Luton maintain strong start with win against Wycombe

Posted Sunday, October 04, 2020 by PA

Luton continued their excellent start to the season with a battling 2-0 win over struggling Wycombe at Kenilworth Road.

The hosts took the lead through Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu after 59 minutes, before Elliot Lee made sure of the points in the closing stages.

The result means Luton have nine points from 12, while Wycombe have lost all four of their matches so far.

A scrappy opening 20 minutes saw Town go closest, Harry Cornick’s cross-shot tipped away by keeper Ryan Allsop, with the attacker seeing a drive from the edge of the box blocked too.

Matty Pearson almost marked his 100th appearance for the Hatters with a goal, his downward header from Luke Berry’s corner not missing by much.

Centre-half partner and skipper Sonny Bradley went for the spectacular himself, setting his sights on the top corner from 30 yards but arrowing wide.

Luton were then so close to moving in front of the stroke of half-time, as Mpanzu’s cross was lifted to the back post, where Jordan Clark looped his header over Allsop, but not Darius Charles, who was on the line to clear.

After the interval, Glen Rea sent a volley over the bar from a Berry set-piece, before the visitors eventually mustered some attacks of their own. Daryl Horgan’s attempt was blocked, while Joe Jacobson and Horgan sent efforts over.

Luton then took the lead with a magnificent first goal of the season for Mpanzu, as he took Cornick’s pass and picked out the corner of the net from 22 yards, curling a beautiful effort beyond Allsop.

In a frantic second period, opportunities came and went at both ends, James Collins volleying wildly off target for Luton before Simon Sluga had to repel Anthony Stewart’s far-post header from a free-kick.

Berry thought he had a second when he was picked out by Cornick and fired goalwards, only to see Allsop stick out a foot in the nick of time.

Jacobson sent a shot wide when afforded too much room, before – at the other end – Collins was denied by Curtis Thompson on the line from close range when he simply had to score.

Sluga parried Jack Grimmer’s effort away after the right-back overlapped well, before Cornick almost pounced on an error from Jacobson but Allsop came out to block with his legs.

Wanderers thought they had snatched an equaliser with three minutes to go, but substitute Scott Kashket’s goal was ruled out for offside.

Town finally did finish their opponents off in the 89th minute, when Kazenga LuaLua fed fellow substitute Lee and he side-footed into the bottom corner to secure the points.