DIEDHIOU’S HAT TRICK IS A BIG FLOP

FAMARA DIEDHIOU made a hash of his birthday party trick after scoring the second goal in a comfortable Bristol City win.

Having scored from the spot in the 44th minute after Jack Hunt was brought down by Kazenga Lualua, the striker (above) made a beeline for the home dug-out and attempted to don a paper hat.

It looked too small and when Diedhiou tried to pull a party popper, he messed that up too.

Boss Lee Johnson was embarrassed. “It was Famara’s son’s birthday, but I had no idea he was planning that celebration,” he said. “First he pulled a hat from somewhere, which didn’t fit, then his party popper didn’t pop, so it was a disaster all round.

“I was concerned it might seem disrespectful to Luton, so at halftime I used it to make it clear the game was far from over.”

Bristol’s rampaging first-half display began with a fourthminute goal, Niclas Eliasson’s cross bundled in at the far post by the falling Marley Watkins.

The hosts had chances to double their lead before Diedhiou’s confident side-footed spot-kick. And any doubt about the result was ended in the 66th minute when Andreas Weimann fired home at the near post.

Luton were indebted to keeper James Shea for keeping the score down, with fine saves from Watkins and Josh Brownhill.

It was an eighth successive Championship defeat on the road for the Hatters and boss Graeme Jones had no complaints.

He said: “We weren’t coping at the back, so I changed the shape, which worked OK without us ever having a spark in the final third.”