When it takes some defensive deja vu for the Championship’s top scorers to scrape a point at Kenilworth Road, maybe Luton aren’t the sort of team that Blackburn should expect to beat. Or anyone else for that matter.
Rovers midfielder Joe Rothwell had made that assertion in a week that, if he looks at the Championship table, he’ll find that his side began it and will end it beneath the tenth-placed Hatters.
Luke Berry’s 69th minute strike looked – albeit for three minutes – like the gap between the clubs would be greater, and while Town virtually gifted Sam Gallagher his quick-fire equaliser, that was all Blackburn got.
Considering they possess a striker, in Adam Armstrong, that before today had scored one more league goal that the entire Town team combined, a disallowed goal was as close he came to bagging his 11th.
While Rothwell twice found Simon Sluga in understandably obdurate mood after those pre-match comments.
“We’ve seen that,” said Hatters boss Nathan Jones, of claims by the Blackburn man, adding: “There’s probably a lot with that mentality. It’s an idiotic comment. If he was my player there would’ve been a lot I would’ve done, because you don’t give teams motivation like that.
“He might expect to beat us, but expecting and doing it is two different things. We’ve got a humble group here and back in the day he might’ve had a different treatment, but you can’t do that any more.
“If I’m honest, if people want to comment about us then good, because it just means they underestimate us. If we get underestimated then it’s a great advantage for us, but we’re in a good place.
“We don’t worry about anything anyone says about us. We know the work we’ve got. We know the atmosphere we’ve got. We’ve know how we’re recruiting. We know the way we do our business and we’re a proud club, so anyone that wants to try and pierce that, come and try.”
Barring the 72nd minute, when Martin Cranie got out-jumped by Barry Douglas and the otherwise comfortable Matty Pearson and Sonny Bradley both went to sleep, there was plenty for Jones to be buoyed by.
“I’m disappointed with the goal because it was a carbon copy of the second goal they scored here at the end of last season, and that’s the disappointing thing,” Jones said.
“But, apart from that, I’ve got a group here that’s giving me everything, a group that’s working hard and a group that’s growing.
“That’s the thing, because we not just happy to contain and to be sitting back. We’re evolving and I’ve seen real good signs again today of us evolving and I’m really proud of us.”
Berry’s moment was a sign of clinical finishing, sweeping home James Collins’ cross. It was a delightful second of the season from the midfielder and came from a move that the increasingly influential Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall began, his sublime ball finding Town’s top scorer, turned provider.
The Leicester loanee had earlier sliced open Rovers to pick out George Moncur – another encouraging display with and without the ball – who was denied a goal for the second successive game by Blackburn stopper Thomas Kaminski. Glen Rea would also be thwarted by the custodian.
But you could fit a fag paper between the amount of chances the two sides created, and Jones said: “These are a free-scoring side and they can score threes and fours and will. For us to be competing and, at this point in time, above them in the league, shows that we’re in a good place.
“We’re ambitious and realistic, so we know we can’t spend millions and get a striker that’s going to get us 25-30 goals a season, that has pace, power, quality and should be in the Premier League. We know we can’t do that but we’re in a good place and we’re evolving all the time.”
Of course, there’s room for improvement, not least that Town have now only managed one Kenilworth Road clean sheet against basement boys Wycombe Wanderers who, at the time, had yet to register their first Championship goal.
Yet, despite Rothwell’s overconfidence, Rovers have still never triumphed at Kenilworth Road in the league. And that fact will now stretch into next season because, on this evidence, both sides will remain in the Championship but Luton Town will be happier about it.
PLAYER RATINGS:
SIMON SLUGA – 8
Did well with the ball at his feet, but even better with his hands when called to judge to Joe Rothwell stinger that shifted in the area. He read it well and stopped the ball dead, low on his line. He reacted well to pull off a double save to stop Sam Gallagher and Rothwell with the follow-up.
MARTIN CRANIE – 6.5
Had a solid and dependable afternoon until Barry Douglas beat him in the air to lay it on a plate for substitute Sam Gallagher to equalise.
SONNY BRADLEY – 7
Exuded a real calmness with the ball, even with Rovers forward pressing him. Largely read the danger well to sweep up when needed, but wasn’t alive to the equaliser.
MATTY PEARSON – 6.5
An industrial but effective performance until he went to sleep, allowing Sam Gallagher to get ahead of him and poke in the equaliser.
RHYS NORRINGTON-DAVIES – 7.5
Lively first half, belied the fact he’s been playing non-stop since September. Got forward well and swung a right foot at an early shot which almost opened the scoring.
GLEN REA – 7
His passing assing was wayward in the first half, but he battled well and saw a late header superbly saved by Thomas Kaminski.
GEORGE MONCUR – 7.5
Got on the ball with an eagerness and worked his socks off without it. He came close to an opener in the early stages of the second half. Replaced by Kazenga LuaLua on 77 minutes.
KIERNAN DEWSBURY-HALL – 8.5 (star man)
Showed intelligence in tight defensive areas, both with the ball and to get blocks in. He reads the play well, he can dribble, he can pass, particularly one stunner that put Moncur in, which deserved a goal on its own. He looked real quality and picked out James Collins to set up Luke Berry’s opener.
LUKE BERRY – 7.5
Unearthed a true striker’s finish to sweep a James Collins cross-cum-shot inside the post and open the scoring, having spent the game solidly sniping away, trying to pick holes in Rovers’ defence. Replaced by Pelly-Ruddok Mpanzu on 77 minutes.
HARRY CORNICK – 7
Looked hungry and set the tone early on by running at the Rovers defence, but, still easing his way back, he was replaced on 59 minutes by James Bree.
ELLIOT LEE – 7
Must’ve thought he’d scored early on when he cracked a corner goalwards, only to find a Rovers body thrown in the way. Manful in his defensive duties and positive in trying to link the attacking play. Replaced on 59 minutes by James Collins and didn’t look happy to depart, but not without good reason.
SUBSTITUTES:
JAMES BREE – 6.5
He went into midfield on the right wing and picked out a cross that James Collins could only head over.
JAMES COLLINS – 7.5
Provided the assist for Luke Berry’s goal, proving that, though it’s a rare occurrence, he isn’t a bad substitute to bring on to try to get something from the game.
KAZEGNA LUALUA – 5
Couldn’t slip into his swashbuckling best.
PELLY-RUDDOCK MPANZU – 5
It’s unusual to see Pelly come off the bench, as he’s a perennial starter, but he couldn’t add to Town’s attacking intent.
RYAN TUNNICLIFFE – N/A
Came on at the death. Not enough time to give a rating.
Unused subs: James Shea, Tom Lockyer, Jordan Clark, Sam Nome
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