Embarrassing Hatters are thumped 7-0 by Brentford

A truly dreadful and downright embarrassing performance from the Hatters saw them slump to easily their biggest defeat of the season as they were thumped 7-0 at Brentford this afternoon.

Not only was the final scoreline a shocking one, to make matters worse, Graeme Jones' side lost Izzy Brown to a hamstring injury and then had to play the final 25 minutes with 10 men, as having used all their substitutes, saw one of them, Brendan Galloway, stretchered off.

With 29 minutes on the clock and the Hatters just 1-0 behind, it looked like they at least had a chance of leaving Griffin Park with something, but a crazy spell prior to the break saw those hopes go up in flames, conceding four goals to a red-hot Bees side, who were able to almost score at will.

Town had gone into the contest unchanged for the third game running, after much-improved displays against both Leeds United and Charlton Athletic in their last two outings.

However, they ended up conceding seven for the first time since an FA Cup defeat at Grimsby in January 1996, going down to a biggest league defeat since December 1966, beaten 8-1 at Lincoln.

After what had looked like an even start to proceedings, they found themselves behind on six minutes from a goal of their own making yet again.

A hopeful punt over the top saw Dan Potts underneath it, the full back opting to chest to keeper James Shea, who had already come out of his goal to meet the defender.

The pair got their wires crossed though, as Potts' backpass was out of Shea's reach, allowing attacker Bryan Mbeumo to somehow win the foot-race and slide home from the narrowest of angles.

Luton tried to mount an immediate fightback, Harry Cornick escaping on the right hand side and taking on his defender to fizz in a shot that David Raya turned behind, Hatters only effort on target throughout.

Brentford went close again on 20 minutes, Ethan Pinnock getting clear from a corner to see his downward header blocked away, before Mathias Jensen was narrowly off target from outside the box.

Shea was needed on 26 minutes as Bees cleverly created space for Said Benrahma to go through, the Luton keeper out quickly to block well with his outstretched legs.

However, the stopper was picking the ball out of the net on 29 minutes as Town's defence just stood and watched the hosts pick their passes out, with Benrahma finding Josh Dasilva, who had all the time in the world to tee up Ollie Watkins, his effort deflecting in off Matty Pearson.

That was the prelude to Brentford running riot, the third arriving four minutes later though, the hosts able to move the ball into visitors area with alarming simplicity.

This time Watkins found Jensen and he almost reverse passed the ball beyond a wrong-footed Shea and into the corner.

Henrik Dalsgaard almost made it 4-0 as after getting the better of a struggling Potts, he went to loft the ball over Shea, Town's keeper just getting enough on the shot to divert it behind.

Bees saved their best goal of the half for 39 minutes though as a devastating counter was ended by Josh Dasilva curling a magnificent 20-yarder beyond Shea and into far corner.

Just as Luton were looking to regroup during the break, their appalling first period was complete in stoppage time, with Dasilva hammering through Shea.

Jones made two changes at the break, surprisingly keeping the back four in place, with Shinnie and Cornick replaced by Luke Bolton and Brendan Galloway, before their afternoon got even worse on 52 minutes, Brown going down holding his hamstring after sprinting down the touchline.

The Chelsea midfielder, who is such a huge part of Town's efforts to stay up this term, got to his feet gingerly, but could play no further part, Jacob Butterfield coming on.

Bees could never keep their attacking momentum going in the second half, Dasilva sending one hopeful attempt wide, as the Luton fans were the real stars of the half, going through their full repertoire of chants for former players including Mick Harford, Sol Davis, Alan McCormack and even Enoch Showunmi at one point.

Luton then had to play the final 25 minutes with just 10 men as Galloway, who has struggled so badly with injuries since joining Luton in the summer, went down off the ball and stayed down, as after lengthy treatment, he was stretchered off.

A man light, Town shipped another goal when Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu was penalised for a foul in the area and Benrahma was there to easily send Shea the wrong way for a sixth.

Brentford sliced their way through Town once more with some lovely interchanges, Shea making a fine stop to deny Benrahma from close range, while Mbeumo was inches wide from 20 yards.

A deserved seventh hit Luton's net on 87 minutes when Town conceded their second penalty of the afternoon and Dasilva comfortably converted for his hat-trick.

Despite the result, Hatters stayed out of the relegation zone, with both Wigan and Stoke City also beaten.

Bees: David Raya, Rico Henry, Ethan Pinnock, Christian Norgaard, Mathias Jensen (Jan Zamburek 72), Said Benrahma, Ollie Watkins, Josh Dasilva, Pontus Jansson (Mads Bech Sorenson 62), Bryan Mbeumo, Henrik Dalsgaard (Mads Roerslev 76).

Subs not used: Luke Daniels, Dominic Thompson, Kamohelo Mokotjo, Jaako Oksanen.

Hatters: James Shea, James Bree, Dan Potts, Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley ©, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Andrew Shinnie (Luke Bolton 46), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Izzy Brown (Jacob Butterfield 53), James Collins, Harry Cornick (Brendan Galloway 46).

Subs not used: Simon Sluga, Lloyd Jones, Callum McManaman, Kazenga LuaLua

Referee: Tony Harrington.

Attendance: 11,287.