Stoke City vs Luton Town FC (23rd Feb 2022)

Report | Stoke City 1-2 Luton Town

The Hatters moved to within two points of the play-off places with a 2-1 win at Stoke City tonight.

Danny Hylton and Cameron Jerome's second half goals were enough to seal an eighth win in the last 12 Championship matches and ensure the Town are well in the promotion picture with less than a third of the seasono to go.

It was a memorable return to his former club for manager Nathan Jones, who made three changes to the side that beat West Brom on Saturday, with Reece Burke coming back into defence after missing out at the weekend, and Gabe Osho moving into midfield in place of Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu.

James Bree was making his 100th appearance for the Hatters, whilst Danny Hylton made his second league start of the campaign and Harry Cornick returned in attack, supporting top scorer Elijah Adebayo.

Stoke had the game's first attempt on target, Tyrese Campbell's attempted curler easy for Jed Steer to gather in the Town goal with 18 minutes on the clock.

It was an uneventful opening half-an-hour, livened only by Allan Campbell's tussle with the Potters' Nick Powell that earned the Scot the first yellow card of the evening for a bout of wrestling just inside the Stoke half, with the Hatters looking solid at the back and Amari'i Bell especially on his game up against Campbell.

Referee John Busby wasn't as quick to spot a blatant foul by Campbell on the Town left-back by the touchline, but thankfully the Hatters backline saw off the threat of the resulting corner with Hylton and Cornick beginning to threaten at the other end, especially down the right flank.

It was down that side that Bree produced the cross for the Town's best opportunity of the half, a couple of minutes before the break, but Bell couldn't get anything on the end of it and the untroubled home keeper Joe Bursik saw the ball out.

Cornick was next into Busby's notepad in the 52nd minute for a tug on Powell as the ex-Manchester United man looked to break free and set Stoke on the attack.

A minute later came the Town's best moment as Adebayo set Cornick racing onto the ball down the right, and the forward went past his man to the byline and cut back looking for Campbell, but Joe Allen got there just ahead of him to clear behind.

Three minutes later, in a virtual carbon copy, the breakthrough came as Bree set Cornick racing away. He left Josh Tymon trailing in his wake once again and Hylton was there to steer in at the near post for his second goal of the season.

How the 581 travelling fans behind the goal loved it as their talisman hurdled the advertising boards to celebrate in front of them, Cornick pointing to the name on the back of the number nine's shirt in recognition of his contribution.

The lead should have been doubled in the 63rd minute as Cornick put Adebayo in the clear with a driving run and pass with the outside of his right boot, Bursik racing off his line and diving low to his left to prevent the top scorer adding to his 13-goal tally.

Campbell's attempted flick from Cornick's deflected shot might have caight Bursik out on 68 minutes, but Stoke survived as their fans started to show their frustration with the Hatters well on top and posing plenty of problems.

Adebayo came close again three minutes later when he latched onto Hylton's clearance, twisted and turned his way past the centre-half pairing of Liam Moore and Taylor Harwood-Bellis, before the Manchester City loanee got back to block his eventual shot.

The second goal did come in the 81st minute when Naismith crossed from the left, after a short corner, and Jerome - just six minutes after coming on for Cornick - produced an expert side-footed finish for his second goal in as many matches.

It was a nervy end for Jones' side after Lewis Baker had pulled a goal back in the second minute of added time but all in all, it was a dominant performance to ram the taunts of the home fans back down their throats as the Welshman masterminded the most perfect of away performances.

Nathan Jones' Stoke reaction

Manager Nathan Jones praised a ‘near perfect’ away performance as the Hatters secured a first win against Stoke City since 2000!

Second half goals from Danny Hylton and Cameron Jerome lifted his side to within two points of the play-off places and the gaffer admitted post-match, “that is as good as it gets.”

“We were aggressive, front-footed, showed quality, scored at the right times and could have had more. We switched off from a corner at the end, but we limited a good Stoke side and I’m very proud tonight. Not just because it’s my old club but because the performance level was very high tonight and I’m proud of that.

“We were on the periphery first half, we got to grips with the game and if we had shown a little bit more quality, we would have had chances but at half-time I felt the crowd had gone. They had turned and coming out second half, I knew if we started fast it would be to their determinant.

"We penned them in and we were right up against them. If you give Joe Allen, Nick Powell, Tyrese Campbell time, they will hurt you. Without being disrespectful, we should have had more.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J_z7RFFN9w – Nathan Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItOb0NdNdAk – match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaWfddzd0PE – Danny Hylton interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVOh_WSzc2k = reverse angle

Hylton and Jerome on target as superb second half display from Luton sees the Hatters finally end Stoke hoodoo

Championship: Stoke City 1 Luton Town 2

Luton's habit under Nathan Jones of banishing long-standing hoodoos struck yet again this evening as they ended an 11-game winless run against Stoke City with a first victory over the Potters since December 2000.

Second half goals from Danny Hylton and Cameron Jerome were to prove the difference on another statement evening for the Hatters and manager Jones, who was triumphant on his return to his former club, as they kept up their play-off push with an eighth victory in 12.

The boss had made three changes from the 2-0 win against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, Hylton himself coming in, along with Harry Cornick and Reece Burke, Jerome and Admiral Muskwe dropping to the bench, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu missing out completely.

Defender James Bree made his 100th appearance for the Hatters, who lined up with Gabe Osho in midfield alongside Allan Campbell, Hylton playing just behind a front two of Elijah Adebayo and Cornick.

An even opening saw Town unable to quite make the most of their opportunities, although Adebayo was causing problems to the Stoke defence whenever he gained possession.

The Potters looked dangerous at times, but the best they could muster was a low attempt from Tyrese Campbell that Jed Steer comfortably gathered on 18 minutes, the on-loan stopper also displaying excellent handling from another fierce cross-shot moments later.

A scrappy affair laced with some increasingly bizarre calls from referee John Busby then ensued, one barge on Amari'i Bell somehow going unpunished with play continuing.

In the closing stages of the first half, Luton almost conceded after a needless mistake, Osho's pass lacking power, Tom Lockyer across bravely to deflect Nick Powell's effort behind.

Bell was almost in when his run was brilliantly seen by the left foot of fellow wing-back Bree, but he couldn't quite work out how to attack the delivery and it ended up running harmlessly out.

After the break, Luton were in the ascendancy immediately, almost in when Adebayo sprung Cornick away on the right who he did fantastically to hurdle a challenge and pick out Campbell, the midfielder denied by a wonderful last-ditch tackle from Joe Allen.

Town then took the lead with their first shot on target on 56 minutes with a wonderful strike, Bree finding Cornick who scampered down the flank once more.

He looked up and delivered a low cross that Hylton met first time to arrow his volley beyond a motionless Joe Bursik and into the bottom corner for his second of the season.

Luton should have doubled their advantage 62 minutes when Cornick once more did superbly to drive forward and thread the perfect through ball for Adebayo.

Clean through on Bursik, his side-footed attempt was well saved by the keeper, crucially preventing the striker from making it 2-0, which would have further deflated the already frustrated atmosphere inside the ground.

Cornick, now looking a threat every single time he got on the ball, continued to torment the Potters defence, one shot deflecting for Campbell to prod goalwards, Bursik able to fall on it.

With 20 minutes to go, Town were so close to adding to their lead once more, Adebayo sprinting on to a hopeful Hylton punt and with two defenders for company, twisted them inside and out.

Just when he looked to have beaten Bursik, a lunging Taylor Harwood-Bellis stuck a leg out from nowhere to block, Hatters' top scorer thumping the turf in frustration.

With Cornick off for Jerome, the former Stoke striker then had the desired impact as from an excellent short corner routine, Bree teed up Naismith whose first time cross was neatly turned home by the substitute for his second goal in as many games.

Just when it looked the contest was done, seven minutes of stoppage were signalled and in the second of those, the visitors switched off from a corner, Lewis Baker curling home a magnificent 25-yard effort to halve the deficit and get the nerves jangling.

However, the Hatters managed to defend the closing stages with real professionalism, ensuring Steer had little to do, as they headed home with another three points to move back up to eighth place and are now just two points off the top six.

Potters: Joe Bursik, Ben Wilmot, Liam Moore, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Josh Tymon (Tommy Smith 64), Joe Allen (C), Lewis Baker, Nick Powell, Tyrese Campbell, Jaden Philogene-Bidace Jacob Brown 54), Josh Maja (Steven Fletcher 72)

Subs not used: Jack Bonham, Sam Cucas, Romaine Sawyers, D'Margio Wright-Phillips.

Hatters: Jed Steer, James Bree, Amari'i Bell, Tom Lockyer, Reece Burke, Kal Naismith (C), Gabe Osho, Allan Campbell (Peter Kioso 90), Harry Cornick (Cameron Jerome 75), Danny Hylton, Elijah Adebayo.

Subs not used: James Shea, Dan Potts, Carlos Mendes Gomes, Fred Onyedinma, Admiral Muskwe.

Booked: Campbell 29, Cornick 51, Lockyer 80, Powell 80, Hylton 82, Burke 90, Adebayo 90.

Referee: John Busby.

Attendance: 18,270 (581 Luton).

Hatters boss felt Town reaped the rewards for a brave second half performance during long-awaited Stoke victory

Town chief on this evening's win at the bet365 Stadium

Luton boss Nathan Jones felt his side reaped the benefits from taking control of the second half during their 2-1 win at Stoke City this evening.

Following a scrappy opening 45 minutes in which neither side displayed any real quality, the Hatters were a different outfit once play resumed.

Going close through Allan Campbell, they then took the lead when Danny Hylton expertly volleyed home Harry Cornick’s cross on 56 minutes.

Elijah Adebayo had a one-on-one saved before also being denied by a last-ditch challenge, before ex-Potters striker Cameron Jerome came off the bench to divert Kal Naismith’s cross into the net with eight minutes to go for his second goal in as many games.

Although ex-Luton youngster Lewis Baker pulled one back in stoppage time with a fine strike from distance, the Hatters held on to secure a first win over Stoke since December 2000, with Jones getting one over the club he used to manage in the process.

Speaking afterwards, he said: “We were on the periphery first half.

"We had just got to grips with the game, which if we’d have shown a little bit more quality, we’d have had chances.

"But then at half time, I felt the crowd had gone, I felt the crowd had turned and then coming out second half I knew if we started fast then that would only be to their detriment and we did.

"We started fast, aggressive, penned them in, they couldn't get out, we were tight up against them.

"Good players, we didn't give them any time because if you give Joe Allen and Nick Powell time they'll hurt you, Tyrese Campbell will hurt you, but we didn’t, we were right in their faces.

“I’m really proud and we did take control of the second half and without being disrespectful we should have had more.”

Summing up the victory, he added: “It’s a good as it gets, aggressive, front-footed, showed quality, scored at the right time, could have had more.

"We switched off from the corner right at the end, but we limited a good Stoke side to very, very little.

"I'm very proud tonight, not just because it’s my old club, but because of the performance level.

"The performance level was very, very high tonight and I’m super proud of that.”