Bristol City 2 Luton 3: Cornick breaks 45-game barren run with comeback winner – Report, reaction and ratings

The ghosts are well and truly being laid to rest at the end of this remarkable campaign for Luton Town, as Harry Cornick broke a 45-game barren run to seal a comeback victory at Bristol City. 

The forward and James Collins were sent on to kick off a second half that the Hatters had begun two 2-0 down, after strikes from Nakhi Wells and Adam Nagy, the second of which manager Nathan Jones labelled a “disgrace” from his side’s point of view. A Luton goal softly disallowed from first time Championship referee John Busby didn’t help either, but the substitutes helped turn the tide with goals with side of Elijah Adebayo’s leveller. 

That was coolly swept in off the post from a cross by the outstanding Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who was instrumental in all three goals, scored in a rampant 15-minute period. 

Jones said: “We got the goal, belief turned and we did the basics right. There was only ever going to be one winner second half, once we scored the first, we went after the second. Once we got the second, we went after the third and to be honest with you it could have been more.

“Collo had chances straight after half time, there were some scrappy ones that could have gone anywhere so on the balance of everything, it was thoroughly deserved.”

A month ago, as it had been all season, when Town conceded first on the road, they lost. They ended that miserable stat at Wycombe, firing three in the second period at Adams Park, to win 3-1.

But they’d never recovered from two goals down, away from Kenilworth Road. At Ashton Gate, that just wouldn’t do for Collins and Cornick.

The former, imbued with an incredible work-rate and desire, glanced in Dewsbury-Hall’s corner and then got an equally deft touch to divert Dewsbury-Hall’s shot into the grateful path of his fellow game-changer. 

The last time Cornick hit the net it was on June 30, 2020, with a blockbuster against now Premier League Leeds United, to earn a valuable point at Elland Road in last term’s Great Escape. 

This goal wasn’t as important in the outcome of this campaign – where Luton have comfortably confirmed their place in the Championship – but for the forward it the spector of a blank season extinguised. Oh the relief! 

“He’s been hung up on it because he hasn’t scored,” Jones told the club’s website, adding: “For me, I was a left back, I didn’t care if I scored or not. It was more about the team doing well, but strikers are selfish beasts. They want to score and he’s deserved it because he’s such a threat and he works hard. 

“Every day he trains and it hurst him, so I’m delighted and, hopefully now, we’ve got three games left and hopefully he can continue to score.”

The victory, Town’s third in four games, moved the Hatters up to 11th in the league and, with three games left to play, they could still finish eighth.

While two more points will be enough to better their finish in the 2005/06 season, with the much venerated vintage of Kevin Nicholls, Curtis Davies, Steve Howard et al. 

The difference in 2021, is that the football club is not run by a bunch of cowboys, so the signs are that this season won’t be a one off, haunted by scandalous stewardship, as it was 15 years ago. 

But, for the here and now, to achieve what Luton have, and what they still could this term, is nothing short of remarkable.

PLAYER RATINGS:

Simon Sluga – 7

Made a brave save with his face to deny Nakhi Wells after a ball over the top. He had no chance with the opener, but he made a great save for City’s second to deny Wells only to see Nagy scuff in the rebound. 

Kal Naismith – 5

He’s been outstanding of late but he had a first half to forget, when he was caught out of position for Wells’ goal and then got beaten in the air by Kalas for the second goal. But he redeemed himself with a goal-line clearance late on. Even though the linesman’s flag was raised for offside it was a top drawer recovery.

Sonny Bradley – 5.5

The skipper got caught out by a ball over the top but had Sluga spare his blushes. Then got caught in no man’s land for the opener after Nagy broke free and was drawn to the midfielder, because Naismith was out of position. He should’ve had a penalty just before the break when Massengo paid no attention to a Luton corner, holding onto the defender with his back to the set piece, but first time Championship referee John Busby was having none of it, among his many rookie mistakes.

Matty Pearson – 5

He was given he slip by Nakhi Wells for City’s second, though Sluga saved the striker’s header initial, he was unable to stop Nagy’s follow up from dribbling in. He had a far calmer second period. 

James Bree – 6

There were a few times when it looked like he had his boots on the wrong way round, as his passing and shooting was wayward, but he kept at it and kept trying to to be positive. 

Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu – 7.5

Saw plenty of the ball, though his touch wasn’t always the most refined. He lost out to Nagy in the middle of the pitch and the City player burst forward to set up Wells for the opener. It probably wouldn’t have been so costly but Naismith had hugely overcommitted himself to leave a gap hole for the City man to exploit. He made an important contribution in Town’s winner, with a lung busting run past two City players before feeding to Dewsbury-Hall.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 8.5

The midfielder should have filled his boots with assist this term, but sloppy finishing has denied him that swollen stats column. Here he could’ve had four, but settled for two. A wonderful, in-swinging corner saw the ball end up in the net, but it was ruled out for a foul on the keeper, but he got his first assist with the corner for Collins to halve the deficit. Then he got another when Adebayo turned in his whipping cross to draw level. But for a deft Collins touch to Cornick for the decider, he would’ve had a hat-trick of assists. 

Ryan Tunnicliffe – 4

Penalised for the outrageous crime of standing in front of City keeper Bentley at a corner and seeing the stopper punch it into his own net. The midfield didn’t really get going in a lacklustre first half and he was replaced at half time by Harry Cornick. 

Kazenga LuaLua – 3

The winger was barely in the game in the first half, as any Town attacks went down the right. He was withdrawn at the break. 

Jordan Clark – 7

He came close to opening the scoring after a sharp turn and shot flashed past the post. The winger saw a header palmed away by Bentley just before the break. Replaced by Dan Potts in the 86th. 

Elijah Adebayo – 8

The striker fired an early shot just over from an acute angle but was on target in the 68th minute, side-footing Dewsbury-Hall’s cross in off the post. That was his fifth of the season for Town and he almost got on the end of another soon after, but was replaced by Glen Rea in the 86th.

SUBSTITUTES:

James Collins – 9 (joint star man)

He was sent on for the start of the second half and got straight into the action, virtually playing as a No.10. Though he was denied with a clearance from Sessegnon, he glanced in a Dewsbury-Hall corner in with the faintest of headers to notch his 13th of the campaign. His work-rate was outstanding and he claimed an assist for the winner as well, getting a touch on Dewsbury-Hall’s shot to turn it into the path of Cornick. 

Harry Cornick – 9 (joint star man)

The winger made an instant impact with long throws and crosses, but finally got his first goal of the season, sweeping in from close range after Dewsbury-Hall’s shot was put into his path by Collins. That ended a long run of 45 games without a goal. 

Glen Rea – N/A

Not on long enough for a rating.

Dan Potts – N/A 

Not on long enough for a rating.

UNUSED SUBS: James Shea, Martin Cranie, George Moncur, Sam Nombe, Joe Morrell