Hornets’ promotion party on ice
HATTERS HAVE A BALL HALTING THEIR BIG RIVALS
JAMES COLLINS scored with his very first touch so Hatters fans could party like it was 1993.
Collins came off the bench to slot home the penalty that condemned promotion-chasing Watford to a first Kenilworth Road reverse in 28 years.
It was fully deserved too as second-placed Hornets were over-run by their local rivals, who had not hosted this fixture since 2006.
Luton boss Nathan Jones said: “I know how much a big win means to everyone here. We have 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 was not their day when Adam Masina felt ill in the warm-up and had to be replaced by Achraf Lazaar for a first Hornets start.
The Hatters had plenty of chances to go in the break comfortably ahead but took none of them.
Luke Berry saw an overhead kick saved straight away by Daniel Bachmann, skipper Sonny Bradley went close three times and setpiece specialist Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall twice. PellyRuddock 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.
The Hornets were better organised after the break but were undone in the 75th
VITAL STATS
LUTON WATFORD 2 ........ Shots on Target ........ 0 11 ........ Shots off Target ......... 3 6 ................ Corners ................. 3 12 ................. Fouls .................. 16 0 ............... Offsides ................. 2 64.4 ..Passing Success % ...... 60 340 ...... Total Passes ........ 325 51.5 ..... Possession % ..... 48.5 53.5..Territorial Adv % ..46.5
minute when Bachmann came charging out and upended Elijah Adebayo in 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 sub Andre Gray stooped to head into the Luton net only for a raised flag to rule it out. Hornets
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 90); Clark 7, Dewsbury-Hall 7, Mpanzu 7, Berry 7 (Rea 83), LuaLua 6; Adebayo 6 (Collins 77).
Unused subs: Shea, Cranie, Tunnicliffe, Moncur, Morrell, Pereira.
WATFORD: Bachmann 5; Femenia 5, TroostEkong 6, Sierralta 6, Lazaar 6 (Gray 82); Hughes 7, Sanchez 5 (Cleverley 61, 6), Zinckernagel 5 (Success 46, 5); Sarr 6, Pedro 6, Sema 6 (Hungbo 79). Unused subs: Foster, Cathcart, Gosling, Navarro, Kabasele.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Kal Naismith. Kept Ismaila Sarr quiet and attacked the Hornets as well. REFEREE: Gavin Ward 6.