Robins slump to defeat as Hatters take the points at Kenilworth Road
AND so ends Bristol City’s 2020. A pandemic-broken 366 days that saw the end of Lee Johnson in BS3, the longest ever football season completed eventually, Korey Smith depart, Dean Holden rise like a phoenix from the red flames and a Bristol City defeat at Kenilworth Road for a fifth consecutive time.
In the Robins’ final match of the year the damage was done as Glen Rea drove home - not for Christmas - but to open the scoring after just 17 minutes. City equalised just after the hour mark through a Sonny Bradley own goal, before Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall smashed in from range to secure the three points for Nathan Jones’ team.
A horrible 12 months ended with a fourth defeat in the last five with the Robins falling further behind in the chase for the top six.
City aimed to continue the lift provided when Diedhiou smacked in against Wycombe Wanderers with three minutes to play on Boxing Day, the opposition looking to bounce back after a 2-1 defeat to Reading. The Hatters have won only two of their last 11 Championship games, though both of those games were at home - and included league leaders Norwich City showing they can tussle with the best.
Six-goal James Collins was the danger man for the visitors to keep quiet but there was to be no reunion with former Robin Joe Morrell who missed out with a hamstring injury for the home side.
With Callum O’Dowda unfit, in came Han-Noah Massengo to bolster the midfield, Zak Vyner shaking off the back spasm that saw him leave the pitch early on Boxing Day and Holden only able to name eight subs due to Opi Edwards picking up a calf strain in training.
And the West Country men started on the front foot as Martin shot at goal from a direct free-kick, with Antoine Semenyo and Tyreeq Bakinson having a real go in the central areas.
Alas, it only lasted 16 minutes as Rea threatened from a corner, Tomas Kalas clearing at the near post, before a second corner flung in by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was converted by Rea, who peeled off at the back post to volley first time past Daniel Bentley, with Kalas looking the likeliest culprit regarding his missing marker. The Robins responded though and went close as Jack Hunt flung over a beaut of an arcing cross for Martin to stretch his neck for but only hit the cross bar. Semenyo twisted and turned on the right and drove low but Simon Sluga was equal to it, with Harry Cornick bypassing the City left flank entirely to almost set up Collins for a chance.
After the break, that opportunity for Collins did come, courtesy of a late Christmas present from Bakinson, but Dan Bentley was out of goal smartly to stop the top scorer for the Hatters, as Collins found time and space with just the goal to find.
The Robins doubled down the punishment as 10 minutes later Semenyo found Wells for the striker to fire low across the goal for Luton captain Bradley to push the ball over his own goal-line via the cross bar in the 61st minute. The visitors deserved their equaliser, but the joy was short lived as just seven minutes later Luton were back in the lead via a low shot from DewsburyHall from 25 yards out.
Bentley maybe could have done better to stop the well-hit shot, but so might Wells as he stabbed a Semenyo cross wide of goal just seconds afterwards as the game became end to end.
Let’s hope for much better in 2021, on and off the pitch.