Luton suffered their tenth Championship away defeat on the spin and recorded their worst league run on the road since 1927/28 as Joe Lolley’s brace saw Nottingham Forest come from behind to win.
Harry Cornick opened the scoring in the 23rd minute from a sublime Town move in a promising opening half hour, which came crashing to a predictable end when they shot themselves in the foot. Or, more precisely the glove, as Simon Sluga let a Lolley shot squirm underneath him.
Dan Potts was also culpable as he gave the winger the invitation to shoot and that pattern repeated itself just before the hour mark.
Town have conceded two or more goals in each of their last nine Championship trips and Lolley made it double figures for him and that statistic, lashing in when given the space to do so.
Lewis Grabban then notched his 15th of the season with a 90th minute penalty after Sonny Bradley’s outstretched elbow blocked a Tiago Silva free-kick.
It had all started so promising though. With Glen Rea making his Championship debut, among three changes, Town were a more aggressive from the off, not allowing Forest the space to play.
Instead they did most of the pressing and Potts should’ve hit the target with an early effort that rose just above the bar.
But the defender then provided the assist as Town took the lead on 23 minutes. It was a wonderful move started by Sluga and going through Kazenga LuaLua and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu before the defender cut back from the byline for Cornick to steer into the bottom corner.
But Luton and all too frequently Sluga – who had made two prior exceptional reaction saves – are a mistake waiting to happen. Forest had barely threatened, other than a Tiago Silva volley that flashed over after a counter, but Potts stood off Joe Lolly and the shot squirmed calamitously underneath the keeper.
Town were furious that, in the build-up, LuaLua – who had been frequently fouled – had not won another one for a blatant push, but they had the whole of their half of the pitch to rectify the situation and they didn’t get close. It would not be the last time.
They reached half time all square but soon after Cornick, who had been ill at the break, was forced off. Then the Reds struck again.
Again it was Lolley who took full advantage of Potts’ reluctance to get near him swiping a swerving shot beyond Sluga. From there, that was Nottingham’s tactic as the wide man caused havoc and Luton’s goal lived a charmed life until Bradley stuck out an elbow in the 89th minute and referee Tony Harrington pointed immediately to the spot.
Grabban, who had largely been kept quiet all afternoon, sent Sluga the wrong way pushing Luton ever closer to League One.
