Sunderland vs Luton Town FC (13th May 2023)

Play-Off Semi-Final First Leg Report | Sunderland 2-1 Luton Town

The Hatters will need to over-turn a first-leg deficit if they are to reach the Championship play-off final after suffering a 2-1 defeat against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

Town took an early lead through Elijah Adebayo's tenth goal of the season, but Sunderland levelled before half-time with an Amad Diallo free-kick before Trai Hume gave them the advantage heading into Tuesday's second leg at Kenilworth Road with a 63rd-minute header.

Hatters boss Rob Edwards made two changes to the side that drew at Blackburn Rovers in the penultimate league game of the season, Gabe Osho and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu coming in for Sonny Bradley and Luke Berry.

Tom Lockyer made his 100th Luton Town appearance as the multiple player of the year award winner returned to the side after being rested on the final day against Hull.

Berry had a place on the bench as well as Reece Burke, who played 45 minutes against Hull City on the final day after returning from injury.

Sunderland started well with the overwhelming majority of the 45,000 crowd behind them, but after a delay for Lockyer to receive treatment after being caught by an off-the-ball elbow from Joe Gelhardt, all they had to show for their bright opening ten minutes was a Patrick Roberts shot that Ethan Horvath pushed safely away from danger.

The Hatters took the lead from their first attack, Jordan Clark's low cross turned behind for a corner that he delivered himself.

Carlton Morris and Osho headed back across goal, with Alfie Doughty's close range effort turned onto the post by keeper Anthony Patterson before Adebayo turned the loose ball home to send the 2,000 Town fans up in the Gods into celebration.

Town started to control the game, and Clark produced another great bit of skill to beat his man on the right and cut-back for Adebayo midway through the half, but Black Cats defender Trai Hume threw himself in the way of the goalscorer's shot.

Adebayo had also dragged a shot wide from outside the area, while Dan Neil and Marvelous Nakamba picked up yellow cards before Luke O'Nien followed them into ref Tim Robinson's notepad for leading with an arm on Doughty, who picked himself up to bend the free-kick straight at Patterson.

Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu was next into the book for a foul on Roberts on the edge of the Town area, and he was doubly punished as Diallo curled a beauty into the top corner from a short free-kick routine for the 39th-minute leveller.

Pierre Ekwah hit a tame shot straight at Horvath as the half drew to a close, then two minutes into the second half, Gelhardt fired wide after being set up cleverly by Alex Pritchard on the right edge of the area.

After receving more treatment, Lockyer was called upon to throw himself in the way of another Roberts shot just after the hour, before Hume headed Clarke's left-wing cross home to put the hosts in front on 63 minutes.

Diallo curled another free-kick over the bar, then Neil volleyed over from 25 yards after Ekwah's shot had been blocked on the edge of the area as Sunderland tried to make the most of their second-half dominance.

Doughty was the third Hatter to see yellow for a foul on Roberts, with the Black Cats winger rolling around having barely been touched, then Clark became the fourth before being replaced by Luke Berry with just over ten minutes to go.

Morris tried his luck from distance straight after the change, but his effort was off target, before Diallo was booked for simulation in the Town penalty area as Osho went to close him down, with the Sunderland man going to ground.

Mpanzu's shot was blocked deep into stoppage time as the Hatters remainly firmly in the tie going back to Kenilworth Road on Tuesday evening for the second leg.

TOWN: Horvath, Drameh (Onyedinma 72'), Osho, Lockyer, Bell, Doughty (Burke 88'), Nakamba, Mpanzu, Clark (Berry 79'), Morris, Adebayo.

Subs: Shea, Potts, Campbell, Freeman.

Goals: Adebayo 11'

BLACK CATS: Patterson, Roberts (Huggins 81'), Gooch, O’Nien, Diallo, Clarke, Pritchard (Ba 90+1'), Neil, Gelhardt, Hume, Ekwah.

Subs: Bass, Taylor, Lihadji, Michut, Anderson.

Goals: Diallo 39', Hume 63'

REFEREE: Tim Robinson

ATT: 46,050 (2,000 Hatters) [actually 46,060]

Reaction | Rob Edwards on the narrow first leg defeat at Sunderland!

Luton Town boss Rob Edwards believes that the Hatters are still in the play-off semi-final tie and needs the fans support at Kenilworth Road for the second leg on Tuesday night.

Town came away from the Stadium of Light a goal behind after earned an early lead through Elijah Adebayo in-front of over 46,000 spectators.

“It’s half-time, we’re right in the tie”, Edwards explained. “It was a really challenging game as we knew it was going to be, pretty tight, fantastic atmosphere. I thought we had the better of the first half and they had the better of the second half, it was a tight game.

“I think it settled down a little bit before our goal to be honest, I thought we had lots of control in that first half. We were brave with the ball, tried to take it and still remain a threat. When we scored, Eli had a big chance then and we had one or two good moments, I was really happy at half-time. Second half, I felt we could’ve been a bit better with the ball in certain moments.

“We won the ball back and we gave it back too cheaply. When we had the chance to counter-attack, we just didn’t make it happen by making the wrong decision or technically we gave the ball away. In those moments, we’ve got to be better.”

Edwards believes that there are improvements to be made going into the second leg on Tuesday night.

“You expect them to be right at it. I think we forced them into a lot as well, so I think it was tight in that respect. They’ve got really good individuals, I thought our pressing and one-v-one defending was very good, the goals they have scored have been an amazing free-kick and a short corner, so we’ve got to be better in those moments, they’ve not cut us open. We had one or two opportunities to do better with our attacking, and that’s what we’re going to work on for Tuesday.

“Later on in the game, on a big pitch in this kind of game, if it becomes too transitional then it really suits them as well, it was on us to try and keep the ball as well. If we go too direct too soon and lose it, then the game becomes more suited to them because we’re open, and we’ve lost it, and we had to show quality. We had to work in our way at times as well, but of course we want to try and utilise the frontmen and I think it probably will be easier to do that on Tuesday night.

“We can do noise at Kenilworth Road and we’re going to need it, we need to bring that. Their fans were well up for it tonight and I know our fans will be up for it on Tuesday. It’s half-time, I’ve got to stress that, we’re right in the game, everyone knows that. It’s 2-1 with 90 minutes at least of football to go, so we need everyone behind us for the whole duration of the game and the lads will give everything.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m2vWG7tD_c – Rob Edwards interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_8WQWEnjWU – Match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17xaN6CG9os – Jordan Clark interview

Adebayo scores but Hatters are beaten by Sunderland in play-off first leg

Championship play-off semi-final first leg: Sunderland 2 Luton Town 1

Luton will have to do it the hard way if they want to reach the Premier League this term after letting a 1-0 lead slip to lose 2-1 against Sunderland in their Championship play-off semi-final first leg this afternoon.

Despite finishing 11 points clear of their hosts during the regular season, it was the Black Cats who looked the stronger of the two sides for the majority of the contest, especially in a second half they dominated, ensuring it is they who will head to Kenilworth Road with a narrow advantage on Tuesday night.

Luton boss Rob Edwards restored Gabe Osho to the back-line from the team who drew with Blackburn Rovers in their penultimate game of the campaign, while Jordan Clark got the nod in midfield over Allan Campbell in the midfield.

The Hatters, who needed to quieten a boisterous crowd of over 46,000 in the early stages, might have been up against 10 men when Joe Gelhardt swung an arm at Tom Lockyer as the two tangled off the ball, and was lucky to avoid seeing red after connecting with the back of the skipper's head.

Town settled though, Carlton Morris putting a header straight at Anthony Patterson from a deep cross, although Jack Clarke gave an early warning, slamming a cross-shot wide.

Sunderland looked like they had begun to grasp the initiative, hunting Luton down in packs when the ball was in midfield and winning it back with regularity.

They went close too, Patrick Roberts cutting off his wing and trying to pick out the bottom corner, Ethan Horvath with a big save and the rebound nutmegging the lurking Gelhardt.

Looking to relieve some of that pressure, Town went up the other end and won a corner on 11 minutes as somewhat against the run of play, they had the lead.

A deep delivery was met by Morris, Osho helping it on, before Alfie Doughty was denied by a terrific save from Patterson and the post, Elijah Adebayo on hand to sweep into the roof of the net from close range, to give Luton the crucial first goal and end his own personal drought stretching to February 28.

Buoyed by that, Adebayo had another go from range on 18 minutes, dragging well wide, before Morris followed suit, his attempt on target, but easily stopped by Patterson.

Town's goalscorer then almost had a second when Clark did superbly to dummy a lunging tackle on the right and speed away, picking out his team-mate 12 yards out, his first time effort looking destined to hit the net but for a wonderful block from Trai Hume.

Luton kept the pressure up though, Clark winning a dangerous free-kick when barged over by Luke O'Nien on the half hour in exactly the same position as where Doughty scored in the league game that finished 1-1, only at the opposite end.

Town's wingback assumed responsibility once more, opting for a different routine this time though, going for goal directly, finding Patterson's handling far more secure on this occasion.

With the Town fans the ones being heard in a sell-out, Sunderland's supporters were then off their feet when the Black Cats restored parity in quite magnificent fashion on 40 minutes.

Conceding a free kick out on the right, Amad Diallo took it short, before curling a screamer beyond Horvath and into the top corner to level things up.

The home fans, now recharged once more and finding their voices, made it imperative for Town to get through to half time without any more punches being landed, Osho doing well to prevent a dummy from reaching its intended target.

Luton remained under the pump in the early stages of the second period and should have been further behind, Alex Pritchard with some wonderful skill to beat Doughty and pick out Gelhardt who skewed wide from 10 yards.

Town were given an injury scare when Lockyer went down and needed treatment, before hobbling off, but with Reece Burke readying himself on the sidelines, was able to get back on and retake his place in the centre of the back three.

He was powerless to prevent the hosts from extending their lead on 63 minutes though as a short corner routine wasn't dealt with and Clarke's pinpoint cross was met by Hume who headed beyond Horvath.

Dan Neil looked to add a third, taking aim from range, his shot not dropping in time as Edwards reacted by bringing on Fred Onyedinma for Cody Drameh, the Leeds loanee struggling with Clarke.

Marvelous Nakamba, who had been riding his luck in staying on after an early booking prior to the break, then ought to have picked up a second for another foul, but with referee Tim Robinson showing him some leniency, he stayed on.

Edwards brought on Luke Berry for Clark, as Diallo tried to win another a penalty as he had done in the league clash, going down in the area, only for official Robinson to read the striker's intentions and brandish a yellow for diving.

The run came from Luton winning the ball back once and then giving it away, which was becoming a theme of their second half performance, Nakamba in particular looking rattled, which hasn't been a feature of his performances since arriving on loan from Aston Villa.

Six minutes of stoppage time came their way too, but right at the death they might have hauled themselves level, a deep set-piece eventually dropping to Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu whose blast was charged down, giving Luton not quite a mountain to climb in the second leg, but definitely a slight incline.

Black Cats: Nathan Patterson, Pierre Ekwah, Joe Galhardt, Luke O'Nien, Patrick Roberts (Niall Huggins 81), Trai Hume, Lynden Gooch (C), Alex Pritchard (Abdoullah Ba 90), Daniel Neil, Jack Clarke, Amad Diallo.

Subs not used: Alex Bass, Isaac Lihadji, Joe Anderson, Edouard Michut, Ellis Taylor.

Hatters: Ethan Horvath, Cody Drameh (Fred Onyedinma 71), Gabe Osho, Tom Lockyer (C), Amari'i Bell, Alfie Doughty (Reece Burke 88), Marvelous Nakamba, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Jordan Clark (Luke Berry 79), Elijah Adebayo, Carlton Morris.

Subs not used: James Shea, Dan Potts, Allan Campbell, Luke Freeman.

Referee: Tim Robinson.

Booked: Neil 16, Nakamba 29, O'Nien 31, Mpanzu 40, Doughty 72, Clark 78. [also Amad 84]

Attendance: 46,060 (2,000 Hatters).

Edwards admits Luton could have been better during second half against Black Cats

Town concede winner to Sunderland after the break

Hatters boss Rob Edwards admitted his side’s second half performance needed to be better as they lost 2-1 to Sunderland in the Championship play-off semi-final first leg this evening.

The visitors led early on through Elijah Adebayo’s 10th goal of the season, the forward lashing into the roof of the net from close range, before Amad Diallo curled a wonderful 25-yard curler past Ethan Horvath five minutes before the break.

Sunderland then dominated the second period, grabbing the initiative on 66 minutes, Trai Hume heading Jack Clarke’s cross home, as Luton struggled to get going, ensuring they will head to Kenilworth Road on Tuesday night with a one-goal deficit.

A defiant Edwards said: “It’s half-time, we’re right in the tie.

“It was a really challenging game as we knew it was going to be.

"It was really tight, as we knew it was going to be, fantastic atmosphere, as we knew it was going to be.

"I thought we had the better of the first half and they had the better of the second half, it was a tight game.

“It settled down before the first goal, and I thought we had lots of control in that first half, we had lots of the ball, we tried to take it and we still remained a threat.

“Even when we scored, Eli had a big chance then, we’ve had one or two good moments, so really, really happy at half time.

“Second half I just felt we could have been better with the ball.

"There was too many moments we won the ball back and gave it away cheaply, and when we had a chance to counter attack we just didn't make it happen, made the wrong decision or technically we gave the ball away, so in those moments we've got to do better.

“You expect them to be right at it and we forced them into a lot as well.

"They've got some really good individuals, I thought our pressing and our one v one defending in the main was very, very good.

"The goals that they've scored have come from an amazing free kick and a short corner, so we've got to be better in those moments, but they're not cutting us open.

"We had a few moments we’ve got to be better in our attacking and that’s what we’ve got to work on for Tuesday.”