Sheffield Wednesday vs Luton Town FC (20th Aug 2019)

SHEFF WEDNESDAY 1 LUTON TOWN 0

The Hatters go down by a single goal for the third game running

Luton went down 1-0 at Hillsborough to a Kadeem Harris winner early in the second half with a mix-up at the back proving their downfall.

Goalkeeper Simon Sluga’s throw was stolen off Ryan Tunnicliffe’s toe by Jacob Murphy on the edge of Town’s area and the wide man picked out Stephen Fletcher at the back post to where the Scottish international nodded down for the tap-in.

It was a blow that the Hatters could not recover from after a promising first half performance.

Graeme Jones made three changes to the side that lost to West Bromwich Albion, with Kazenga LuaLua handed his first start of the season along with Andrew Shinnie and James Bree.

That was at the expense of Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu - the first league game the midfielder had not started since the 2-1 home win over Mansfield on April 2, 2018 - Dan Potts and Callum McManaman.

It started so well for Town though, and Tunnicliffe will be kicking himself to have blazed over from 12 yards in the ninth minute after receiving the ball back from LuaLua.

The winger then stung keeper Keiren Westwood’s palms from distance and, though it proved too hot to handle, the rebound didn’t fall to a Town player.

Hatters keeper Sluga produced a wonderful flying save to beat away Harris’ curler, moments after Harry Cornick beat the last defender to a long ball but somehow had the ball nicked away from him.

Shinnie almost left egg on Westwood’s face, volleying back the keeper’s poor clearance after James Collins had chased him down, but the number one recovered to tip over.

Sonny Bradley saw a header from Jacob Butterfield’s corner, dip just over and when the teams walked off at the break, small sections of the home support turned on their side.

However, the hosts improved after half time and took the lead ten minutes in through Harris.

Martin Cranie then had to depart, pulling up after clearance and getting stretchered off, for Bolton to replace him.

Fletcher had the ball in Luton’s net in the 66th minute but it was ruled offside and the Scottish international then saw a header fly dangerously close with Sluga well beaten.

Luton laboured at the other end until late on but when they found themselves deep in Wednesday territory Cornick swung and missed, while Bolton, making his league debut for Luton, had a heavy touch in the penalty area which allowed a recovering block and, with that, a chance to take a point from the contest.

TOWN: Sluga, Cranie (Bolton 59), Pearson, Bradley (c), Bree, Butterfield (Mpanzu 74), Shinnie, Tunnicliffe, LuaLua (Brown 69), Collins, Cornick. Subs not used: Lee, Moncur, Jones, Shea.

REFEREE: David Webb

ATT: 23,353

GRAEME JONES ON THE 1-0 LOSS AT SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY

Hatters boss Graeme Jones gave his thoughts on the 1-0 defeat at Hillsborough this evening, believing his side are making progress with each game despite suffering a third successive Sky Bet Championship loss by a single goal.

After seeing his team turn in an impressive performance, especially in the first half, before going down to the side who went top of the division with a third victory of the campaign, Jones said: "I feel like we deserved something from the game, but we can’t keep repeating that story.

"The only thing I’ll say to you is that from a progress point of view we had 60 minutes out of the game against Cardiff, then against West Brom we had six minutes out of the game, then tonight we’ve had one action and we are getting closer to it. But we need to win a game of football and that’s where we are.”

The Town played some great football in the first half, with Ryan Tunnicliffe, Kazenga LuaLua and Andrew Shinnie all going close to opening the scoring before Wednesday struck nine minutes into the second period.

"You want to give players freedom," said Jones. "You invest in players’ brains and their football actions, and I didn’t see the goal, I’d actually turned away, but I think Simon threw the ball to Ryan – and these things happen.

"Ryan is in a confident moment, he’s clear and you want him to take the ball at that point, you trust him, and obviously we get punished for it, which is what’s happening at the minute.

"But I think you need to believe that you can win a game of football and I think the stats were all in our favour – possession, shots on target, shots off target – but it’s got to go in the back of the net and we’ve got to go and win on Saturday.”

Jones added: "We are together, the whole group – the staff, the players – and we’ll get there. If playing in the Championship was easy, everybody would be doing it, but they’re not. We are there technically, tactically and physically, it’s just that last mental step and once we win a game of football in the Championship we’ll be absolutely fine."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx9UU8DL3_Q – Graeme Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_HVyIE5YYE – Extended highlights from SWFC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OarrxYSnfU&t – unofficial SKY highlights

Third straight defeat for Luton as Owls claim the points

Championship: Sheffield Wednesday 1 Luton Town 0

Luton suffered their third consecutive defeat in the Championship as they were beaten 1-0 by Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough this evening.

Once again, it looked like the Hatters were more than capable of leaving with something to their name, but once again, they conceded early in the second half to a goal of their own making, and just couldn't recover, as their hunt for a first league victory of the campaign continues.

Town boss Graeme Jones made three changes from the 2-1 loss on Saturday, James Bree handed a first league start since his arrival on loan from Aston Villa, Kazenga LuaLua also included and Andrew Shinnie recalled.

The Hatters settled well and should have been ahead on nine minutes, a fine break seeing Ryan Tunnicliffe send LuaLua away on the left.

He cut the ball back to his team-mate, only to see Tunnicliffe fire disappointingly over from 12 yards.

LuaLua then went for goal himself, Keiren Westwood uncomfortably shovelling his 25-yard blast away, while Town stopper Simon Sluga was called upon to repel Kadeem Harris's curler from the edge of the box.

Harry Cornick skewed off target from a free kick that dropped to him in a decent position, before Shinnie almost put Town ahead on 21 minutes with a wonderful effort.

Westwood took a heavy tough as James Collins closed him down, his clearance went straight to the midfielder, whose angled effort was destined to fly in, only for the retreating keeper to stick out a glove and flick it over.

With the home fans getting restless as their side struggled to create anything of note, Jacob Murphy tried from distance, Sluga solidly in the way.

Town, who were looking more and more assured when on the ball inside their own half, threatened the opposition goal on occasion, Sonny Bradley putting a free header off target from Jacob Butterfield's corner on 35 minutes.

After conceding twice inside the opening six minutes of the game on Saturday, Luton's Achilles heel then struck again after the break, although it took the Owls until 54 to make their mark.

Sluga's quick throw out caught Tunnicliffe unawares, as Murphy picked his pocket and drove into the box, dinking over a cross that was met by Steven Fletcher for Harris to knee the ball over the line.

Town defender Martin Cranie was worryingly stretchered off for Luke Bolton, as the Owls looked to wrap the points up, Fletcher heading powerfully off target.

The visitors barely threatened until Cornick had a sniff when a header dropped to him in the box, but his snatched effort dribbled through to Westwood summed up Luton's attacking efforts in the second period.

If anything, the hosts should have added to their tally late on, Harris escaping on the left and crossing for Murphy to put a free header way over.

However, Town might have snatched a point with five to go, but Bolton dallied with the goal in his sights, his effort blocked away to ensure the points stayed in Sheffield.

Owls: Keiren Westwood, Morgan Fox, Kadeem Harris (Kieran Lee 89), Steven Fletcher (Massimo Luongo 85), Barry Banan, Julian Bonner, Jacob Murphy, Tom Lees (C), Adam Reach (Sam Winnall 78) , Moses Odubajo, Sam Hutchinson.

Subs not used: Cameron Dawson, Jordan Rhodes, David Bates, Fernando Forestieri.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, Martin Cranie (Luke Bolton 59), James Bree, Sonny Bradley, Matty Pearson, Jacob Butterfield (Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu 73), Ryan Tunnicliffe, Andrew Shinnie, Kazenga LuaLua (Izzy Brown 69), Harry Cornick, James Collins.

Subs not used: James Shea, Lloyd Jones, Elliot Lee, George Moncur.

Booked: Pearson 50, Fletcher 83, Hutchinson 84.

Referee: David Webb.

Attendance: 22,353.

Jones felt Luton deserved more from Wednesday defeat

Luton boss Graeme Jones felt his side deserved more from their 1-0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday this evening.

The Hatters slipped to a third successive reverse in the Championship, with Kadeem Harris’s strike on 54 minutes enough to separate the sides.

Speaking afterwards, Jones said: “I feel like we deserved something from the game, but we can’t keep repeating that story.

“The only thing I’ll say is from a progress point of view, we had 60 minutes out of the game against Cardiff, then against West Brom we had six minutes out of the game, then tonight we’ve had one action.

“We’re getting closer to it, but we need to win a game of football and that’s where we are.

“We’re together, the whole group, the staff, the players, and we’ll get there.

“It’s just, if playing in the Championship was easy, everyone would be doing it, and they’re not.

“We are there technically, tactically, physically, we are there.

“It’s just that last mental step, and once we win a game of football in the Championship, we’ll be absolutely fine.”

The goal when it arrived came from a quick throw out by keeper Simon Sluga that Ryan Tunnifcliffe failed to collect, Jacob Murphy’s cross headed back by Steven Fletcher for Harris to knee over the line.

Jones added: “You want to give players freedoms, you invest in players’ brains and their football actions.

“I didn’t see the goal, I turned away, but I think SImon threw the ball to Ryan, and these things happen.

“Ryan’s in a confident moment, you want him to take the ball at that point, you trust him, and we get punished for it, which is what’s happening at the minute, but you need to believe you can win a game of football.

“I think the stats were all in our favour, possession, shots off target, shots on target, but it’s got to go in the back of the net and we’ve got to go and win on Saturday and that’s where we are.”