Luton Town vs Sheffield Wednesday. Sky Bet Championship.
Kenilworth RoadAttendance11,805.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Luton Town and Sheffield Wednesday at Kenilworth Road on Saturday | Carlton Morris strikes twice, the first a penalty, as the Hatters seal a turnaround victory over the Owls.
Saturday 21 September 2024 18:59, UK
Luton forward Carlton Morris came off the bench to score twice and earn the Hatters a first home win of the season with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday at Kenilworth Road.
It looked like the Owls were going to heap further misery on the Hatters, having led through Barry Bannan's goal early in the second half.
But Town boss Rob Edwards made an inspired triple substitution, one of them the introduction of Morris, who went on to score twice in the last 15 minutes to give the hosts a first home victory since April.
Wednesday had the first real opportunity on 11 minutes, Yan Valery's cross falling to Bannan who sent his angled volley over, Josh Windass also wayward with his attempt from range.
With 15 minutes on the clock, Bannan unlocked the home defence when sliding in Michael Smith who could not beat Thomas Kaminski with his low drive, as the Belgian made an even better stop moments later, Bannan's cross met by Windass eight yards out, the Town stopper stretching out a leg to divert away.
Chances for Luton were at a premium, James Beadle fumbling Mark McGuinness's header over and Liam Walsh putting an ambitious snapshot wide of the target.
Wednesday went close just before the break, Smith keeping the ball in and Windass delivering for Olaf Kobacki who was stretching and off target.
After the break, Wednesday got the goal they had been threatening with 52 minutes gone as Valery won the ball on the right and charged forward, his cross met by the completely unmarked Bannan who had ghosted into the box unnoticed and smashed his volley beyond the helpless Kaminski.
Smith just could not get to another cross as the visitors looked for a second, Edwards responding with three changes on the hour mark, including recent addition Tom Krauss for his Hatters debut, McGuinness heading Doughty's free-kick behind.
Town were then awarded a penalty after 77 minutes as Doughty's set-piece was fired goalwards by Teden Mengi, Di'Shon Bernard clearing away, but the defender then handled McGuinness's follow up on the line and was sent off by referee Gavin Ward.
Morris made no mistake from the spot, as Doughty curled over, before Luton won it with two minutes left, Doughty's cross met by Jordan Clark and McGuinness deflecting for Morris to tap into the empty net.
Kaminski saved well from Svante Ingelsson during 10 minutes of stoppage time, as a relieved Luton held on to make it back-to-back victories for the first time this season.
Luton's Rob Edwards:
"I thought the best section of the game was the last 15 minutes of the first half, where I thought we got the pressing and intensity right.
"We were pushing, had set-pieces and we had a couple of good moves that we almost got in with, but it was difficult to get behind them and yes it was tough, really tough.
"We didn't start with the intensity that we wanted and if we don't have that then it probably gives them a lift, our crowd are then thinking, 'come on,' and the first 20 minutes was difficult.
"We shot ourselves in the foot with the goal that we conceded and then it's hard, something's gone against us again and we need to try and wrestle back some momentum again.
"There's no doubt then we were pushing, we were trying, forced a way somehow, the header was going in from Macca before he stuck his arm out, so that's a goal, we're back in the game and then with the red card.
"I thought the impact that the subs made was great and that's what we want. We've got a squad for a reason. It's difficult to leave certain people out, but then when you get reactions like that, it's amazing."
Sheffield Wednesday's Danny Rohl:
"Last week there was a 50/50 decision against us, today a 50/50 decision against us, but at the end we had three or four opportunities where we could score more and take a win.
"When you have two goals away it's helpful to have two goals and be clinical, but all in all I can't say much against my team, they invested and I think the supporters recognise this.
"When I look to our box at the corner we have Dish (Bernard) two times going down and there is nothing, then it's a little bit hard to take. The players on the pitch should decide the game, and not someone else, and this is a pity today."
