Wycombe Wanderers vs Luton Town FC (10th Apr 2021)

Match Report | Wycombe Wanderers 1-3 Luton Town

The Hatters complete comeback victory at Adams Park...

The Hatters came from behind to secure the win that took them past last season's 51-point tally at Wycombe this afternoon.

Three goals in eight late second-half minutes did the damage as George Moncur and Kazenga LuaLua proved to be perfect game changers before Elijah Adebayo headed in his fourth goal for the club to seal the three points.

Manager Nathan Jones made four changes for the trip to Adams Park, where the Hatters boasted an unbeaten record in 14 previous visits.

Following his goal against Barnsley on Easter Monday, Republic of Ireland striker James Collins started alongside Elijah Adebayo, his first start since the defeat to Norwich City last month.

Captain Sonny Bradley returned to the starting XI after playing 45 minutes in the 2-1 defeat against the Tykes, whilst there were also recalls to the starting line-up for James Bree and Luke Berry.

A tight opening 15 minutes was perhaps predictable, and Bradley had to break off from his battle with striker Uche Ikpeazu and be alert to clear from the edge of his own six-yard box ahead of Simon Sluga as Fred Onyedinma looked to get on the end of a Jack Grimmer header.

Berry sent a dangerous looking cross in looking for the head of Adebayo, but Wycombe dealt with the threat well.

Kal Naismith stepped out from the left side of three centre-halves to fire a 35-yard shot at goal in the 24th minute, but was well off target as Chairboys keeper David Stockdale remained untroubled.

The Hatters survived a huge penalty appeal seconds later when Ikpeazu went down on the left edge of the area under an awkward-looking challenge by Matty Pearson, then Onyedinma bent the first shot on target with half-an-hour gone, fortunately straight at Sluga from 18 yards.

The hosts had the lead in the 37th minute, however, when referee Oli Langford did award a spot-kick after Naismith brought down Admiral Muskwe as he looked to get on the end of a left-wing crosss from Ikpeazu, who had left Pearson floored on the left touchline with the Town defender needing treatment to a facial injury sustained in the tussle.

Anis Mehmeti managed to place his penalty past Sluga, who dived the right way and got a hand to it, but couldn't keep it out.

Referee Langford called skipper Bradley in for a chat with Collins, who had continued his protestations about the decision as the players prepared to restart, with Pearson's nose bloodied.

Adebayo pinched the ball from the goalscorer in his own third a minute before half-time, but his low cut-back from the right byline was cleared and Mpanzu could only direct his folllow-up cross onto the roof of the Wycombe net.

It was Adebayo who did well down the right again in injury-time, shaking off Josh Knight and finding Ryan Tunnicliffe, whose low cross was intercepted by Stockdale before Berry could profit, and the Hatters went in at the break a goal down.

Jones made two changes at half-time, bringing on Harry Cornick and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for Berry and Tunnicliffe.

Dewsbury-Hall had the first shot on target on 51 minutes, Collins winning the ball from a Bree cross and Clark slipping the midfielder in on the overlap to fire a bullet that Stockdale beat away at his near post.

Within ten minutes of the restart Jones had introduced another attacker with Kazenga LuaLua on for Bree, and the Chairboys were soon reduced to ten men when Josh Knight was shown a straight red for a poor challenge on Clark.

Mpanzu sent a header straight at Stockdale from Cornick's cross, although the linesman's flag was already raised for offside, then LuaLua teed up Collins for a 65th-minute shot that flew high over the bar.

The Hatters were dominating possession and trying to prise a way through, but Wycombe were defending with their lives producing block after block.

Adebayo volleyed over the bar from 12 yards when Cornick picked him out from the right with 20 minutes left, then Dewsbury-Hall cut back from the left byline for Collins, but Anthony Stewart managed to get back and prevent the striker from finishing into an empty net.

Jones threw another attacker into the fray with just under a quarter-of-an-hour to go, with George Moncur on for Pearson, and it was the free-kic specialist who conjured up the equaliser in the 80th minute.

Clark was fouled 25 yards from goal - Moncur territory - and the former Barnsley man rekindled memories of Pompey, Fleetwood and Oxford in the League One-winning season to bend his effort around the Wycombe wall and past Stockdale, low into the bottom corner.

Five minutes later Town were in front, and it was the other sub - LuaLua - taking a pass from Moncur on the edge of the box and bending a beauty into the top corner.

It was three in the 88th minute when Adebayo headed a right-wing Cornick cross past Stockdale for his fourth goal for the club and seal an eighth away win of the season.

Town: Sluga; Bree (LuaLua 54), Pearson (Moncur 77), Bradley (C), Naismith, Clark; Tunnicliffe (Dewsbury-Hall 46), Mpanzu, Berry (Cornick 46); Collins (Rea 90+2), Adebayo.

Substitutes: Shea, Cranie, Nombe, Morrell.

Yellows: Bradley

Goals: Moncur 80, LuaLua 85, Adebayo 88

Wycombe: Stockdale; Grimmer, Stewart, Ikepeazu (Samuel 78), Knight, Muskwe (Akinfenwa 84), Thompson, Onyedinma, Adeniran, McCarthy (C), Mehmeti (Wheeler 62).

Substitutes: Allsop, Pattison, Kashket, Phillips, Horgan, McCleary.

Goal: Mehmeti (pen) 37

Yellows: Mehmeti

Red: Knight

Referee: Oliver Langford

Nathan Jones' reaction to comeback victory against Wycombe Wanderers

The gaffer was pleased with his sides second half performance...

Manager Nathan Jones was pleased his side were able to turnaround their fortunes to complete a comeback victory against Wycombe Wanderers this afternoon.

The gaffer wasn’t best pleased after his side went into the half-time a goal down, but a mixture of second half changes and a red card to Josh Knight helped Town towards an eighth away win of the season.

“We felt at half-time we were nowhere near it first-half,” the manager admitted. “We didn’t display any kind of quality and we said against Wycombe we have to show quality because endeavour wise you have to match them because they are full of endeavour.

"We had to demonstrate any kind of quality that we have and we didn’t do that. We brought on real quality and it showed, some will say the sending off changed the game, I’m sure it helped 100 per cent but I think half-time actually helped the most. We regrouped, changed the shape a little bit and personal and started on the front foot. I thought we were excellent first half.

“I needed to get a reaction from this group, we come up against a very good side in Barnsley because they’re doing it to everyone. They are just overrunning teams and sooner or later people are going to realise what they do.

“Today was slightly different and what we worked on all week was showing quality. Being brave and showing quality, when we get opportunities taking them. Good balls into the box, into the right areas, not crossing for a goal kick or hitting the first man.

“We added quality second half, Kiernan was excellent, he was only out because he had a sore back but I thought we demonstrated real control second half.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo195hB1Ryw – match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgtf54Ug68Q – Nathan Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tllu8Tp24PA – reverse angle highlights

Late goal spree sees the Hatters triumph at 10-man Wycombe

Championship: Wycombe Wanderers 1 Luton Town 3

A brilliant spell of three goals in the final 10 minutes saw Luton come from behind to defeat 10-man Wycombe Wanderers and continue their proud record of never having lost at Adams Park in their history.

It had looked for large parts like the Hatters were going to be left frustrated on the road again, trailing 1-0 at half time, a scoreline they have yet to come back from this term, with little in the way of threats at home keeper David Stockdale.

However, that was to change drastically in the second period, as boss Nathan Jones went for broke with a spate of attacking changes from the word go, before the big moment seeing Wanderers' defender Josh Knight sent off for a lunging challenge on Jordan Clark just before the hour mark.

Still Luton couldn't find a way through, as they appeared on the verge of a third successive defeat, but once they did restore parity on 80 minutes through George Moncur's free kick, the floodgates opened, Kazenga LuaLua scoring a wonderful second and then Elijah Adebayo swiftly completing the rout.

The victory saw Luton score three on the road for the first time since a 3-1 win at Barnsley on August 24, 2019 and bolster a meagre away record that had seen them score just nine times previously this season.

The Hatters also won away from home after falling behind for the first time since a 2-1 success at Oxford United on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 in League One.

Before the late madness, the Hatters made four changes after Jones promised to go 'back to basics' following a second successive defeat over the Easter period, making four changes for the contest at Adams Park.

Back in came leading scorer James Collins, along with club captain Sonny Bradley, plus James Bree and Luke Berry, as Harry Cornick, Martin Cranie, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Sam Nombe dropped to the bench.

The hosts went close first, Anis Mehmeti curling over from the edge of the box after a quickly-taken corner, but Luton looked to settle, trying to get in behind their opponents when possible.

Midway through the half, Kal Naismith, who impressed with his early forays into opposition territory, saw a drive fly well wide from 25 yards.

Luton were then fortunate not to concede a third penalty in three games, Uche Ikpeazu going down under pressure from Matty Pearson, but despite there being contact, referee Oliver Langford waved the appeals away.

Simon Sluga had to gather well from Fred Onyedinma's 25-yarder which bounced just in front of him, as Bradley saw yellow for lunging in on Admiral Muskwe, who went over theatrically despite there appear to be no contact.

Wycombe did have a spot-kick though on 37 minutes and a controversial one at that, as Pearson went down on the touch-line claiming he had received an arm to the face from Ikpeazu, with Langford letting play continue.

The Chairboys attacker produced a cross from the left, which saw Naismith clip Muske inside the area, with a penalty awarded this time, Mehmeti beating Sluga from the spot, although the Croatian might have felt he should have saved his second in as many games.

Once more, Jones made changes at the break in a bid to get Town going, Cornick and Dewsbury-Hall on for Tunnicliffe and Berry.

Moving to a 4-2-4 formation when attacking, Luton almost restored parity early on, Bree's clipped cross finding Clark whose reverse ball was fired goalwards by Dewsbury-Hall, Stockdale parrying behind.

Jones quickly threw on Kazenga LuaLua for Bree, clearly going all-out for the victory, while Wanderers were reduced to 10 men on 57 minutes, Knight shown a straight red for his challenge on Clark.

With the man advantage and having such a forward-thinking line-up, it became a contest of attack versus defence, LuaLua picking out Collins for a chance on 65 minutes, who side-footed disappointingly over the top.

Town kept pressing, as Cornick swung a cross in from the right and Adebayo connected sweetly with a powerful volley only to miss the target.

With 18 minutes to go, Collins was inches away from an equaliser, Adebayo feeding the run of Dewsbury-Hall, whose cross beat Stockdale, but Anthony Stewart stretched to divert the ball clear just ahead of the Town forward, with Luton screaming for a spot-kick of their own.

Jones kept on bolstering his creative outlets, Moncur on for the final 15 minutes, and it was he who brought the Hatters level, in some style too after Wycombe conceded a free kick 25 yards from goal.

As he has done on a number of occasions in his Town career, the midfielder curled his set-piece around the wall and into the bottom corner, beyond the sprawling dive of Stockdale.

The goal then served to perk up Wycombe, sub Alex Samuel testing Sluga from outside the box, but Luton then turned things around in magnificent style with five left.

A short corner routine saw Moncur find LuaLua on the edge of the box and he bent a truly magnificent strike into the top corner, giving Stockdale absolutely no chance at all.

Clearly not wanting to give their hosts any respite, Luton should have had a third goal when Mpanzu found Adebayo who could only hook over on his left foot.

The forward did have his goal on 88 though, Cornick sprung on the right and his high cross saw Adebayo hang in the air to power his header into the roof of the net.

The goal finally saw Luton move off 50 points having been stuck on that number since their 1-0 win at Preston, climbing to 13th in the table and also overhauling their final tally from last season too, marking another campaign of progress under Jones.

Chairboys: David Stockdale, Jack Grimmer, Anthony Stewart, Uche Ikpeazu (Alex Samuel 78), Josh Knight, Admiral Muskwe (Adebayo Akinfenwa 84), Curtis Thompson, Fred Onyedinma, Dennis Adeniran, Jason McCarthy ©, Anis Mehmeti (David Wheeler 62).

Subs not used: Ryan Allsop, Alex Pattison, Scott Kashket, Giles Phillips, Daryl Horgan, Garath McLeary.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, James Bree (Kazenga LuaLua 54), Kal Naismith, Matty Pearson (George Moncur 77), Sonny Bradley, Ryan Tunnicliffe (Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall 46), Luke Berry (Harry Cornick 46), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Jordan Clark, Elijah Adebayo, James Collins (Glen Rea 90).

Subs not used: James Shea, Joe Morrell, Martin Cranie, Sam Nombe.

Booked: Bradley 31.

Sent off: Knight 57.

Referee: Oliver Langford.

Jones hails second half display as Luton fight back to defeat Chairboys

Town chief's quickfire changes see the Hatters triumph

Luton boss Nathan Jones felt his side got the reward they deserved for their excellent second half display as they ran out 3-1 winners at Wycombe Wanderers this afternoon.

Trailing 1-0 at the break, Jones made two changes during the interval, bringing on Harry Cornick and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for Luke Berry and Ryan Tunnicliffe, while Kazenga LuaLua soon followed on to the pitch.

Town were given a helping hand when Chairboys defender Josh Knight was dismissed for a lunging challenge on Josh Clark with 57 gone, giving the Hatters just over half an hour to find a way through.

It took another substitute George Moncur’s introduction to finally level the scores, the midfielder scoring a trademark free-kick with 10 minutes to go, just moments after coming on.

LuaLua then bent a beautiful curler into the top corner, with Elijah Adebayo’s towering header making it 3-1 in the 88th minute, as the visitors netted three times in eight minutes, with Jones saying: “We felt at half time that we were nowhere near first half, really subdued.

"We didn’t display any kind of quality, and we said against Wycombe you have to show quality because endeavour-wise you have to match them, as they are full of endeavour.

"We had to demonstrate any kind of quality that we had, so we brought on real quality and quality for our squad and it showed.

"A lot will go down saying that the sending off changed the game but I’m not quite sure, I think the half time actually helped.

"We were able to regroup, change the shape a little, change one or two personnel and then really start on the front foot and I thought we were excellent second half.”

Speaking last week, Jones had called for a reaction from his side after criticising them for a ‘laid back attitude’ following reaching 50 points against Preston before the international break, making four changes to his side.

However, he was frustrated by the lack of desire shown from his players, saying: “I usually get a reaction from this group, we came up against a very good side in Barnsley as they’re doing everything to everyone.

"They’re just overrunning teams and sooner or later someone's going to realise what they do and might beat them, but they’re fantastic at what they do and credit to them.

"Today was slightly different and what we worked on was showing quality and being brave, playing through a press, when we get opportunities, taking them and getting the ball in the box, into the right areas, not crossing it out for a goal kick, or hitting the first man, or scaring when people get pressed.

"We didn’t do that first half, but we added quality second half and Kiernan was excellent.

“He only missed out as he had a sore back, but I thought we demonstrated real control second half, and yes we did have a numerical advantage, but I feel like we possibly could have done that anyway.”

Town netted three goals on the road for the first time this season, scoring just nine in their previous 20 encounters, as the boss added: “We created a load of chances at Derby and didn’t score, that cost us and then we conceded, but today we have.

"It still could have been more as we had some easy chances, but we didn’t.

"We've had balls flashing across, Elijah’s had chances, but he scored the goal that we brought him for as that’s a real positive.

"That was the type of goal we wanted from him and I’m so delighted for the other two, George and Kaz.”