Nathan Jones admitted Adam Armstrong’s late sucker punch for outplayed Blackburn Rovers was the worst he’d felt since Blackpool killed Luton’s League Two play-off hopes with a last-gasp semi-final winner in 2017.
Town dominated at Ewood Park but switched off at a drop ball in the 86th minute with the Championship’s second top scorer nodding in from close range to punish the Hatters and dish out the harshest of lessons in clinical finishing.
To make matters worse Harry Cornick had an equaliser controversially chalked off at the death, but Jones labelled the decisive defensive moment, “ten seconds of madness,” adding: “We switched off. I can’t believe what’s happened, I really can’t.
“We deserved more. The performance levels, the work-rate, everything they gave me was absolutely superb and then I can’t believe what’s happened.
“If you take ten seconds of madness out of the game, I’m giving a different interview.
“I haven’t felt this sick since the Blackpool second leg at home, that’s how bad I feel.
“I actually said it to them at half time, when they bring him on, switch on. Win the first one but get the second one, so to do it is like a self-fulfilling prophecy.
“But we can’t do that because, at this level you can’t get away with that. It’s just killed 90-odd minutes of magnificent work and that’s the thing that really, really, really sickens me.”
Much of that pre-86th minute positivity came through Cornick, who had been a star turn for Town on his 150th appearance, which should’ve been capped with his first goal of the campaign at the death.
After substitute Danny Hylton somehow failed to poke in on the line, Cornick hit the roof of the net only to find the linesman’s flag raised.
It rubbed salt into the fresh wounds, inflicted three minutes earlier, when they went to sleep at a drop ball.
Luton players were still protesting past the final whistle after referee Jeremy Simpson dropped the ball at the feet of Lewis Holtby to pick out Sam Gallagher who nodded into the path of into the deadly Armstrong.
It was a smash and grab with bells on after Town had played Rovers off the park in the first period and the majority of the second, but just couldn’t make it count.
Cornick spearheaded Town’s attacking play, while Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu had the best opportunities, twice seeing a Rovers leg deny him.
Arguably, the hosts had the most clear-cut chance when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – who put in another dynamic display – inadvertently put Armstrong through on goal, but Sonny Bradley got him out of jail with a superb saving tackle.
The skipper and defensive partner Tom Lockyer then barely had a thing to do, but the concentration levels dropped for one moment, and that killed Luton.
There are valid question marks over what should’ve been a deserved Cornick leveller, but the question marks really remain over why, on the road in particular, Town can’t put the ball in the net.
“I feel physically sick,” Jones told the BBC, adding: “We’ve not been robbed but we’ve been the victims of our own downfall and it’s hard to take.”
PLAYER RATINGS:
SIMON SLUGA – 7
Only had to make one save in the first half but Brereton was offside and then had no chance with Adam Armstrong’s close range winner. Didn’t deserve to be picking the ball out of the net.
DAN POTTS – 7
Watched on in the first half as most of the action took place down Town’s right side, but was part of a three-man effort to deny Tyrhys Dolan in the second period.
SONNY BRADLEY – 6.5
Made a stunning recovering save to deny Adam Armstrong early on and then a timely block from Ben Brereton. He did all the basics well until he switched off and lost Adam Armstrong for the Rovers winner.
TOM LOCKYER – 7
A relative spectator in the first half, but his concentration was spot-on because, on the few occasions, Rovers got near him, he acted as their shadow. Made a good block from Adam Armstrong, but still ended up on the losing side.
MATTY PEARSON – 7
A fine return, full of determination and diligence, which was ended on 72 minutes through injury. Replaced by Martin Cranie.
GLEN REA – 7.5
Very neat in his work and read the play well to pick up the ball in good areas, which helped the Hatters keep the pressure on. Booked for a foul on Lewis Holtby. Replaced by Sam Nombe on 88 minutes.
KIERNAN DEWSBURY-HALL – 8
Almost got an assist for Rovers’ Adam Armstrong, but he then he stepped it up and ran with regularity into the heart of the Blackburn backline, ball at his feet, one of which should’ve resulted in Harry Cornick opening the scoring. Saw a shot saved by Tomas Kaminski.
PELLY-RUDDOCK MPANZU – 8
A lively performance and involved in most of Town’s good attacking play in the first period, but he couldn’t make the most of good work from Harry Cornick when his shot was blocked. Had a chance just before the break too, but Ryan Nyambe nicked in ahead of him.
JORDAN CLARK – 7
Like Dan Potts, the wide man had a quieter match, as Town exploited Rovers weaknesses down the other flank. Replaced by Kal Naismith on 88 minutes.
HARRY CORNICK – 8.5 (star man)
He netted late on for what should’ve been his first goal on an impressive 150th appearance, only to see it controversially disallowed. All of Town’s good attacking play came via the forward in the first half but his final decision was often lacking.
JAMES COLLINS – 6.5
Almost provided an assist for Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu just before the break, but despite a plethora of promising Town crosses in the first half, he wasn’t on the end of any of them. Replaced by Danny Hylton on 64 minutes.
SUBSTITUTES:
DANNY HYLTON – 5
Somehow couldn’t poke the ball home from a matter of inches, just before Harry Cornick smashed in the equaliser only for the linesman’s flag to deny him.
MARTIN CRANIE – 5
Immediately threw himself in the way to deflect over a Tyrhys Dolan, but Sam Gallagher gave him the slip to provide a headed assist for Adam Armstrong’s winner.
KAL NAISMITH – N/A
Not on long enough for a rating.
SAM NOMBE – N/A
Not on long enough for a rating.
UNUSED SUBS: James Shea, George Moncur, Kazenga LuaLua, Joe Morrell
I think other web-site proprietors should take this web site as an model, very clean and magnificent user friendly style and design, let alone the content. You are an expert in this topic!
Firstly, result aside, we looked really good apart from striker and really kept Blackburn quiet. So no panic or change from midfield back is needed.
We got promoted the year after the last NJ sickener. I’m not saying we will this time. But I hope the similarity is that NJ learns his lessons about the balance of the squad. Last time it was a lack of a regular keeper and the need for support striker, plus a fullback tweak. This time it’s no need for a raft of midfielders that we seem to be always linked with. The question that needs answered is up top. There’s no point rushing that today. Wait till the end of the season. Let some go to free up wages – maybe Collins included. Then get a striker with pace and a forward who can head but get to space better than Collins can at this level.
Sure it wasn’t clever how 2 games on the trot our defence switched off from a restart. But the problem isn’t defence. It’s that we can’t score. It’s unfair on the defence that they make 1 or 2 mistakes in a game and we don’t have the firepower to stop that hurting us. Every player at this level has a mistake in him.
We create final balls but they have to typically hit to where a striker should be rather than where one is because for whatever reason our striker can’t get there. Collo is the best we have. But unless he has an excellent, consistent end to the season, he will have proved he isn’t the answer to help us progress that bit further. That wouldn’t be to demean all he’s done before this season. But most of our best players from promotion winning teams found a level beyond them eventually.