MARTIN IS SENT-OFF ON A BAD DAY FOR THE SWANS
RUSSELL Martin was sent off as Swansea City extended their winless run to four games after slipping to a 1-0 defeat to Luton Town in a bad-tempered contest at Kenilworth Road.
The Swans boss was dismissed following a mass brawl on the touchline involving both dugouts in the final few minutes of the game, which was decided by a first-half strike from Carlton Morris.
Morris had already struck the crossbar with a header before opening the scoring just before half-time, and largely bullied Swansea’s defence for much of the afternoon.
Swansea admittedly improved after the break, but a late Morgan Whittaker effort aside, failed to really test Ethan Horvath in the Luton goal.
The Swans have now won just three of their last 19 league games, and sit 17th in the Championship table. This performance will certainly have done nothing to ease the pressure on Martin, who became public enemy number one with the home crowd after being given his marching orders late on.
Martin made two changes from from the recent draw with Rotherham United, with Jay Fulton replacing skipper Matt Grimes, who missed out due to illness, while Luke Cundle was preferred to Whittaker.
The Swans boss also made the call to bring Jamie Paterson back to the matchday squad for the first time in nearly four months, in what was the biggest pre-match talking point. The forward was introduced midway inside the second half of another disappointing day at the office for the Swans.
Then again, they actually started this contest reasonably well, with Cundle warming the palms of Horvath with an early low drive.
But Luton slowly started to take control.
Elijah Adebayo headed over from Alfie Doughty’s corner, while Morris got his header on target a few min
utes later, but was denied by a fine save from Andy Fisher.
Gabe Osho then fired high over the bar, while Jordan Clark could only poke Doughty’s whipped freekick past the far post, with several orange shirts lurking.
It wasn’t a first half too many neutrals will have been eager to watch again. Indeed, the hardy pocket of Swans fans in the away in Bedfordshire certainly won’t have been rushing home to watch the highlights as Luton took control of what was otherwise a scrappy contest.
Morris very nearly livened things up, rising highest to meet a Doughty corner at the far post, only for his header to kiss the crossbar and go over.
He was was involved again following another well-worked corner a few moments later, this time flicking on for Tom Lockyer, but his header was kept out by Jay Fulton on the line, before Fisher palmed away the scrambled rebound.
Swansea simply could not handle the Luton number nine, who was finally rewarded for his efforts just before half-time, tucking home from close range after Fisher fumbled Doughty’s drilled low cross.
Things went from bad to worse on the stroke of half-time, as Joe Allen, captain for the day, was forced off through injury.
The Swans did show signs of life after the break. Cooper and Joel Piroe both had early snaps at goal, but Horvath still remained largely untroubled as the contest ticked over the hour-mark.
Morris nearly doubled his tally after Fisher was guilty of another fumble, this time from Jordan Clark’s ball, but the striker somehow managed to poke wide.
The Luton number nine then had the Swans keeper scrambling again, firing wide from the edge of the area around 15 minutes from time.
Substitute Liam Cullen had the ball in the net at the other end just moments before that second chance, but was denied by the offside flag.
Paterson was then introduced from the bench as Swansea looked to try and unlock the Hatters’ defence, who had Horvath to thank late on. The keeper producing a smart save to palm away a promising Whittaker effort late on.
Clark nearly eased the nerves of an increasingly jittery home crowd, but saw a low angled effort denied by the foot of the post.
Swansea kept pushing, but after the Luton bench appeared to take exception to a challenge on the near side, an almighty brawl broke out between the two benches, ultimately resulting Martin being dismissed, rounding off another hugely difficult day for the visitors.