Luton Town vs Wycombe Wanderers. Sky Bet Championship.
Kenilworth Road.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash at Kenilworth Road
Saturday 3 October 2020 18:54, UK
Luton continued their excellent start to the season with a battling 2-0 win over struggling Wycombe at Kenilworth Road.
The hosts took the lead through Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu after 59 minutes, before Elliot Lee made sure of the points in the closing stages.
The result means Luton have nine points from 12, while Wycombe have lost all four of their matches so far.
A scrappy opening 20 minutes saw Town go closest, Harry Cornick's cross-shot tipped away by 'keeper Ryan Allsop, with the attacker seeing a drive from the edge of the box blocked too.
Matty Pearson almost marked his 100th appearance for the Hatters with a goal, his downward header from Luke Berry's corner not missing by much.
Centre-half partner and skipper Sonny Bradley went for the spectacular himself, setting his sights on the top corner from 30 yards but arrowing wide.
Luton were then so close to moving in front on the stroke of half-time, as Mpanzu's cross was lifted to the back post, where Jordan Clark looped his header over Allsop, but not Darius Charles, who was on the line to clear.
After the interval, Glen Rea sent a volley over the bar from a Berry set-piece, before the visitors eventually mustered some attacks of their own. Daryl Horgan's attempt was blocked, while Joe Jacobson and Horgan sent efforts over.
Luton then took the lead with a magnificent first goal of the season for Mpanzu, as he took Cornick's pass and picked out the corner of the net from 22 yards, curling a beautiful effort beyond Allsop.
In a frantic second period, opportunities came and went at both ends, James Collins volleying wildly off target for Luton before Sluga had to repel Anthony Stewart's far-post header from a free-kick.
Berry thought he had a second when he was picked out by Cornick and fired goalwards, only to see Allsop stick out a foot in the nick of time.
Jacobson sent a shot wide when afforded too much room, before - at the other end - Collins was denied by Curtis Thompson on the line from close range when he simply had to score.
Sluga parried Jack Grimmer's effort away after the right-back overlapped well, before Cornick almost pounced on an error from Jacobson but Allsop came out to block with his legs.
Wanderers thought they had snatched an equaliser with three minutes to go, but substitute Scott Kashket's goal was ruled out for offside.
Town finally did finish their opponents off in the 89th minute, when Kazenga LuaLua fed fellow substitute Lee and he side-footed into the bottom corner to secure the points.
Luton's Nathan Jones: “It could have been more, but it could have been something different as well if that wasn’t offside, which would have been a travesty because it should have been more. Once the game opened up after about 30 minutes, we came into it and showed a little bit more quality, and if we’d shown even more quality, I think we could have taken the lead before half-time.
“But we came out very well, we finally got the goal, and then we should have scored two more. Clear-cut chances - Luke Berry’s is a clear-cut chance, James Collins even more so. If we just demonstrate a little bit more quality, we extend the lead, but Kazenga (LuaLua) laid it on a plate and a great finish, so I’m happy with that.”
Wycombe's Gareth Ainsworth: “The referee’s adjudged it to be offside and we’ve got to take that. We don’t seem to be getting too much as the smallest club in the Championship. We seem to be getting the rough end of it at the moment, but I’m not moaning about that.
“I’m gutted for the players, they’ve given me absolutely everything. This is a tough step up, we’ve always said that in the Championship. We’ve hit the post, great saves by the keeper, we’ve scored and it’s been offside. Listen, we’ll keep going, we’ll keep pushing."
