HATTERS ECSTATIC
Wait for derby win is over
JAMES COLLINS scored with his very first touch so Hatters fans could party like it was 1993.
Sub Collins came off the bench to slot home the penalty that condemned Watford to a first Kenilworth Road reverse in 28 years.
It was fully deserved too as the second-placed Hornets were overrun from the first whistle by their local rivals, who hadn’t hosted this fixture since 2006.
Luton boss Nathan Jones said: “I know how much a big win means to everyone here.
“We waited quite a long time – it’s 15 years since we’ve played this fixture here.
“Watford didn’t get a kick in the first 45 minutes – if there had been fans here that could have been four, five or six.”
Watford had an inkling it wasn’t their day when Adam Masina felt ill and had to be replaced by Achraf Lazaar for a first Hornets start.
The Hatters had plenty of chances to go in at the break comfortably ahead but took none of them.
Luke Berry saw an overhead kick saved straight away, skipper Sonny Bradley went close three times as did set-piece specialist Kiernan DewsburyHall, twice.
Berry forced Hornets keeper Daniel Bachmann into a save before being penalised for handball.
And Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu was guilty of thumping the best of the lot over the bar from close range.
Watford offered nothing but tame efforts from Will Hughes and Philip Zinckernagel in return and the half ended with Matty Pearson heading another decent Hatters chance over.
The Hornets were better organised after the break but were undone in the 75th minute when Bachmann came charging out and succeeded only in upending Elijah Adebayo on the edge of the box.
Francisco Sierralta was booked for scuffing up the spot while the Luton striker was helped off the pitch.
Collins replaced him and coolly slotted home the spot-kick.
Kiko Femenia was sent off in the 88th minute for a repeat of his first yellow-card offence – barging Kazenga LuaLua over on the chase.
And there was still time for an extra slice of drama when Hornets substitute Andre Gray stooped to head into the Luton net, only for a raised flag to rule it out.
Watford boss Xisco Munoz said: “To the fans I can say that we know it was not the best performance.
“But the message is that now is the moment for us to stick together because we have worked very hard to be in this situation.”
LUTON: Sluga 6; Bree 7, Pearson 7, Bradley 7, Naismith 8 (Potts 90th); Clark 7, Dewsbury-Hall 7, Mpanzu 7, Berry 7 (Rea 83rd), LuaLua 6; Adebayo 6 (Collins 77th)
WATFORD: Bachmann 5; Femenia 5, TroostEkong 6, Sierralta 6, Lazaar 6 (Gray 82nd); Hughes 7, Sanchez 5 (Cleverley (61st) 6), Zinckernagel 5 (Success (46th) 5); Sarr 6, Pedro 6, Sema 6 (Hungbo 79th)
STAR MAN: Kal Naismith
REF: G Ward