Rob Edwards admitted his side weren’t at their best despite Chiedozie Ogbene bagging the winner as Luton came from behind to beat Bolton Wanderers at the second time of asking in the FA Cup third round.
The 2-1 scoreline was good enough to book an away day at either Crystal Palace or Everton in the next round, with those two Premier League rivals playing tomorrow.
But top-flight Town didn’t have it all their own way at the Toughsheet Community Stadium, particularly in the second half when the hosts asked a lot of questions that Luton just about found the answers to.
Edwards said: “I don’t want to over-egg it. The was some good football played tonight. I thought we looked, In the first half, a real threat and could’ve scored more goals, should’ve scored more goals. But we didn’t and allowed them to stay in the game.
“I did think we were sloppy. Too many turnovers, the pitch was a little bit open, a bit big and allowed them to counter quickly.
“Credit to them as well because they looked at what spaces might we give them and they played into those spaces and it made it difficult for us at times.
“With our aggressive press, they missed that out, so there was a lot of one-v-one defending, which we always do, and we know that’s how we play. OK, that’s fine, but their plan was good and it was effective.”
After a poignant minute’s silence in memory of Bolton supporter Iain Purslow, who passed away during Saturday’s League One match against Cheltenham, the hosts took an early 11th minute lead.
Trotters top scorer Dion Charles found the net after Victor Adeboyejo skipped away from Teden Mengi on the counter.
The assisting striker almost scored a spectacular goal himself with a 45 yard lob attempt that had Tim Krul back-peddling and finger tipping the effort onto the bar.
But that came after a quick response from the Hatters, with Jordan Clark finding Tahith Chong and the former Manchester United man firing into the bottom corner through a pair of despairing Bolton legs.
“We got straight back on the front foot,” said Edwards, adding: ” “We always say, ‘if the opposition scores, stick your chests out. Go and get the ball, put it down and let’s go and score more than them. We did it tonight.”
Clark should’ve made it 2-1 before the break but he pulled a shot wide after Ogbene’s clever through-ball.
But in the 57th minute, the Irishman had his second Hatters goal laid on a plate by captain Carlton Morris who’s low cross could not be missed from close range.
Prior to the secnd Luton goal, Clark hit the woodwork and keeper Nathan Baxter made two follow-up saves to deny Chong and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu.
Bolton kept pushing for a leveller and Ross Barkley made a crucial block to deny Charles, while the offside flag came to Town’s rescue in the 74th minute, eventually, after the home hotshot had flicked the ball in.
“I don’t want to criticise any individuals, everyone’s doing their best out there. I just thought we lacked a little bit of an edge to us,” Edwards told the BBC, adding: “I look overall at my tenure since being here and when we’ve been favourites in certain games, that’s tended to be the case.
“That mindset, that mentality, that’s what we’re really going after. That’s we want to be Premier League mentality in every single moment of every single game.
“We just dropped below that in these two (cup) games, I think. But, look, we found a way to come through it and I’m really pleased.”
The Hatters held firm and will find out their fourth round opponents while in Dubai, as the team heads there tomorrow morning for their delayed winter break warm weather training camp.
