The easily beaten backline came up against an impenetrable defence as Luton were left chasing their tail unsuccessfully against Bradford from the fourth minute in a result that was a “tough one to take” for boss Jack Wilshere.
James Shea back in goal for his first league game since New Year’s Day, will have nightmares about the winning goal, while Harrison Ashby was sent off late on.
It was a much improved performance, particularly in the first half, but that came after Bobby Pointon somehow managed to beat the Hatters keeper with Bradford’s first attack.
Shea seemed caught in two minds whether to leave the header from an acute angle or push it over, he opted for the former and the ball dropped in.
Wilshere called it “avoidable”.
The writing was ultimately on the wall from there, because that was all City needed for their first win at Kenilworth Road since 1968.
They did very little more, partly through a mix of Luton’s dominant first half and partly because they have the most miserly defence in the division, so one goal is all they need. Four times they triumphed with that scoreline already this term and seven times they shut teams out.
Even when Town were on top, they threw bodies in the way in a fashion that Luton have only managed at Chelsea in the Carabao Cup this season.
“Frustrating. Disappointing. Tough one to take,” said Wilshere, adding: “Because I thought in the first half we’ve done so many good things and we arrived in the final third so many times. It’s what we spoke about doing, pre-match.
“Probably, [we] can create and make them chances a little bit better and have a little bit more quality in the final third. But I thought there was an improvement from the last game in that where we made better decisions. We picked better passes. We were just maybe a little bit late or a little bit too far in front of someone.
“And then in the second half, I felt like we didn’t get going. I felt like we got sucked in a little bit to what they wanted.
“And they’re good at it. This is not me digging them out or saying anything bad about them, because we knew that going into the game that they’re good at breaking up play, they’re good at delaying things. They’re really, really good at defending. They don’t concede many goals.”
He added: ‘Credit to them, they’re good at it. That’s game management. That’s experience. That’s game knowledge.
“And that’s a frustrating thing because the first half was good. I think we had something like ten, 11 shots maybe. And then in the second half we didn’t have that. We didn’t carry that same threat.”
It was a defensive masterclass from a Bantams side from start to finish, because even with Kasey Palmer and Emilio Lawrence back in a better vein of form – part of five changes to the starting line-up – there was no way through.
Callum Marshall had chances. No way through.
Most of that happened in a vastly more promising first half, though.
In the second, there were cynical fouls and dark arts galore, with referee Ross Martin weak to both, from both sides.
Luton corner after corner – 14 in total – saw keeper Jon McCracken make sure there was no way through.
With Wilshere watching from the Bobbers’ gantry, serving a touchline ban, his staff sent on Nahki Wells but, unlike last week, they kept Callum Marshall on for a two up top approach. Still no way through.
Jordan Clark entered the fray for the first time in a month, complete with a face mask to protect his broken jaw. Still no way through.
Passes went astray or were enthusiastically cut out by Bradford defenders. Then came the groans, which, by the final whistle, turned to boos.
That’s two defeats on the spin and three in seven games to start this campaign, which saw them slip to 16th and Bradford rise to the top of the tree.
There’s much work to do for the Hatters to join them.
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