JONES WONDERS: AYEW KIDDING ME?
Andre’s late strike snatches victory
LUTON chief Graeme Jones felt hard done by after his side fell to a late goal at home to Swansea, citing two incidents he felt went against his side.
It had looked like the Hatters had done enough to secure a valuable point in their battle against relegation, only for Andre Ayew to find the net with eight minutes to go, for his fourth in three games.
Jones said afterwards: “The big moment is Harry [Cornick] going round the keeper, the ball comes back to George [Moncur], the keeper’s out of his goal, that was the moment we could have won the game.
“The goal comes from, Ryan Tunnicliffe doesn’t stop the cross, it spoons in the air, James Bree gets tripped, I don’t know if you’ve seen it back, he gets tripped I think accidentally, but Ayew runs across and he’s on the floor.
“We’ve done very, very little wrong today and the boys have given absolutely everything and we got beat 1-0.”
The visitors threatened early on, Connor Roberts sending in two efforts from 20 yards that recalled goalkeeper Simon Sluga saved easily.
Striker Ayew cut into the box after 20 minutes, firing into the side-netting, as Luton’s best moment saw Andrew Shinnie half volley off target after a header fell into his path.
The Hatters midfielder came close with his next attempt, forcing Swans keeper Freddie Woodman to tip over his 22 yard blast, before firing another shot across goal, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu unable to stretch to turn it over the line.
In the second half, Town defender Matty Pearson made an excellent block to prevent Borja Baston from breaking the deadlock.
Cornick had a decent opening for the Hatters, screwing wide on his left foot when a cross found him at the far post.
Swans then began to really pile the pressure on, Ayew’s downward header was turned behind by Sluga, with the visitors firing in two shots that deflected just over.
Sluga came out to claim a loose ball as Town were struggling to get out of their own half, before they did finally feature as an attacking force, Cornick rounding Woodman, who had come racing out of his area, but substitute Moncur couldn’t beat the covering visiting defenders on the line.
Shinne was also picked out by Collins’ cross from the right, as he just couldn’t keep his header down at the far post.
Swans thought they had won a penalty when George Byers went over the challenge of the excellent Pearson in the box, only for referee David Webb to book the attacker for diving.
With eight minutes to go, Steve Cooper’s side had the decisive goal, Ayew eluding the Town defence to chest home Jay Fulton’s deflected cross.
Luton tried to find a leveller, even sending Sluga up for two late corners, but to no avail.
Swansea City chief Steve Cooper said: “It was an easy finish, but you’ve got to be there to do that.
“Andre’s got a fantastic knack of being in the right place to score, and I was just glad he was there to nod it in.”