At this rate it might be pertinent to check whether Luton players dislike garlic, because they’ve certainly got some unholy luck with crosses.
The upshot here, unlike against Brentford and Blackburn, was that they emerged with a point, but it should have been so much more as they peppered Huddersfield’s penalty area only to find some killer instinct once.
James Collins – who said afterwards he wants to stay at the club past his expiring contract – at least ended his nine-game goal drought with an early tap-in, for his tenth of the season, that owed everything to the talents of Harry Cornick.
Still without a goal this term, the forward should’ve have filled his boots with assists as he teased ball after ball in the box only to find no-one there to stake their claim.
Luton boss Nathan Jones said: “Harry’s a threat, a constant threat. With his running, his pace and his desire to keep doing well, so I’ve got no worries about Harry. Goals will come. With assists, he put in a level of ball in today that was wonderful and I thought he was excellent, I really do.
“What we need is to convert those and when we’re on the front foot take our chances, but this is a real tough league.
“The margins are so small. There are some teams that are wonderful at this level and have been at this level for a long time. They’ve got a lot of money to spend and recruit well. We’re building into that and this is the first time Harry’s been at this level.
“It’s the first time most of them have been at this level, we’ve just got to keep ploughing away, keep doing the right things and if you keep doing the right things, results will come.”
And when other Hatters’ crosses did find a target – notably via the outstanding Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – Dan Potts and Glen Rea both headed against the woodwork at the end of each half.
How Potts didn’t score form close range to hand the Hatters a commanding two-goal lead at the break will remain a frustration for at least a week because, if that had been a few inches to the right, the second half would’ve had a more positive complexion.
Jones said: “We’ve had double the shots on target, double the shots that they’ve had. They’ve had more possession, but they’re a real possession-based side, in terms of how they set.
“I’m quite happy with the performance, I’m just disappointed we didn’t get the second goal because I think the second goal would’ve been enough.”
Instead, Huddersfield rallied after the break and Naby Sarr made Luton pay with the visitors’ first shot on target in the 74th minute as the hosts failed to clear their lines from a softly-awarded free-kick.
“We’ve got three in the wall from a wide angle, which we’ll have a look at,” said Jones, adding: “Then, it’s too easy for someone to walk off us and get the first flick. It’s come at a low height and he’s (Simon Sluga) parried it back out and then they’ve scored.
“It’s not a good goal and they haven’t had to do a hell of a lot to score.”
Still, the Hatters had chances as Mpanzu fired over twice, the second due to a last-ditch block from the Terriers’ goalscorer. Collins saw a near post shot snuffed out by keeper Ryan Schofield.
“We don’t tend to lose when we get the first goal. I’m just disappointed we didn’t go in further ahead, because our play deserved more,” Jones said.
“We’ve had real good chances, Pelly’s had a chance, we’ve hit the post late on and we’ve had a lot of balls in the final third without quite picking out people.
“I’m happy enough with the performance, I’m just disappointed we weren’t a bit more dominant and didn’t get that second goal.”
Luton had Sluga to thank for Huddersfield not doubling their tally. The Croatian had been a relative spectator until the equaliser, but he did superbly one-on-one with Duane Holmes to deny his flying stab at Frazer Campbell’s teaser.
But when Harry Toffolo was sent off late on for a foul on Rea and the midfielder’s diving header cannoned, almost slow-motion like, off the upright, it wasn’t to be for Luton.
And two points dropped left them six off third-from-bottom Birmingham, who the face at St Andrews next weekend.
PLAYER RATINGS:
SIMON SLUGA – 7
Made a save for Huddersfield’s goal but had to watch as the rebound was poked in. Made an important block to deny Duane Holmes after Frazer Campbell had picked him out all alone in Town’s box, to keep it at 1-1.
DAN POTTS – 6.5
Should’ve scored but headed against the posts at the end of the first half. Was more assertive in the air in his own box.
SONNY BRADLEY – 7
The skipper was commanding in the air, but the Terriers scored on the ground and the scruffy nature won’t be pleasing.
TOM LOCKYER – 7
Composed in sweeping up danger, he played one of the passes of the match with a stunning long-range through ball to Luke Berry, that the midfielder couldn’t make the most of.
MATTY PEARSON – 6.5
Conceded a few too many naive free-kicks around Luton’s box and one was punished in the 74th minute when Naby Sarr stabbed in. But he made a brilliant last-ditch block towards the death.
KIERNAN DEWSBURY-HALL – 7
Neat, tidy and good in his defensive work, but he wasn’t quite the attacking force he’s been at Kenilworth Road since his arrival on loan from Leicester, perhaps not helped by a booking in the 7th minute for a rash challenge after an uncharacteristic heavy first touch. Nice of him to allow another player a shot at man of the match.
PELLY-RUDDOCK MPANZU – 8
Town’s star man from the moment an intelligent flick found Harry Cornick in space to set up James Collins’ opener. He should’ve had an assist just before the break when he picked out a peach of a cross but Dan Potts hit the post. Fired over from just outside the box after James Collins played him into space and made a positive burst into the box but saw his shot deflected agonisingly over by Naby Sarr.
JORDAN CLARK – 6.5
Had an early chance but he couldn’t get his head to an awkward bouncing ball. Never shirked the challenge, even when getting battered from pillar to post by Huddersfield players. Picked out James Collins with a near post cross that the striker came close to converting. Replaced in the 87th minute by Kal Naismith.
LUKE BERRY – 6
Made a good run to latch on to a Tom Lockyer through-ball but couldn’t cut it back from the byline to an orange shirt. But he wasn’t as influential as he’d have hoped on his return tot he starting line-up and he was replaced by Glen Rea in the 72nd minute
HARRY CORNICK – 7.5
He put in a series of stunning first half crosses, only one of which was converted as he claimed a beautiful assist when he picked out James Collins. Quieter in the second period and was replaced by debutant Tom Ince on 83 minutes.
JAMES COLLINS – 7
He broke his nine-game goalless streak with an unmissable tap-in from Harry Cornick’s slide-rule pass. Held the play up well and saw the chance of a second snuffed out by Ryan Schofield.
SUBSTITUTES:
GLEN REA – 7
Brought on when Huddersfield started to get a foothold in the second half, and helped stem that tide. He could’ve won it late on but the woodwork kept him out.
TOM INCE – 6
Asking a bit much to expect him to change the game after so little football this term, but it will be vital minutes for a new signing that Luton will hope can be an influence on their low scoring.
KAL NAISMITH – N/A
Not on long enough for a rating
UNUSED SUBS: James Shea, Martin Cranie, Danny Hylton, George Moncur, Sam Nombe, Elijah Adebayo
Adebayo must be given a chance to play. Our lack of goals up front is a serious problem – the reverse of last season when it was the defence. Collins just hasn’t scored enough and what’s the pint of signing a new in form striker and not playing him. He’s not a kid, he’s 22. let’s find out if he’s got what it takes.
3 strikers on the bench and didn’t bring on 1 against a team that had 2 points from the last 8 away games.
A point at home is not a lot a use when we struggle so much to get results away.
Need to be braver. Would have like to have seen Adebayo given 10 minutes at the end, who knows might have nicked one.
Nothing to lose by it.
Only too predictable. An early lead; no game-changing substitutions after an hour or so; opposition get one back; late meaningless substitution. Two valuable points lost. Nathan could have taken a chance on the ‘Adebayo impact’, but Nathan seems reluctant to take chances. The future starts now – or maybe, let’s hope, at Brum next Saturday. I wonder if Elijah asked himself, ‘Should I have gone to Huddersfield after all?’ We’ll never know!
Jones needs a look in the mirror. This is just the latest in a long line of performances where we were fine in the first half and poor in the second. Whatever he says at half time seems not to work. It was another game where the second half was lazy and where we stopped doing what worked first half. Cornick was ignored in the second half yet again. If he is blowing out his bum he needs to be subbed. Let him have 60-65 minutes at full tilt rather than 75-80 where the last 30 he’s not allowed to play.
Collo proved my problem with him despite the goal and some great defensive headers. One good pass to Pelly (who probably should have taken a touch before shooting) and a couple of times getting to the front post and causing mischief, he didn’t work hard enough in attack. But it proves that if he does get to the front post across a defender, he causes problems. Why doesn’t he do more of that? Is it Jones’ tactics, Collo’s preference to ignore the obvious, or that he just doesn’t have the pace and fitness to get there anymore at this level?
The other problem is when it went wrong, Jones refused to change it again. It cost us points last week and this week. And then when he does change things it’s the wrong subs. Rea for Berry was a sign of holding on for what we had. It backfired. Putting Ince on for 10-15 minutes when he’s not fit was weird. And leaving Collo on, and then leaving him up too alone when he’d started struggling again we’re both strange decisions. It feels like Nathan lacks belief at the moment. He wants to wait too long to make decisions. He should trust himself to spot when it stops working and act on it much sooner.
It’s not the end of the world. But the most annoying thing is it’s the same problems every week. Even the goal conceded was another set piece error – 3rd game on the trot. If Jones and his players keep making the same mistakes, eventually some questions have to be asked.
And finally, this guff about Huddersfield having a huge budget and established team… they were one of the worst teams in premier league history when they got relegated. They were poor last season and haven’t been much better this season. They’re a club with a recent losing culture. As we’ve seen with our recent culture of believing we’re a small club, cultures are hard to change. Huddersfield aren’t a great side. They’ve been there for the taking every time we’ve played them the last 2 seasons.
I just hope for some change and ambition at Brum. Having them close the gap on us will create more tension.