HOURIHANE MAKES MAD HATTERS PAY
Masina’s last-gasp shot stuns Bluebirds
NATHAN Jones hit out at poor decision making by both his Luton players and the officials after their narrow defeat against promotion-chasing Swansea.
The Hatters conceded the only goal of the game after just three minutes when they failed to defend a long ball over the top for Conor Hourihane to score.
Town then had two penalty appeals turned down by referee Darren Bond in either half, one for handball and the other a seemingly blatant foul on Elijah Adebayo in the area.
Boss Jones said: “A number of factors, decision-making by both officials and players, probably cost us and that’s the frustrating thing as I thought we were excellent for the majority of the game.
“We were the better side. We should have had two penalties, we had some clear-cut chances, one goal disallowed – probably correctly, but it’s marginal – and then so many situations where we should have done better.
“There are so many positives, it’s just hard to see them, as we’ve just lost the game.”
The hosts threatened early on, Matty Pearson’s header from a corner cleared off the line, with Kal Naismith’s follow-up grabbed by keeper Freddie Woodman.
Swansea led with the first attack though, Yan Dhanda getting away on the left, after captain Pearson misjudged a long ball over the top.
He raced down the wing and sent over a low cross that was converted by the unmarked Hourihane for his fifth goal since arriving on loan from Premier League Aston Villa.
Jordan Clark went close to drawing Town level, his curler only narrowly missing the far post, before Dan Potts thought he had equalised when heading home Harry Cornick’s hanging cross, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
Adebayo’s cross-shot was repelled by the legs of Woodman, who then almost handed Luton an equaliser with 20 minutes gone.
His under-hit clearance was straight at Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, who fired a first time response, only for the keeper to get back and palm the ball behind. Just prior to the break, Town defender Potts was carried off after a nasty collision with Hourihane.
After the interval, Cornick was inches away from turning in Adebayo’s excellent cross from the right, as Naismith sent a decent free-kick opportunity over the top from 20 yards. Swansea started to up the tempo ever so slightly, Hourihane looking for his second, shooting straight at Simon Sluga.
Luton were unlucky not to win a penalty when Adebyao was charged over in the box.
Swans sub Jamal Lowe sliced well over on a rare foray forward with Luton searching for an equaliser. Swansea boss Steve Cooper said: “We are happy with the three points, it was a really tough game to play in. Luton don’t lose many games here.
“I am glad we showed quality at the right moment, but in terms of the commitment and attitude – after making five changes, some of which were forced on us – it was brilliant.”
WATFORD manager Xisco Munoz called for calm after Adam Masina’s last-gasp free-kick sparked wild celebrations in Cardiff.
The Bluebirds had resisted wave after wave of pressure in the second period and looked to have held out for a point after Francisco Sierralta’s early own goal was cancelled out by a solo strike from Nathaniel Chalobah.
However, the 94th-minute winner propelled the Hornets into the Championship’s automatic promotion places and ended Mick McCarthy’s 11-game unbeaten run as Cardiff manager.
Emotions spilled over at the end as both teams clashed, with Aden Flint and Sierralta at the centre of hostilities.
“The emotion was top on the pitch, but now we need calm,” said Munoz. “It is an important win from an important game.
“It was an important game because we played against a very tough team, who were fully fit and 11 games without defeat.
“We must have humility and our feet must stay on the ground. If we can continue to work with the same ambition, we will see if we can complete our objective.
“We were brilliant, it is difficult to stop those situations away from home, but we had more possession and clear-cut chances.”
The hosts were forced to come from behind after Sierralta put the ball into his own net after 14 minutes. Ciaron Brown pounced on a loose ball high up the pitch and found Josh Murphy, who had the time and space to roll a teasing ball across the face of goal towards the waiting Kieffer Moore.
Sierralta was forced to intervene, but could only prod the ball
past Daniel Bachmann to gift the hosts the lead. But Hornets captain Chalobah led from the front to orchestrate an immediate response a minute later.
Chalobah picked up possession on the edge of the box after Philip Zinckernagel was dispossessed and used his footwork to fashion space and pick out the bottom corner with a low drive.
Bluebirds goalkeeper Dillon Phillips was forced into a fingertip save to deny Ismaila Sarr’s deflected effort and keep the scores level at half-time.
Munoz’s side continued to assert their dominance with the ball after the interval, but were met with stubborn resistance by the defensive trio of Sean Morrison, Flint and Curtis Nelson.
But the breakthrough finally came seconds before the final whistle after Perry Ng pushed Sarr on the edge of the area.
Masina stepped up and fired a powerful free-kick towards the centre of the goal, but Phillips was deceived by the moving ball and could not prevent it from hitting the back of the net.
Cardiff muscled their way into play-off contention during McCarthy’s stunning start to life in charge, but are now eight points adrift of the top-six places.
But the veteran Bluebirds boss was left fuming with the Watford players and staff after the heated exchanges at the end. “There was a guy who got booked for fouling Flint in the box. He screamed in his face and ran off like a big coward,” said McCarthy.
“Maybe if you go and push Flinty you should stand up and see the recriminations. I’m glad he didn’t, because Flinty might have boxed him and got a red.
“I understand their celebrations at the end, but I do think it’s good to be magnanimous in victory as well. It’s a lot easier to be magnanimous in victory.
“As disappointed as we are, you understand how elated they are. It was very cruel and tough for the lads having worked so hard to keep a good team at bay.
“Then, just at the very end, they get the free-kick and poor Dillon’s wondering how it happened. It’s one of those things, so I won’t be too hard on Dillon.
“Dillon’s saying he should have saved it, if he’s saying that I’m not going to disagree, but he saved two penalties a few weeks ago and we were all patting him on the back. I’ve no recriminations with him whatsoever.”
THOMAS Frank called Ivan Toney’s statistics “crazy” after a “beautiful, ugly” win for his Brentford side at Blackburn.
The Championship’s top scorer was the difference, netting a tenth-minute penalty.
Toney’s all-round play stood out in a game when he hit his 26th league goal of the season, surpassing the contribution of Ollie Watkins last season and Neal Maupay before him.
Frank said Toney is producing numbers only seen from Tottenham’s Harry Kane. He said: “Ivan is good on penalties. He’s playing very well. His link-up play, his pressing game, his ability to create opportunities for his teammates, he’s doing well.
“It’s 26 goals and nine assists. Crazy numbers in this league, but it also shows his all-round game because normally it’s only Kane who produces those numbers.
“It was a very beautiful, ugly win in very difficult cirToney cumstances with the pouring rain and a difficult pitch. We were really good first half and decided to go longer on purpose because Blackburn are a good pressing team.”
Early Bees pressure brought an early opener when Tom Trybull’s loose pass was seized upon and Tariqe Fosu’s trickery bamboozled Darragh Lenihan who, making his 200th Blackburn appearance, conceded a penalty that Toney clinically dispatched.
The Bees continued to press, Mathias Jensen drilled wide, before an even better chance five minutes before the break when Toney’s deft flick found Vitaly Janelt, who fired across the face of goal.
Blackburn rang the halftime changes and it gave them new impetus. Joe Rothwell’s superb ball found Bradley Dack, who fired just wide.
Toney reminded the hosts of his threat in the 59th minute with an audacious free-kick from 50 yards that landed on the roof of the net.
The impressive Rothwell tested David Raya twice in quick succession, first from outside the area and then 20 minutes from time when the ball fell invitingly 12 yards out, but he didn’t connect cleanly.
Blackburn’s search for an equaliser left gaps at the back. Toney had a chance to exploit that, but couldn’t find the target ten minutes from time.
Thomas Kaminski then made a point-blank save to deny Marcus Forss, before hit the side-netting. At the other end, a lengthy stoppage was required after Dack worryingly went down clutching a knee following a collision with Raya.
Blackburn remain closer to the bottom three than the top six and have won just once at Ewood in 2021. Boss Tony Mowbray said: “I didn’t recognise the team first half.
“Second half was more like a team I’d expect if I was a Rovers fan. There’s two penalties, but how the referee hasn’t given them – Ryan Nyambe getting dragged to the ground in the six-yard box and Raya doesn’t see Dack and lunges out a leg.
“Every week we have a poor official, maybe that’s the standard of the Championship.”