Luton Town 2 - 1 Derby County

Posted Saturday, December 21, 2024 by BBC.com

Carlton Morris' late goal was his sixth of the season for Luton Town

Luton Town gave themselves some pre-Christmas cheer as two late goals snatched victory after they had looked to be heading for defeat against Derby County at Kenilworth Road.

The Rams were on course for only their second away win of the season after Kayden Jackson headed home Kane Wilson's cross - his first goal since August.

But long-serving Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu's volley deflected in off Tom Holmes and Carlton Morris struck three minutes later in added time to give the home side all three points.

The win lifted Luton up five places to 14th in the Championship, as high as they have been all season, with Derby dropping below them to 15th.

With the prospect of moving to a brand new stadium at Power Court in 2027 or 2028 on the not so distant horizon, it would be bad timing indeed for Luton, having been in the relegation places on more than one occasion this season, to slip back into League One. It is a division they last left as champions in 2019.

Prior to kick-off, only seven Championship teams had accrued more points at home this season than their 18, a marked contrast to the Hatters' disappointing away form.

Rob Edwards gave defender Mads Andersen his first start since a 1-0 Premier League home defeat by Tottenham in October 2023, while Derby made four changes, with Sonny Bradley back to face his former club and Craig Forsyth, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Marcus Harness dropping to the bench.

The visitors made a positive start, but almost fell behind as Morris' stooping header from Jordan Clark's whipped-in free-kick was just the wrong side of the post.

As the game settled, the home side appeared to have the edge in intensity, with Tom Krauss snapping into tackles and Tahith Chong prominent down the right, and he was inches away from the opening goal as Derby failed to deal with a ball into the box which curled just wide with keeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom rooted to the spot.

Following a hugely disappointing first half, Derby boss Paul Warne finally saw his side have a meaningful effort after the break as Thomas Kaminski saved Jackson's 20-yard effort with his left knee.

Elijah Adebayo headed wide at the other end before the Rams took the lead when good movement on the right created space for Wilson to swing over the cross and Jackson directed his header beyond Kaminski and into the far corner.

Derby were now showing the confidence of a team which beat Portsmouth 4-0 in their previous game and it could have been two as Jackson laid the ball back for Kenzo Goudmijn, but Kaminski dived to his right to push it away to safety.

Edwards sent on Cauley Woodrow and Joe Taylor to freshen up his attack and the former was involved in the equaliser as his free-kick was headed away by Curtis Nelson, but only as far as Mpanzu, whose shot clipped Holmes on the way past Zetterstrom, who was given no chance.

With the home crowd roaring them on, Luton pressed again and although the Derby keeper saved from Elijah Adebayo, the ball fell to Morris, who fired into the roof of the net to secure their sixth home win of the campaign.

Post-match reaction
Luton Town manager Rob Edwards told BBC Three Counties Radio:

"I don't think it was a great match, but it was a good ending for us. It was never going to be that pretty, the pitch is difficult now because of all the weather we've had – and it seems like we've had loads of games here as well.

"The crowd stuck with us even though we weren't playing great and somehow we found a way (to win). It was hard to get momentum and at one-nil it can create one or two doubts in players but the one thing we know we have got is a threat when we get free-kicks, corners and set-pieces.

"It wasn't direct from them, but second and third phases, we just found a way. I'm relieved more than anything. Pelly caught it really well, he should be credited with it really.

"We're not at our strongest (at the moment) but no-one's giving up, no-one's going home, and we're fighting and that's what we'll keep doing."

Derby boss Paul Warne told BBC Radio Derby:

"I thought first half at times we were a little bit too direct, but in the second we played with real personality, we created good chances and the lads defended really well.

"The longer the game goes on, you just think 'try and see it out' and that's my only criticism of our team, the last five or six minutes, they put it (pressure) on us and I believe both the goals were deflected so that's a bit of luck we didn't get.

"Weirdly, I leave here really proud of the performance and I've told the lads that. Sometimes the game is cruel and it was tonight.

"If you'd offered me a point at 70 or 80 minutes, I wouldn't have took it because I felt really comfortable and thought we were going to get the second. When they asked questions in the last few minutes, we didn't have the answers."