Luton boss Rob Edwards had Thomas Kaminski to thank for the chance of a rare final whistle victory first-pump after a pressure-relieving first win of the season at Millwall.
Teden Mengi’s sumptuous strike proved the winner in a 1-0 triumph, but it was a the Belgian stopper that secured the points with two big second half saves to keep out Macauley Langstaff and Shaun Hutchinson, the latter right at the death.
It was not a vintage performance from the Hatters by any stretch of the imagination but they’d have traded two of their fruitless good performances in the opening four Championship games for the same outcome at The Den.
“It was nerve-racking, not nice, but a nice feeling when the final whistle went,” Edwards told Sky Sports after he’d celebrated in front of a jubilant travelling Town contingent.
It owed a lot to Kaminski. Luton were dominant in the first half but could not add to Mengi’s second career goal on 10 minutes when he found the bottom corner from 25 yards.
Tahith Chong hit the post, but Jordan Clark and Elijah wasted good chances, while Mengi saw another effort saved. But in the second period Luton fans had only a Liam Walsh effort to gasp at.
Instead hearts were in mouths at the other end when, for all of Millwall’s direct probing, it was a poor square pass from substitute Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu that led to Langstaff racing through on goal, but keeper Kaminski thwarted the forward with the toe of his outstretched boot.
It was a superb stop but an even bigger moment in deciding the destination of the points and the Belgian’s celebration indicated he knew as much. But he was not done and he was called on to paw away Hutchinson’s header at the death as the mistakes of previous games went unpunished in south London.
“He’s been brilliant for us since he arrived,” said Edwards of Kaminski. “He got worked a lot last season and maybe not quite as much this year but the two moments that really stood up for me, (was) obviously the one right at the end from our corner. And then from one of our turnovers. We gave it away, a fast attack and it was a big moment.
“He did his job. He did it really, really well. And if you’re going away from home, especially against Millwall, you expect your goalkeeper to have to make a save or two. He did that really well.”
On another day, this may have been another tale to Town struggling to find the net or, rather more correctly, their attackers. But this was all about Luton’s defence as centre half Mengi made the difference at one end and Reece Burke proved an immovable object with the visitors’ backs to the wall.
And to aid that, the sight of Marvelous Nakamba offering protection in front of the back four for the first time in a league game since December was a welcome sight, as boss Edwards shuffled his pack and dropped captain Carlton Morris to the bench. The goalscorer would later come on for his 100th appearance but the bulk of his work was helping to defend Town’s lead. They did so with grit, determination and, for once this season, the favourable touch of Lady Luck.
“That’s a big part of any successful team,” said Edwards, adding: “The best teams in the world do it, you just don’t see it as much because they’ve normally got the ball these days.
“But when we had success in this league previously we had that in abundance. We need that fight, that desire, that hunger. You have to win firsts and seconds, you have to compete, you have to win duels and you have to do the basics well.
“Without that, it doesn’t matter what kind of football you play. We want to try to develop us and our team but without the other side of it, it doesn’t matter. So that was really pleasing that we showed that today.”
There is still much to work on, but this first win of the season, and a first away day triumph of a trying 2024, gives the Hatters a platform to build from and a return to a rare feeling.
“It’s lovely winning,’ said Edwards, adding: “Anyone that’s worked in the game and management, coaching or a player, winning’s everything.
“We work really hard during the week to try and take the three points on the weekend and we’re really thankful that we did that today.”
He added: “It’s been a long time coming. Whatever way it came today, at Millwall, it’s always a difficult place to come, I would’ve taken it.”
