In the end, it didn’t come down to atmosphere or emotion or the football fantasy, but a hard-to-take last-ditch VAR denial and two lapses in Luton concentration as Jarrod Bowen and Kurt Zouma ruthlessly spoiled the party of the Hatters’ first-ever home game in the Premier League.
If you’re looking for silver linings or progression, there were flashes, but Town had 16 shots and only Mads Andersen’s late consolation was on target.
Yet, for a few electric stoppage time minutes the Dane’s first goal for the club offered the hope of a legendary comeback. And then, from a corner, the ball skimmed off James Ward-Prowse’s outstretched arm. VAR checked it and bizarrely saw nothing wrong.
After just three games in the inconsistency of it all that frustrates for a Luton side that has only just had to take it into consideration. At Brighton they were handed a soft spot-kick but here, with the world watching, nothing.
On the possibility of a penalty, Edwards said: “A lot of people are telling me that. I’ve only seen a still, a freeze-frame on it at the moment. I’ve not had a chance to see it back. If it was (a penalty), I’m disappointed.
“If it’s gone against us, those are the moments that you need to go your way, especially at this level, to get results.
“But, I’m not going to complain about that now, or blame that. We’ve still got to look at ourselves and myself as well, on how we can keep getting better.
“I don’t want to keep saying the same things when I speak after the game. Fine moments, basics, things like that. One cross in the box that we didn’t deal with well enough in the first half and then a set piece.
“I will say that that corner came from a goal kick that probably should’ve been our corner before that, a Carlton Morris shot clearly got deflected in my opinion and Carlton’s opinion as well.
“Then it was a goal kick, which we conceded from and we’ve got to be better there.”
Those moments, however, ensured a third straight defeat for the hosts as the new league leaders expertly took the sting out of the anticipated cauldron-like reception inside Kenilworth Road.
It didn’t quite catch fire like those memorable matches against arch-rivals Watford and Sunderland last season. The hope is that this outcome doesn’t temper the Town fans’ participation who, to be fair to them, at 2-0 down tried to inspire their side with that now tweaked chant about 30 points.
And at the end, boss Edwards rounded up his depleted men to take in the show of support, with the manager last to leave the pitch as he thanked all sides of the stadium.
That’s to be admired, and in scoreline terms, this can be deemed progression, but it was the manner of West Ham’s two goals that will need addressing as Town go into the international break.
Lucas Paqueta’s cross was indeed sublime, but turned into a killer assist by Ryan Giles losing Bowen for the Hammer to head an ice-cold finish in off keeper Thomas Kaminski at the near post. After two scuffed shots from Ross Barkley was a clinic in taking a chance when it presents itself.
United dominated after the break and an equaliser for Luton relied more on hope than execution.
And they were dealt a blow by Zouma’s header five minutes from time, though Town didn’t help themselves when an otherwise excellent Reece Burke gave the defender the freedom of Kenilworth Road to pick his spot from Ward-Prowse’s corner.
But for the late drama and controversy involving the former Southampton star’s arm, it should’ve been a comfortable victory for the Hammers. Yet Andersen’s goal, Luton’s first in the division from open play, set the cat momentarily amongst the pigeons and now Hatters will feel hard done by that VAR, which went for Town to deny Emerson, then were unmoved by a clear handball.
It’s tough at the bottom.
