Sheffield United vs Luton Town FC (11th Mar 2023)

Report | Sheffield United 0-1 Luton Town

Carlton Morris' hot run of form continued as the Hatters recorded a huge win in the Sky Bet Championship promotion race at Sheffield United.

The top scorer netted his 15th goal of the season as the Town made it seven away league matches unbeaten in the second tier for the first time since the 1994-95 campaign, to move up to fourth in the table.

Manager Rob Edwards made two changes to the side that beat Swansea last week. Coming into the team from kick-off for the first time since the draw at Preston last month was Fred Onyedinma, who replaced Alfie Doughty.

Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu also returned to the side after featuring in last week's victory from the bench. The 28-year-old appeared in midfield for the 360th time in a Luton shirt in place of Jordan Clark, who like Doughty, missed out through injury.

Town started positively and after enjoying plenty of possession, created the chance for Morris to get to the left byline and stand up a cross that was just too high for Allan Campbell as the Scot burst into the six-yard box.

Campbell and Amari'i Bell both had forays into the Blades' box as Town pressed high in the opening exchanges, with Elijah Adebayo tracking back to break up rare United attacks and win possession back.

Ethan Horvath had to field a far post header from Jayden Bogle, who became the first player into referee Leigh Doughty's notepad for a foul on Mpanzu midway through the half as the Town midfielder looked to get a shot off 25 yards from goal after winning a perfectly timed challenge on Berge in the centre-circle.

The late challenge signalled the end of the DR Congo international's afternoon, having to be helped slowly off by two members of the Town medical team, with Luke Berry on in his place for his 154th appearance for the club.

Town were constantly winning the ball back whenever the Blades won possession, and with groans rolling around the stadium, the Hatters worked the ball wide for Gabe Osho to cross, but Berry couldn't keep his volleyed effort down after Adebayo had helped the ball on ahead of Morris.

Anel Ahmedhodzic saw a header saved comfortably by Horvath as half-time approached, but that was the only effort on target in a first half that never truly caught fire.

It certainly had for the Hatters within eight minutes of the restart.

After a patient build-up on the right with Campbell, Drameh and Adebayo keeping the ball before the latter nutmegged John Fleck and raced into the box to cross low for Morris to nip in front of Ahmedhodzic and keeper Wes Foderingham to steer in his third goal in his last four matches.

Morris curled an angled 20-yarder wide before the hosts bared their teeth with 20 minutes to go when Oli McBurnie beat Bell to the byline and crossed deep towards captain Billy Sharp, on as sub, but the Blades' talisman couldn't get the ball out of his feet and Town cleared the danger.

Morris' work was done by the 76th minute, the top scorer leaving the field to a standing ovation from the 1,717 travelling Town fans as he was replaced by Cauley Woodrow.

Berge crossed for McBurnie to head straight at Horvath with seven minutes left, then Edwards brought captain Sonny Bradley on for the last five and injury-time, with Onyedinma feeling the effects of 84 minutes of action.

Sharp fired high over the bar from distance, then McBurnie sent a header straight at Horvath once again, this time from almost on the edge of the area, before Woodrow fired an angled shot just wide of Foderingham's far post with two minutes to go.

The 90 minutes were almost up when Horvath made a crucial point-blank save from Blades captain John Egan in a six-yard box scramble, then McBurnie headed a deep cross wide with time almost up as the Hatters saw out another deserved and brilliant away win with a 15th clean sheet of the season.

TOWN: Horvath; Drameh, Osho, Lockyer (C), Bell, Onyedinma (Bradley 84'); Nakamba, Mpanzu (Berry 26'), Campbell; Morris (Woodrow 76'), Adebayo.

Subs not used: Shea, Lansbury, Muskwe, Taylor.

Goals: Morris 53'

BLADES: Foderingham, Fleck (Sharp 59'), Berge, McBurnie, Egan (C), Lowe, Ahmedhodzic, Norwood (Doyle 69), Robinson (McAtee 70), Bogle, Ndiaye.

Subs: Davies, Baldock, Basham, Clark.

REFEREE: Leigh Doughty

ATT: 28,406 (1,717 Hatters) [28,006?]

Rob Edwards reaction to the win at Sheffield United!

Rob Edwards spoke of a "brilliant" away win after Carlton Morris' goal secured a tenth league win on the road in the second tier for the first time in the club's history.

“It’s a really big win," said the manager. "I thought the lads were brilliant and you have to be if you are going to win here at Bramall Lane. It’s a really difficult place to come.

“I thought first half we were the better team. We really quietened them down. I just felt our final third stuff could have been a bit sharper and we could have maybe caused them a few more problems, but we had lots of periods of control and looked fairly comfortable.

“I thought we could have been a bit better when we won the ball back and in transition at times as well, but to get the goal at the time we did in the second half was great. It was brilliant play from Eli.

“And then they are going to start throwing everything at it. They are second in the league, big stadium, big crowd and all of that, and they start really putting it on us, but I thought we defended really well."

Edwards admitted he was down after losing midfielder Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu to injury in the first half, after Alfie Doughty and Jordan Clark picked up knocks in training and had to miss the match.

“I’m just a little bit gutted as well because I feel for Pelly," said Edwards. "As I’ve just said to the lads in there, we’ve got to look after each other. We are a family and he gives everything for this club, and then Bez when he came on gave absolutely everything, as all of the lads always do, and helped us get over the line.

“It’s a great result, of course it is, and we’ve got to celebrate it and enjoy it, and the supporters have got to. They’ve travelled in great numbers on a long journey, so thank you to them.

“But I just feel a little bit for Pelly today, and we’ve lost a couple of lads over the last two days, important players for us.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB2Fhd_1nes – Rob Edwards interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPRd06a4ua4 - Full time scenes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q9o28YK25g – match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B4aPv03EJQ – Ethan Horvath interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uRxBUpo8sk – Morris goal every angle

Luton make a huge statement as they end almost 30-year wait for victory at Sheffield United

Championship: Sheffield United 0 Luton Town 1

Luton laid down a huge statement of intent with a terrific victory at promotion-chasing Sheffield United this afternoon thanks to Carlton Morris's 15th goal of the season.

The Hatters went into the clash at Bramall Lane looking to set a new club record of 10 away second tier wins in a campaign, plus also triumphing at the Blades for the first time since the 1994-95 season.

They did just that, and deservedly so, courtesy of Morris's close range winner with eight minutes of the second period gone, then defending solidly as the hosts resorted to lumping balls into the box in the aim of finding Oli McBurnie during the closing stages.

What made the victory even more impressive was it was done without in-form duo Alfie Doughty and Jordan Clark, who both missed out due to injury, Fred Onyedinma and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu returning to the side.

The Hatters made a good start to proceedings, quietening the home fans in the early stages, with Marvelous Nkamba an integral factor to that with his brisk closing down and sharp tackling.

Edwards' side couldn't quite create a clear-cut chance though, Allan Campbell pressing high to win an early corner, while Amari'i Bell's impressive burst led to a scuffed cross-shot easily cleared away.

United's best moments were three crosses from the left, one well claimed by Ethan Horvath, the other drifting out for a goal-kick, before the final one on 16 minutes was headed by Jayden Bogle into the midriff of Town's USA international stopper.

Luton were then forced into a change on 26 minutes when Mpanzu took a leaf out of Nakamba's book, doing splendidly to win the ball back with a sliding challenge and then setting off on a burst forward that was ended by a sly trip from Jayden Bogle that quite rightly earned him a caution.

The long serving midfielder was clearly distraught when receiving treatment and ended up having to be helped from the pitch covering his face with his shirt, Luke Berry on in his place.

With both Clark and Doughty missing, it was left to Cody Drameh to take the corners from both sides, while centre half Tom Lockyer fancied his chances from the free kick, firing straight into the wall though.

If the Hatters’ plan was to quieten the crowd in the first half, they did just that and more, Blades supporters' growing increasingly annoyed with their side's inability to keep hold of the ball, often giving it away or being caught by their opponents.

Luton did then fashion an opportunity, Gabe Osho's ball in was touched by Adebayo away from the lurking Morris landing for Berry to volley well over on the turn.

Despite being the second highest scorers in the league, the Blades were finding attempts on goal nigh on impossible until Anel Ahmedhodzic met a corner from the right and tested Horvath, who claimed comfortably to his right.

With Luton looking to carry on their first half display after the break but demonstrate a bit more quality in the final third, they managed to do so on 53 minutes after some neat work on the right involving Campbell and Adebayo.

It was Adebayo who was the architect, with a terrific nutmeg on John Fleck and then firing over a cross that Morris was able to stick out a toe to, diverting beyond Wes Foderingham for Luton's first goal at Bramall Lane since that win back in 1994.

The goal did initially spark a response from the hosts, who upped their intensity and desire to get forward, but after Luton withstood that, threatened a second themselves midway through, Morris curling ambitiously wide on his left foot when others were well placed.

McBurnie, who had been kept quiet by Town's back-line did escape the attentions of Bell and send over a cross that was turned goalwards, but straight at Horvath once more.

The keeper was called on in the 82nd minute too when this time it was McBurnie meeting a deep delivery, but again, he barely had to move, as with the visitors starting to feel the exertions of their efforts, Onyedinma made way with cramp, skipper Sonny Bradley on for his first outing since early November.

Billy Sharp was now on, shooting over from range as the hosts grew increasingly frustrated, with McBurnie's header again too close to Horvath, who managed to keep hold of it despite the awkward bounce sending it spinning up off the turf.

Hatters might have sealed the win when sub Cauley Woodrow escaped on the right, but his angled drive flew past Foderingham and also the far post.

Back came United, as with two minutes left, Horvath stood up well to prevent John Egan from close range with a strong right hand, the loose ball hacked away to the delight of an increasingly excitable away end who started to sense victory.

The Blades created one last scare in stoppage time, McBurnie heading wide, as Town stood firm to finally register a win at Bramall Lane and also go seven unbeaten on the road in the second tier for the first time since that 1994-95 campaign.

Blades: Wes Foderingham, John Fleck (Billy Sharp 58), Sander Berge, Oli McBurnie, John Egan (C), Max Lowe, Anel Ahmedhodzic, Oliver Norwood (Tommy Doyle 69), Jack Robinson (James McAtee 70), Jayden Bogle, Iliman Ndiaye.

Subs not used: Adam Davies, George Baldock, Chris Basham, Ciaran Clark.

Hatters: Ethan Horvath, Cody Drameh, Gabe Osho, Tom Lockyer (C), Amari'i Bell, Fred Onyedinma (Sonny Bradley 85), Marvelous Nakamba, Allan Campbell, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (Luke Berry 26), Elijah Adebayo, Carlton Morris (Cauley Woodrow 76).

Subs not used: James Shea, Henri Lansbury, Admiral Muskwe, Joe Taylor.

Bookings: Bogle 26, Lowe 90.

Referee: Leigh Doughty.

Attendance: 28, 406 (Hatters, 1,117).

Edwards knows the importance of Town's triumph at promotion rivals Blades

Luton secure all three points at Bramall Lane

Luton boss Rob Edwards was under no illusions as to just how big a win Town’s 1-0 triumph at Sheffield United was this afternoon.

The Hatters claimed all three points at Bramall Lane for the first time since October 1994, thanks to Carlton Morris’s goal early in the second half following terrific work by strike partner Elijah Adebayo.

After moving up to fourth in the table, and cutting the gap on the Blades to seven points with 10 matches remaining, Edwards said: “It’s a really big win.

"I thought the lads were brilliant and you have to be if you are going to win here at Bramall Lane as it’s a really difficult place to come.

“I thought first half we were the better team.

"We really quietened them down, but I just felt our final third stuff could have been a bit sharper and we could have maybe caused them a few more problems.

"We had lots of periods of control and looked fairly comfortable.

“I thought we could have been a bit better when we won the ball back and in transition at times as well, but to get the goal at the time we did in the second half was great.

"It was brilliant play from Eli and then they are going to start throwing everything at it.

"They are second in the league, big stadium, big crowd and all of that, and they start really putting it on us, but I thought we defended really well.”

Edwards insists Luton's players deserve all the plaudits as Hatters set new second tier record

Town reach 10 away wins for the first time

Luton boss Rob Edwards was quick to pass all the plaudits on to Town’s players after they set a new record of 10 Championship victories on the road on Saturday.

The Hatters’ 1-0 win at Sheffield United saw the visitors finally pass their previous best of nine wins which they had managed on five other occasions, including both of the last two seasons at this level.

However, Carlton Morris’s 53rd minute goal ensured Luton reached double figures with five matches still to be played outside of Bedfordshire, as Edwards, who has overseen five successes on the road since taking over in November, said: “It’s good, but again, it’s the lads, they go out and do it.

"I’d love to be one of them out there taking the accolades and playing, but unfortunately I’m not.

"It’s the next best thing, so big, big credit to the players, they’re the ones that go out there and do it.”

It was also Luton’s first win at Bramall Lane since October 1994 when Kerry Dixon, a Brian Gayle own goal and Julian James found the net that day to seal a 3-1 Division One victory.

This time just the one goal was needed, Hatters’ last five triumphs all coming by such a scoreline, ensuring the away end of over 1,000 could celebrate a wonderful day in South Yorkshire.

Edwards added: “It’s a difficult place and the lads deserve all the credit, they were brilliant.

“They’ve (fans) been amazing for us since we’ve come in and are really passionate about the club.

”They love their club and it’s great at the moment as there’s a really good feeling between all of us, the players, the supporters, a real connection there.

"It feels like we’re all together, which if you're going to be successful you need that.

"So thanks again to them for making that long, long journey, and we’ll see them all again on Wednesday.”