Luton boss Graeme Jones was booed off after Birmingham City consigned his side to a sixth defeat in seven Championship games as the term ‘the beautiful game’ was tested to breaking point.
Gary Gardner scored the winner – and there was a good case to say the Blues midfielder should have been taking an early bath for two bookable offences, instead of stroking in on 69 minutes – but Town contributed, yet again, to their own downfall.
It is said that definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
Jones picked eight of the old guard that won Luton promotion, but four minutes in and Town were 1-0 down. Yet again, it came from a cross. Donervon Daniels – making his league debut for Luton – couldn’t stop the centre and James Bree – who would be hooked off at half time – offered little resistance as Lukas Jutkiewicz’s rose to head. Simon Sluga saved well from close range but then saw the ball loop up and bounce in.
Before the game, the City striker had scored more headed goals (11) than any other player in the Championship. It was the worst of starts, but it is one of many. It was the eighth time this term that Town have conceded the opening goal inside 10 minutes. If that was bad, what followed left the crowd stunned to frustrated silence.
Passes were routinely misplaced, long balls from back to front were aimless and set-pieces routinely hit the first man – and they were just the top three frustrations.
Only Kazenga LuaLua came out of the first 45 minutes with any credit as, when he wasn’t being kicked in the air by the Blues, he tried twisted and turning to get Town back in it.
Birmingham weren’t much better, but the reached the break without keeper Lee Camp having to get his gloves dirty.
Dan Potts replaced Bree out of necessity, but he would later give the ball away that led to City’s winner.
Before that, however, James Collins notched his ninth of the season to level from the spot after Harlee Dean – who did later get his marching orders – fouled Matty Pearson, but those hopes lasted only seven minutes before the killer blow.
Potts erred, but the Blues didn’t. Jacques Maghoma countered and found Gardner who guided the ball through Pearson’s legs and into the bottom corner.
With 21 minutes left to play and a final ten against ten men, plus five added on, Town fashioned just one chance. It fell to centre back Sonny Bradley and finally Camp was called into action, stopping the effort dead.
The final whistle saw Hatters boss Jones trudge across the pitch to a chorus of boos from a Kenilworth Road crowd that already saw Luton stuck in the basement, but now know they’re in dire straits.
No team propping up the Championship after 26 games has made a great escape since 2007/08. It’s looking like Luton won’t break the mould.
