack Colback was shown a second yellow card for dragging Tom Lockyer back in the area from a corner.

The penalty saw Elijah Adebayo denied the legs of Reds keeper Brice Samba, who then made a superb save in stoppage time to repel Kal Naismith’s blast, as although Town dominated the final half hour, they couldn't break through.

A frustrated Jones said: “We’re a good side and we’ve shown we’re a good side.

“They haven’t had a shot on target tonight, before the sending off we were comfortable, our shape was good, defensively we were good and then we just need to demonstrate a little bit of quality.

“Now without being disrespectful, we haven’t got the budget to bring in a (Aleksander) Mitrovic, a (Dominic) Solanke, these top players, Harry Wilson’s that can get you something out of nothing nearly every single game.

“So what we’ve got to be is tactically good, work hard, and we are, and we’re a good side, difficult to play against,

“We had 26 shots (during the last two games), five on target, that’s one in five, that’s not good enough.

“We had 16 shots the other day and three on target, so we’re creating enough, we’re keeping the ball well enough, we’re defending well, our XG (expected goals) is top three, but I’m sick of the numbers.

“It’s just we’re not demonstrating the quality, then we have a penalty and we miss a penalty.

"We should have had another penalty, should have had two more penalties as it’s a foul on Fred (Onyedinma) but he’s never going to give it, because it’s away.

“Then there's a foul on Lockyer which is even more blatant than the first one, but if we score that pen then they have to come out and it could be more.

“Tactically we were good, our changes were good, everything was good.

“Tonight we've come here and got a point, which isn’t a bad result at the City Ground considering these are ex-European champions.

"So look, just disappointed as it’s two dropped tonight as we were better.”

Double-jabbed Hatters keeper Sluga still had to miss Luton's goalless draw at Forest due to vaccine rules

Keeper sits out midweek stalemate

Luton boss Nathan Jones revealed that even though goalkeeper Simon Sluga has been double jabbed, he was still unable to play against Nottingham Forest this evening after coming into close contact with someone who had Covid-19 during the international break due to the rules surrounding his vaccine.

The Hatters keeper, who was one of the club's two ever-presents in the Championship this term along with James Bree, was with the Croatia squad for their World Cup qualifiers before flying back to England.

He played in the 2-0 defeat at QPR on Friday night, but then had to sit out at the City Ground after being contacted in the week, with James Shea coming in for the goalless draw instead.

Speaking about his absence, Jones said: “He’s double jabbed, he’s been on a plane, close contact with someone, he’s got pinged, so he couldn't play.

“We test every day, negative, he’s doubled jabbed, but it’s Croatian double tagged.

"It’s Johnson & Johnson, so it's recognised, but apparently that’s not good enough for him to play.

“Whatever it is, he got pinged, he’s negative, he’s been in with us training, played the other day.

"He would have been out of his isolation period pretty much now, but you can't mess about as it’s Covid, you know what Covid does.

“We knew yesterday, but rather than let everyone know, we kept that quiet.

“To be fair, Sheasy came in tonight and was excellent in everything he did.”

On whether Sluga would be available to face Cardiff City this weekend, Jones added: “You don't know these days, lets asked the EFL.

“Maybe they'll give us another away game and we’ll have to isolate, who knows.

“Anyone who’s come into contact, maybe they'll isolate in St Albans because he lives in St Albans.

“Maybe no-one from St Albans can come and we’ll have another away game, lets ask the EFL.”