Luton stun Norwich as crowds mark return to English football
LONDON: Championship leaders Norwich were handed a shock 3-1 loss by Luton at Kenilworth Road in a match that saw limited crowds return to English football in the lower leagues on Wednesday.
Luton’s home crowd were thrilled as Maty Pearson and a penalty from James Collins secured victory for the Haters ater Norwich’s Emi Buendia had cancelled out George Moncur’s opener.
Defeat leaves Norwich just a point clear of Bournemouth at the top of the table with the top seven separated by just two points.
Areas of England in tier two zones are now allowed up to 2,000 fans with six matches across the Championship, League One and League Two welcoming back supporters on the first day since a four-week lockdown was lited.
Waford and Reading failed to take full advantage of the Canaries’ slip-up to move top as they were held to draws by lowly Notingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday respectively.
Duncan Watmore struck twice as Neil Warnock’s Middlesbrough claimed a 2-1 victory over Swansea at the Riverside Stadium to move up to 10th.
Adam Armstrong hit a 90th-minute winner as Blackburn snatched a 2-1 victory over Millwall at Ewood Park to edge to within two points of the playoff places.
Stoke are also back in the promotion hunt as Nick Powell made it an unhappy night for the fans admited at Adams Park as he scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over Wycombe to leave his team three points off the top.
However, not everyone was happy to see the return of spectators as Charlton boss Lee Bowyer complained of the negative reaction to his side’s 1-0 home defeat to MK Dons in League One.
“It was very quiet, except for some negative shouting,” Bowyer told the Evening Standard. “Sometimes the players need a bit of help. It wasn’t what I expected because they don’t stop singing normally.
“I’d have liked for it to have been a bit more positive from the fans. We need them to be positive and pick the lads up when it’s not going well.”