Bristol City hold firm to secure victory against Luton

Posted Wednesday, August 17, 2022 by PA

Bristol City had Mark Sykes sent off but still claimed their first Sky Bet Championship win of the season with a deserved 2-0 success against Luton at Ashton Gate.

The home side took a fifth-minute lead when Alex Scott’s precise through ball allowed Nahki Wells to move into the box on the left and place a low right-footed shot just inside the far post.

Tommy Conway doubled the advantage on 27 minutes, shooting into an unguarded net from six yards after Andreas Weimann had broken down the left flank and supplied an inch-perfect low cross.

City were reduced to 10 men on 67 minutes when Sykes received a straight red card for diving into a tackle on Luke Freeman, who was cautioned for his reaction.

But Luton rarely threatened a comeback and remain winless after four Championship fixtures.

City made a fast start, earning Wells’ opening goal by snapping into challenges and spreading the ball to both flanks.

Luton were second best for most of the first half, although Elijah Adebayo did go close with a low 25-yard drive that flashed narrowly wide on 16 minutes.

Nigel Pearson’s men were worth their two-goal lead for a dominant opening half hour and might have extended it on 36 minutes when Han-Noah Massengo’s deflected shot from the edge of the box went wide.

Adebayo headed over from a James Bree right-wing corner, but it was one of few attempts on goal by Luton, whose manager Nathan Jones was often seen gesticulating angrily at his players.

The Hatters boss made three changes at the break, sending on Jordan Clark, former City player Freeman and Admiral Muskwe for Dan Potts, Cauley Woodrow and Reece Burke.

Still City were quicker to the ball and had three chances to extend their advantage in the first 10 minutes of the second period.

Sykes and Rob Atkinson shot over from good positions, while Conway’s low drive was too close to goalkeeper Ethan Horvath.

A Jay Dasilva shot was deflected for a corner and a Wells header blocked as Luton came under heavy pressure.

Atkinson went down in the box but saw his penalty claim rejected before the game’s most controversial moment.

Sykes thought he had been fouled and lunged into a challenge on Freeman, who reacted by pushing him to the ground, causing a fracas. Having summoned both linesmen, referee Lee Doughty dismissed the City player and issued a yellow card to Freeman, along with Weimann and Luton captain Sonny Bradley.

Pearson reacted to the red card by taking off both his strikers, sending on Chris Martin to replace Wells and play as a lone target-man, with midfielder Joe Williams taking Conway’s place.

The changes worked well and it wasn’t until injury time that City goalkeeper Dan Bentley made a testing save to keep out Gabe Osho’s deflected shot.