Sunderland vs Luton Town FC (12th Feb 2025)

12/02/2025 SUNDERLAND 2-0 LUTON TOWN

Town fall to defeat at Sunderland

A goal in each half from the hosts inflict another loss on the road for the Hatters

The Town slipped to the bottom of the Championship and their wait for Matt Bloomfield’s first game in charge continued with defeat at Sunderland.

The Hatters almost fell behind after four minutes when Wilson Isidor sent a shot the wrong side of the post from 10 yards after being found by Patrick Roberts’ cross.

Six minutes later the Town needed Mark McGuinness’ defensive nous to bravely get in the way of a shot from Dan Neil from close range as the hosts pushed for an opener.

However, the home side – unbeaten at home this season – didn’t need to wait long for the lead as on 13 minutes Enzo Le Fee cut inside from the left flank and found the far corner of the net with a curling effort from the edge of the box.

Behind the Town rallied and on 32 minutes they came close to a leveller. Joe Johnson’s cross from the right was headed goalwards by Carlton Morris but Anthony Patterson in the Sunderland goal turned the ball onto the post.

Back came Sunderland and Thomas Kaminski needed to be alert to palm away a fierce drive from Chris Rigg moments later.

After the restart the Town came close once more when the ball fell at the feet of Zack Nelson on 49 minutes. However, the midfielder’s shot from 10 yards was blocked by Trai Hume.

But any hope of a Hatters comeback took a turn shortly before the hour when the hosts doubled their lead. Lamine Fanne’s attempted clearance to cut-out a cross from Le Fee fell invitingly at the feet of Isidor who swept a confident finish past Kaminski.

Bloomfield rang the changes, introducing four substitutes in the space of four minutes with Josh Bowler, Elijah Adebayo, Kal Naismith and Jacob Brown all sent on.

The woodwork saved the Town on 74 minutes when Roberts' shot came back off the upright before Brown wasn’t far away from reducing arrears, flashing a first-time effort just over the bar - but that was as good as it got for the Town in the second half.

Lasse Nordås was brought on for his debut with eight minutes to go but as time ticked down half chances fell for Sunderland as they looked for a late third, with Kaminski doing well to turn away a goal-bound flick from Jobe Bellingham with the faintest of fingertips with two minutes left.

That would prove to be the final chance as the Town slipped to another defeat on Wearside – not since 1973 have the Hatters tasted victory in this part of the world.

We’ll see you back at the Kenny on Saturday.

Town: Kaminski, Walters, Johnson, McGuinness, Andersen (sub Naismith 66), Lamine Fanne (sub Brown 62), Clark, Nelson, Alli (sub Bowler 62), Aasgaard (sub Nordås 82) Morris (sub Adebayo 66).

Subs not used: Krul, Nakamba, Hashioka.

Attendance: 37,929, including 370 backing the Hatters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4ckX0Vlf54 – match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk0NaS0IE6E – Matt Bloomfield interivew

Luton hit rock bottom of the Championship following Black Cats loss

Championship: Sunderland 2 Luton Town 0

Luton dropped to the very bottom of the Championship table for the first time this season after yet another miserable away defeat, losing 2-0 against Sunderland this evening.

With Town heading into the contest in search of their first victory in Wearside since 1973, that never looked on the cards from early on against a side unbeaten on home soil this term, as the visitors simply had no answer to the attacking threats of the Black Cats, who are still very much in the hunt for automatic promotion.

Results elsewhere went against Town too, as although Hull lost to Burnley, Plymouth, the previous basement dwellers, thrashed Millwall 5-1 to move above Matt Bloomfield's side, although they did still remain just two points from safety. Having not had a game for 12 days, the Hatters made two changes for the contest, with Millenic Alli in for his full Town debut, youngster Zack Nelson also included as well, Alfie Doughty dropping out with a slight hamstring and back strain, Jacob Brown benched.

With Alli starting on the right of the attacking trio, Nelson on the left, Luton made a bright start to proceedings, keeping the hosts pinned back in the opening exchanges. Despite that, the Black Cats somehow didn't open the scoring on four minutes, as Reuell Walters, who was given a torrid evening by winger Enzo Le Fee, gave the ball away with an ill-judged pass across the back-line that was straight to Patrick Roberts.

He took his time and found the completely unmarked Wilson Isidor in the area who with just Thomas Kaminski to beat, sidefooted wastefully wide of the target. Town were then sliced open again when Dan Neil exchanged passes to waltz into the area, putting Mark McGuinness on his backside, although the Luton defender deserved credit for getting up quickly to make a terrific block when he eventually pulled the trigger.

The Black Cats didn't need to wait long until they were celebrating though, as on 11 minutes, Lamine Fanne was nutmegged by Trai Hume's pass out to the on-loan Roma attacker Le Fee who was afforded the freedom of Wearside to try to pick his spot. Having cost the Serie A side around £20m in the summer, there was no surprise when he did just that, slamming into the bottom corner leaving Kaminski utterly incensed in the timid manner in which his team-mates just parted for him to do so.

Although offering nothing in the way of an attacking threat themselves, Alli's cross caught by Anthony Patterson, Luton did manage to stave off conceding again, holding the Black Cats at arm's length, reaching the half-hour mark still just one behind. Town then actually did have a sniff on 32 minutes, when Joe Johnson took a short free kick and sent over an inviting cross that was met by Morris, Patterson able to palm on to the post. The rebound was miskicked from a yard out by Alli, although the linesman's flag saved his blushes somewhat, as it would have been disallowed for what appeared a highly dubious offside.

Back came Sunderland though, with Le Fee showing just what a wonderful player he is at this level, tricking away from two to burst into the box only to see his penalty appeals waved away, Chris Rigg's drive from distance forcing Kaminski to spring to his left and parry. With Le Fee on one side and ex-Manchester City winger Patrick Roberts on the other, the Black Cats were a massive threat whenever they got the ball wide, which they did often, Roberts' cross narrowly missing the lurking Isidor.

Having got through to the break just about still in the a game, Luton were looking to try and muster something in the second period, almost falling 2-0 behind within 60 seconds, Roberts prodding wide from close range. Town looked to get at their opponents, the ball finding Nelson unmarked at the back post who went with his right foot only to see Trai Hume there to block.

With Luton's frail defence always appearing incapable of keeping their hosts from getting a second, that was to prove so on 57 minutes, a ball across the area saw Fanne attempt to control, but his touch let him down as it wrongfooted Clark and landed at the feet of Isidor who needed no second invitation to swivel and shoot beyond Kaminski.

Bloomfield responded by taking Fanne and the combative Alli off for Jacob Brown and Josh Bowler as Town once more had a brief spell of pressure, Clark going on a brilliant driving run to reach the by-line, his cross cleared away and Brown connecting with a fierce volley from 25 yards that flew inches over the top.

Kal Naismith and Elijah Adebayo then came on, but it was still the Black Cats who looked like adding to their score, Roberts twisting Town inside and out to crash against the outside of the post. Deadline day signing Nordas was given the final eight minutes in which to try and produce a miracle, but still it was Sunderland who were the more likely, Hume firing over and Isidor glancing behind as they eased to yet another home success, heaping more misery on the hapless Hatters.

Black Cats: Anthony Patterson, Dennis Cirkin, Dan Neil ©, Dan Ballard, Jobe, Patrick Roberts, Chris Rigg (Eliezer Mayenda 76), Luke O'Nien, Wilson Isidor (Salis Aboul Samed 86), Enzo Le Fee, Trai Hume.

Subs not used: Simon Moore, Jenson Seelt, Chris Mepham, Milan Aleksic, Leo Hjelde. Trey Ogunsuyi, Harrison Jones.

Hatters: Thomas Kaminski, Reuell Walters, Mads Andersen (Kal Naismith 66), Mark McGuinness, Joe Johnson, Lamine Fanne (Josh Bowler 62), Jordan Clark, Thelo Aasgaard (Lasse Nordas 82), Millenic Alli (Jacob Brown 62 ), Zack Nelson, Carlton Morris (C Elijah Adebayo 66).

Subs not used: Tim Krul, Daiki Hashioka, Liam Walsh, Marvelous Nakamba.

Referee: John Busby.

Booked: Fanne 54, Johnson 90.

Bloomfield refusing to panic as Hatters boss remains 'hellbent' on leading Luton to safety

Town suffer tame defeat at Sunderland on Wednesday night

Town boss Matt Bloomfield is refusing to panic despite Luton dropping to the bottom of the Championship after last night’s timid 2-0 defeat at Sunderland, insisting he remains ‘hellbent’ on ensuring the club don’t suffer an embarrassing return to League One this season.

The Hatters stretched their winless run to 10 matches in all competitions with a 13th defeat from 14 away games as they turned in a meek display to hand the promotion chasing Black Cats one of their easiest successes of the campaign so far. With a resurgent Plymouth Argyle hammering Millwall 5-1 at Home Park to leapfrog Luton, it means Town suffered the ignominy of now propping up the rest of 24 teams in the division, as their hopes of avoiding a second successive relegation took yet another turn for the worse.

Although Bloomfield is yet to see any kind of new manager bounce that all of Luton’s other relegation rivals have enjoyed, beaten in three of his five matches, taking just two points from 15, and entertaining Sheffield United this weekend, also having to play Leeds United and Burnley before the campaign is out, it means they will need a meteoric upturn in form to prevent themselves finishing below the dotted line.