Morris magic gives hope to Edwards’ bid for promotion
SECOND HELPINGS:
................................. 0
......................................... 2 Morris 45, Woodrow 47
LUTON remain within five points of secondplaced Sheffield United after two goals either side of half-time extended their unbeaten run to 10.
Carlton Morris – who had two loan spells at the South Yorkshire club - put the Hatters ahead when he cut inside in the area and curled the ball home from the tightest of angles for his 18th goal of the season.
The Hatters doubled their lead when they were awarded a penalty 25 seconds into the second half, after Wes Harding handled Cody Drameh’s cross.
Cauley Woodrow stepped up and although Josh Vickers made a superb stop, the forward pounced to fire home the rebound.
The Hatters are third with four games left and have lost just one away game since Rob Edwards took over as head coach in November when they went down to Middlesbrough in his first game in charge.
Edwards said: “We’ve got momentum at the moment. The lads are confident. It’s down to the players, such a hard-working group, there’s a brilliant spirit there.”
Not that their destiny is in their own hands as he added: “Sheffield United are in an amazing position and look very good for second place.
“We’ll keep going, we’ll try and get as many points as we can but if it’s going to be the play-offs we want to take momentum into those games.”
There were no real chances until the 40th minute when Morris narrowly headed over Woodrow’s cross.
The Hatters were pushing forward, finding better positions, with Amari’i Bell creating time and space on the left and Allan Campbell and Tom Lockyer bossing the middle. Bell’s fierce strike was superbly saved at full stretch by Vickers before Morris struck, with the penalty seeing Luton into full control.
Rotherham remain 18th, three points above the drop zone.
Boss Matt Taylor said: “We just weren’t quite good enough. Sometimes you have to hold your hand up and say the opposition were better than us.”
ROTHERHAM: Vickers 7; Peltier 6 (Bramall (58) 6), Humphreys 7, Blackett 6 (Wood (68) 7); Harding 6, Lindsay 6, Coventry 6 (Rathbone (52) 6), Fosu 6, (Kelly (68) 6), Hjelde 6 (Quina (52) 6); Ogbene 6, Hugill 6 LUTON: Horvath 7; Drameh 7, Burke 7 (Freeman (86) 5), Lockyer 7, Bradley 7, Bell 8; Nakamba 7, Mpanzu 7, Campbell 8, Woodrow 7 (Berry (70) 6), Morris 8, (Taylor (66) 6) STAR MAN: Carlton Morris – caused problems with a combination of quality play and a physical threat. REF: Leigh Doughty 7