Hatters’ mad rise rolls on
Cheeky Cornick fires Luton into play-offs
LUTON were a non-League club eight years ago but the goal that took them three games away from the Premier League came after some comical Sunday League goalkeeping.
‘Did you see the goal? No, neither did I,’ was the talk of the terraces at half-time. Neither did Sky Sports, busy showing replays of missed Luton chances.
But whether fans saw it or not, Harry Cornick’s goal will go down in Hatters folklore as one that edged little old Luton Town closer to the glitz and glamour of the world’s richest league.
Reading keeper Orjan Nyland had the ball in his grasp and placed it on the floor, about to launch it up field to see his team go into the break level.
Cornick had lingered — hid, almost — behind Nyland’s goal and as the Norwegian placed it down, the striker nipped in, stole the ball and easily slotted home.
And with news spreading of seventh-placed Middlesbrough’s demise at Preston, a play-off spot was all but confirmed.
‘I saw the goalie had rolled it out and kicked it a few times so I just thought I would try my luck and lo and behold it worked,’ said Cornick, who joined the club in League Two. ‘Reading fans were screaming “Man on!” — I thought they were going to give the game away but he didn’t hear them!’
What a remarkable story this is. The club’s rise has come at a pace that fans would scarcely believe if they had not plummeted down the leagues at a similar rate.
Ten years ago to the day, they tussled with Wrexham in the National League play-offs but ultimately missed out, as they did four times before finally cracking promotion at the fifth attempt.
Young boss and former player Nathan Jones was headhunted from Brighton’s coaching team and has been the face of their rise to the Championship across two stints at the club, with help from trusted lieutenant and club legend Mick Harford as well as Graeme Jones along the way.
‘I told my lads to just win the game and focus on us — Boro could have won 100-0 and we would still be in the play-offs,’ said Jones.
Jones was voted the league’s manager of the season among a strong field including Nottingham Forest’s Steve Cooper and Marco Silva, who has smashed records with Fulham.
That is illustrative of how Luton’s position is no fluke. They have made Kenilworth Road a fortress and have shown resilience to battle back from setbacks.
They did just that here. Let us not forget they were smashed 7-0 by champions Fulham on Monday, a scoreline which could have easily crept into double figures.
Jones’s side have not lost back-toback games since November, following up every loss since then with a win. That trend never looked in doubt of continuing.
After 30 seconds, Luton’s Jordan Clark twice won possession high up the pitch and threaded Cameron Jerome through on goal, but the veteran forward shot straight at Nyland.
Luton’s dominance continued and, as the clock ticked towards halftime, one wondered if their missed chances would haunt them.
But then Nyland ignored rule
number one of the goalkeepers’ guidebook — check behind you when placing the ball down — and Cornick made no mistake in slotting home.
Jerome rattled the crossbar in the second half as Luton continued to press for a second but Reading defended well.
The atmosphere here was electric as fans roared Luton over the line. They will need that again on Friday night against Huddersfield.
‘With the lowest budget in the league — and a budget dwarfed by the rest of the top six — I am so proud,’ added Jones.
‘I won’t play this down; it’s a wonderful achievement. We believed we could do it from day one. But we haven’t stopped yet, this is not the pinnacle.’
They enter the play-offs as underdogs but, given their history of punching above their weight, underestimate Luton Town at your peril.