It was a fortunate world away from a Kazenga LuaLua cracker, but there is something delightfully déjà vu about a 1-0 relegation dogfight away win at Hull City, which has once again raised Hatters’ hopes of a Championship survival repeat.
Five years on from the last great escape triumph in east Yorkshire, it was instead a slice of own goal luck that proved the difference, highlighting that it doesn’t matter how they go in, just as long as they do.
And boss Matt Bloomfield hailed his Luton side’s battling spirit as they completed a remarkable clean sweep of post international break victories, all four courtesy of that rarest of commodities this term – clean sheets.
It also completed the league double over the Tigers who were the last victims to the same circumstance in November, reeling them back into the relegation picture at the same time and lifting Luton level on points with Derby County and two points from safety – for a few hours at least – with seven games to go.
And with 10 points from their last five games, the Hatters may have found some form at the perfect time.
“We’re fighting,” said boss Bloomfield, adding: “We’ve got a huge amount of work to do ahead of us, and we’re not going to get ahead of ourselves. But, that’s three wins in five now. And the boys are fighting. And we’ll get in the building again on Monday and we’ll keep fighting.”
The turning point came just 11 seconds into the second half when a routine clearance from Hull captain Lewie Coyle rebounded off team-mate Alfie Jones’ face and looped past a helpless keeper Ivor Pandur. It was a bizarre own goal, but one that could prove crucial in Luton’s desperate bid to avoid back-to-back relegations.
“The goal was obviously extremely fortunate,” said Bloomfield, adding: “But in terms of our performance, the endeavour, the way the boys are playing, the shape at the moment, there’s a lot to be really, really pleased and really, really proud about.”
One of those things – on defender Amari’i Bell’s 150th appearance for Town – was a second successive shutout, which secured back-to-back away league wins for the first time in a fraction over two years, as Mark McGuinness produced a crucial full-length block to deny Kasey Palmer’s goalbound effort, summing up the visitors’ resilience.
“We’ve got to be really proud of the performance today,” Bloomfield told the BBC, adding: “I thought we started incredibly well, hit the post, had a couple of, decent chances. And then, obviously being the away team, there’s going to be a spell when you have to defend then. We had to do that at times.”
It was Luton who made the brighter start, showing attacking intent from the outset. Elijah Adebayo struck the post early on after a sharp turn in the box, while Carlton Morris failed to convert a golden opportunity after breaking the offside trap.
The two strikers’ wait for a goal will stretch into a four month by the time Town host Leeds next weekend.
Instead, the decisive moment was a Hull calamity. A long kick from Thomas Kaminski was flicked on by Morris, Adebayo nudged it into the box, and before anyone could react, Jones’ unfortunate intervention sent the ball spinning into his own net.
It was the fastest second-half goal scored across England’s top four divisions this season, and it left Hull shell-shocked, only fashioning their best chances in injury time.
Kaminski had to be at full stretch to tip over a fierce 25-yard drive from Charlie Hughes and more than 1,000 Hatters fans, who had waited six months for a travelling triumph, have now had two on the bounce and double showing of Bloomfield’s fist-pump celebrations in front of them.
“It’s incredible to think that for a lunchtime kick-off at the other end of the country, there are so many of them have [travelled], considering our away form this season,” said the manager.
“I really have to thank them because the noise they made in the corner was incredible. To share that moment with them at the end with them was amazing. and they want to see our boys grit and determination. That’s what this club stands for. And they saw that today.
“So as manager of that team, I’m incredibly proud of them because, you know they’ve had some tough times. The boys and we’ve got loads of work to do. But we’ve given ourselves, a good base level of performance and a good base level of shape and identity, and the identity is coming back and we’re really, really pleased about that.”
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