Johnson mad as the Hatters fly
LEE JOHSON let fly at his “lackadaisical” Bristol City side as they slumped at Luton Town.
Goalless at the break, the Robins’ ten-game unbeaten run was ended by strikes from Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Harry Cornick and an Ashley Williams own goal, as the Robins were defeated for the first time since the opening day.
Boss Johnson said: “I thought we got beat because of Luton’s enthusiasm and too many cheap giveaways from our boys in forward areas and a lackadaisical attitude to release your man, release the ball to your man.
“I can count in my head 50 times where we turned the ball over in good areas.
“Against a side that are as energetic and as bright as Luton, naturally they’ll punish you and they punished us and fully deserved their win.
“Even in the first half, I thought it was a bit too open for both sides. We had some good chances, at half-time we weren’t particularly happy with our defensive work, but quite happy with the work we had done in attacking areas.
“Second half, I just don’t think we did the basics well enough, just as simple as that really.”
The Robins might have gone top had they won, but they were deservedly defeated by the Hatters.
City went close early on as Tommy Rowe’s low shot from outside the box was parried by the recalled James Shea, Town just about clearing the rebound behind.
Mpanzu’s blast was bravely blocked by centre-half Williams, while Ryan Tunnicliffe fired tamely straight at keeper Daniel Bentley. Town were then denied by a post, Izzy Brown’s thunderbolt superbly tipped on to the woodwork by keeper Daniel Bentley.
Luton took the lead in brilliant style when long-serving midfielder Mpanzu curled a sublime effort beyond Bentley for his first goal of the season.
The second swiftly followed, Brown sending Harry Cornick away who beat the offside trap, and then Bentley to make it 2-0 after 62 minutes.
City threw on recent signing Rodri, who had played for Sevilla earlier in his career, and the Spaniard nearly scored with virtually his first touch, Town stopper Shea making a magnificent fingertip save to turn his glancing header on to a post. With time running out, Rodri did have the ball in the net, turning home from close range, but the offside flag was raised.
The Hatters added icing to the cake in stoppage time, breaking with pace from a visiting attack, Tunnicliffe motoring down the left and his cross was diverted past Bentley by City defender Williams to complete a miserable afternoon for the Robins.
Town boss Graeme Jones said: “That was the result of four months’ work, the evidence.
“The tactical aspect is one thing, the application and the courage and the character of the players to execute it, is really, really, satisfying.
“We are capable, we’re starting to show that.”