Luton boss Jones heaps praise on Hatters

Posted Wednesday, November 28, 2018 by PA

Luton boss Nathan Jones praised his side’s first half display as they dispatched Bradford 4-0 at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday night.

The Hatters led 3-0 at the break through Elliot Lee’s double and James Justin’s strike, before adding a fourth late on when Harry Cornick was on target.

Jones said: “I’m thoroughly delighted, I thought first half we were excellent, I really did, against a really difficult side.

“Their league position, I keep saying, it’s a little bit false and some of the players they’ve got are fantastic players for the level.

“But I thought the way that we played first half was absolutely wonderful, it was a wonderful performance.

“The way we moved it and we could have scored more, and then effectively once you get three goals, the game’s dead.

“Second half they came out and had a right go to be fair to them and we looked a little bit lacklustre, but we were always a threat on the break and we finished strongly, so I’m pleased, very pleased.”

Bradford chief David Hopkin paid tribute to his club’s long suffering fans after they witnessed a 14th defeat of the season.

He added: “We had one or two chances to score, I thought we scored a good goal but just looked at it and David (Ball) is marginally offside.

“We just need to take it on the chin, I’d just like to thank the fans who travelled down here tonight, I thought they stayed in their numbers and they stayed behind, appreciated the players’ effort they put in the second half.

“First half, after they scored, the second goal should have been a free kick to us.

“The keeper’s dropped it and picked it up again, and they’ve broke on us, so I’m disappointed with that.

“The players kept going though and at half time, we tried to stay in the game and tried to make sure it finished 3-0.”

The Hatters went close in the 11th minute, Lee shooting over from the edge of the box, while Glen Rea fired straight at Richard O’Donnell.

Town led in the 28th minute when Cornick’s shot was spilled by O’Donnell and Justin fired home the rebound.

Lee might have made it 2-0, denied by O’Donnell, but he did have a second in the 33rd minute, taking Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu’s pass and finding the bottom corner.

A third arrived after 38 minutes when Cornick’s outrageous flick was perfectly into the path of Lee to get his 10th of the season.

The visitors improved in the second half, Ball’s header ruled out for offside and Kelvin Mellor’s blast flipped over by James Shea.

Late on, Luton had a fourth when Cornick raced away to bundle the ball over the line, and they almost made it five, sub Aaron Jarvis’s drive parried by O’Donnell.