Swansea City vs Luton Town FC (1st Feb 2022)

Report | Swansea City 0-1 Luton Town

The Hatters moved to within three points of the Sky Bet Championship play-offs with a terrific 1-0 win at Swansea tonight.

Harry Cornick netted his first goal since returning from injury, and his eighth of the season, to secure all three points for the relentless Hatters, lifting Nathan Jones' side up to ninth in the table.

Jones made two changes to the side that drew 0-0 at home to Blackburn on Saturday, with Danny Hylton making his first start since February 2021 up front, with Cameron Jerome on the bench and Elijah Adebayo remaining sidelined.

Reece Burke replaced Tom Lockyer in defence, whilst deadline day signing Jed Steer is amongst the substitutes.

The Hatters were dominant in the opening exchanges, pressing high as Swansea attempted to play out from the back and that almost reaped a dividend when Allan Campbell closed down keeper Andy Fisher, making his debut, and might have had more luck with the ricochet that went away from goal.

Hylton went close with a glancing header from a perfect James Bree free-kick, whipped in from the left, then Campbell saw an angled effort go just past the same far post from an Amari'i Bell cross.

Swansea finally managed to play through the Town lines and their swift passing created an opening for Olivier Ntcham, which Burke cleared, before a delightful pass from their captain Matt Grimes split the Hatters' defensive for Michael Obafemi to guide the ball goalwards, James Shea making a brilliant reaction save with his left boot to keep the score blank.

Fred Onyedinma had driven at the Swans' defence a couple of minutes before that, but his 12th-minute shot was deflected just wide, and former Hatters loanee Flynn Downes had been booked for a late challenge on Kal Naismith in a blistering opening quarter-of-an-hour.

A slower period followed, but Hylton burst into life again just after the half-hour, when he nutmegged Ryan Bennett on the right edge of the Swansea box and sent a cross-shot towards the hosts' goal, Fisher parrying out into the six-yard box and away from danger.

The Town number nine was soon into Langford's notepad for a foul on Grimes, but he was also the closest to opening the scoring once again as half-time approached, meeting Bree's free-kick, this time from the right, with a header that was just over the bar with Fisher rooted to the spot.

Two minutes into added time at the end of the first half, Burke tried his luck after a wonderful interplay on the right touchline between Bree and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu. Burke received the ball 25 yards out, on the angle of the Swans' box, and cut inside to curl a left-footer just over Fisher's bar.

There was still time for Bree to deliver yet another inch-perfect cross, this time for Campbell coming in at the far post, but the Scot headed over and ref Langford immediately whistled for the break.

Swansea went closer ten minutes after the restart, centre-half Ben Cabango heading against the outside of Shea's left post, with Bennett only able to stab the follow-up into the side-netting.

Obafemi shot straight at Shea just before the hour, then Jones made his first changes of the evening, bringing Harry Cornick and Jerome on for Onyedinma and Hylton, who had both run themselves into the ground.

Ryan Manning shot high over Shea's bar on 67 minutes, before Cornick and Bree broke at the other end and almost created a great chance for Jerome at the near post.

The next opportunity was presented to the Town on a plate by keeper Fisher, whose attempt to play the ball out into midfield was intercepted by Campbell, who fed Cornick, but the sub's shot was straight at the City stopper.

The breakthrough came in the 72nd-minute, just after Osho had produced a goal-saving block inside the six-yard box on Obafemi as the ex-Southampton striker pulled the trigger.

Campbell's header set Jerome free down the right and the veteran striker cut the ball back into Cornick's path for him to curl a beauty away from Fisher's dive and into the corner of the Swans' net.

Shea had to make a late save from substitute Joel Piroe's header as the hosts tried to find a way back, but the Town's tireless display had been more than enough to satisfy the 300 travelling Town fans who had made the long journey, and make it one defeat in nine matches in all competitions, as we head into FA Cup action at Cambridge on Saturday in excellent form.

Goals:

LT - Cornick 72

Att: 16,598

Nathan Jones on Swansea victory!

Manager Nathan Jones was delighted with a ‘massive’ 1-0 away win at Swansea this evening, crediting the team for their performance.

Harry Cornick came off the bench and proved to be the difference with a superb finish and Town remained resolute defensively to seal all three points.

“It’s a massive win. For me, these are as difficult a side to play against in terms of trickiness, they dominate possession and they caused real problems. You have to be organised, be aggressive and real clinical when you get the opportunities and that’s what we were today. Wonderful away performance.

“They had one chance first half where Sheasy made a great save and you’re going to need your goalkeeper when you go away. A great win to follow up the month we’ve just had.

“Tactical awareness that we had today was wonderful. Strong, disciplined, aggressive. We had chances and the game changers come on and won us the game, it was a complete away performance, to come here and win 1-0 is a wonderful result.

“We are very close to those play-off positions and we have a game in hand. What we’ve asked them to do, the four games we’ve had called off – Reading, Bristol City, Swansea and Coventry – we’ve won all three so far and we celebrated because the fans were magnificent, come down here on a Tuesday night, massive journey, so we wanted to repay them.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST-FEp0axyM – Nathan Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R4gQ7f-2-E – match highlights

https://issuu.com/swanseacityafc/docs/swans-luton-21-22-programme-v01/30 - programme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9QON09vfnA – Harry Cornick interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANrID3KVvFY – reverse angle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gkcpDHo3Pw – Cornick’s goal from every angle

Cornick comes off the bench to net the winner as Luton stun Swans

Championship: Swansea City 0 Luton Town 1

Harry Cornick came off the bench to score an excellent winner for the Hatters as they picked up a marvellous victory at Swansea City this evening.

With the scores goalless, Cornick was introduced just after the hour mark and was to prove the hero, netting his eighth goal of the season courtesy of a terrific first time finish with 18 minutes to go.

Victory was no more than Town deserved though as despite finishing the game with just 28 per cent of the possession, the majority of that came from Swansea's insistence of passing the ball around in their own half which frustrated the home support no end, particularly as the game wore on.

It was most definitely not a smash and grab raid either for the visitors, as Luton weren't without their chances and but for some better finishing, could easily have left with a greater margin of victory.

Boss Nathan Jones made two changes from the goalless draw with Blackburn Rovers, opting to recall striker Danny Hylton for his first Luton start for almost a year, replacing Cameron Jerome, while Reece Burke took over from Tom Lockyer in defence, transfer deadline day signing Jed Steer named on the bench.

The visitors might have led inside five minutes when James Bree's wonderfully curving free kick beat everyone, and had Gabe Osho gambled at the far post, he would surely have had his first Luton goal.

Town threatened again moments later, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu doing splendidly to find the overlapping Amari'i Bell and his first time cross was sidefooted inches wide by Allan Campbell.

Luton had to be alert to clear Olivier Ntcham's first time effort away, but Jones' side continued their bright start, Hylton nipping in to win the ball back and Onyedinma driving at the home defence, eventually denied by the covering Ryan Bennett.

An increasingly open contest then saw Luton grateful to the quick reflexes of James Shea for keeping the scores goalless on 15 minutes, Michael Obafemi played in by Matt Grimes' wonderful threaded through-ball, only to see his toepoke repelled instinctively by the legs of Town's stopper.

Hannes Wolf was next to go close after being played through the centre by Grimes once more, Bree shepherding him well to block his fierce drive at full stretch.

An injury to Kyle Naughton saw Town able to regroup slightly as on the half hour, Onyedinma using the run of Bell as a decoy to cut in on his right foot and go for goal, his effort deflecting behind for a corner.

A trademark Hylton nutmeg on Bennett worked an absolute treat as he ghosted into the area and saw his cross-shot parried away by Fisher, before the forward showed he hadn't lost his ability to pick up a needless booking either, stopping the Swans from taking their free kick.

Luton were inches away from the opening just before the break as yet another magnificent set-piece by Bree was met by Hylton, whose guided header missed the top corner by a whisker.

Town finished the half stronger too, Burke stepping forward to beat two and then hammer a terrific left-footer that whistled just over the bar.

Bree was once more the architect for another decent chance on the stroke of the interval, taking a crossfield free-kick down perfectly, standing up a ball to the back post for Campbell to nod wastefully over.

The second period saw Grimes send a free kick over the top, before Swans had their best chance 10 minutes in, a cross from the right met by Ben Cabango whose downward header clipped the post, with Bennett putting the rebound into the side-netting.

Swans pressed again, Naismith timing his sliding intervention on the rampaging Cyrus Christie perfectly inside the area, Obafemi's snapshot straight at Shea.

Jones swapped his front two for the second game running, Cornick and Jerome on for Hylton and Onyedinma, as City went close, Ryan Manning shanking over when well placed.

A poor clearance from Fisher was straight at Campbell, which led to Cornick's tame effort fail to embarrass the keeper, while with Borussia Mönchengladbach loanee Wolf in the side, Swans always had a chance, as first he did superbly on the left to find Obafemi, Osho doing brilliantly to block.

The Austrian U21 international then took aim himself, not missing the far post by much with his bouncing attempt.

However, Town went straight up the other end and took the lead with a wonderful counter-attacking goal on 72 minutes, Jerome striding away before unselfishly teeing up Cornick who first time, bent his shot beyond Fisher and into the corner.

Swansea boss Russell Martin responded by bringing on top scorer Joel Piroe, who had scored against Town during their 3-3 draw at Kenilworth Road earlier in the season.

Ntcham, encouraged to shoot all evening by the home faithful, did just that with nine to go, barely testing Shea, while Piroe was almost the saviour again, meeting Manning's cross with a firm downward header but putting it too close to Shea.

Town confidently held out for the five minutes of stoppage time, as they climbed up to ninth in the table and now trail the play-off places by just three points, as Jones rejoiced in what could be a pivotal victory by hurdling the hoardings to celebrate with the travelling faithful.

Swans: Andy Fisher, Ryan Bennett (Kyle Joseph 89), Ryan Manning, Flynn Downes (Joel Piroe 74), Ben Cabango, Matt Grimes ©, Michael Obafemi, Olivier Ntcham, Hannes Wolf, Cyrus Christie, Kyle Naughton (Korey Smith 22).

Subs not used: Ben Hamer, Jay Fulton, Joel Latibeaudiere, Finley Burns.

Hatters: James Shea, James Bree, Amari'i Bell, Reece Burke, Gabe Osho, Kal Naismith (C), Henri Lansbury (Luke Berry 80), Allan Campbell, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Fred Onyedinma (Harry Cornick 63), Danny Hylton (Cameron Jerome 63).

Subs not used: Dan Potts, Carlos Mendes Gomes, Tom Lockyer, Jed Steer.

Booked: Downes 10, Hylton 33, Lansbury 75, Burke 88, Berry 88, Piroe 90.

Referee: Oliver Langford

Hatters boss labels Swansea victory as 'utter perfection'

Reaction from Luton chief to 1-0 win this evening

Luton boss Nathan Jones labelled this evening’s 1-0 win at Swansea City as ‘utter perfection’ with his side delivering what he felt was a ‘complete away performance’.

The Hatters scored the only goal of the game through Harry Cornick’s eighth of the season on 72 minutes, Town’s sub taking Cameron Jerome’s pass to fire past Andy Fisher after being on the pitch for less than 10 minutes himself.

Speaking afterwards, Jones said: “It’s a massive win.

"For me these are as difficult a side to play against, in terms of trickiness, in terms of what they do.

"They dominate possession, they cause you real problems, very difficult to get the ball back, you have to be organised, have to be aggressive and then you have to be real clinical when you get opportunities and that’s what we were today.

"It was a wonderful away performance, they had one chance first half when Sheasy (James Shea) made a great, great save, but you’re going to need your keeper when you come away, and a magnificent win to start the month after the month we’ve just had.

“The tactical awareness we had today was wonderful, we really, really were.

"I thought we were strong, we were disciplined, we were aggressive, we looked a threat when we had chances and magnificent.

"The game-changers came on and won us the game, so complete, complete away performance as to come here and win 1-0 is a wonderful result.

"To come here and be as disciplined, organised, aggressive, everything I would want in an away performance came out today and it was utter perfection."