Hatters left frustrated as Bradford go top with 1-0 victory

Luton suffered their first home defeat since March after they were given a lesson in game management by a Bradford City side who went to the top of the League One table this afternoon courtesy of a 1-0 victory at Kenilworth Road.

The Hatters changed ends trailing to Bobby Pointon’s fourth-minute goal in a first half they gave as good as they got, producing some excellent and incisive passing moves, but couldn’t quite apply the finishing touch.

With more of the same needed after the interval, unfortunately Town then couldn’t replicate what had gone on before, as the Bantams squeezed the life out of them in an incredibly professional display, meaning the tension increased in the stands from the hour mark onwards, jeers beginning to ring out when Luton kept hold of possession, the air then turning toxic following the final whistle, in scenes that might not have looked too far out of place last season.

Prior to the game, Wilshere made one of his biggest calls so far, dropping Irish international Josh Keeley to the bench and recalling the experienced James Shea in his place for his first league start since the 1-0 loss at Exeter City on New Year’s Day. He was one of five changes made, Harrison Ashby back from injury, joining Emilio Lawrence, Kasey Palmer and Jake Richards in returning to the side, as Gideon Kodua, Jamie Donley and Izzy Jones dropped to the bench, Joe Johnson missing out completely.

One good piece of news for Town was that midfielder Jordan Clark was also fit enough to be named in the match-day squad, wearing a mask to protect the jaw he broke almost a month ago against Notts County. The changes didn’t have the desired effect as the Hatters were behind on just four minutes with a goal that certainly won’t win any defensive awards, Shea’s second poor clearance leading to a deep cross from the right by Hayden Matthews, with Ashby allowing the diminutive Pointon to get a free header at the back post that somehow went over the recalled stopper, giving City something to hold on to.

The visitors continued their bright start as on 10 minutes, Callum Connolly let fly with a swerving half volley from 25 yards which saw Shea forced to parry. Luton’s best attack came moments later, George Johnston’s perfectly-weighed ball up the line set Lawrence free, who picked out Richards in the area, his one touch teeing up Palmer to bend narrowly wide from the edge of the box.

Town finally began to build some pressure and momentum, Richards escaping through the lines and when Ashby’s cross was headed out as far as Palmer, he did get his attempt on target this time, but unfortunately straight at Jon McCracken. Just before the half hour, Luton threatened again, Walsh pinching the ball high up and setting Palmer away, his clipped pass to Lawrence leading to a low shot that was ungainly kicked away by McCracken.

Lawrence was having his best game since rejoining the club in the summer, as a neat passing move, demonstrating just what the Hatters are capable of, saw him take the initiative this time and burst into the box, but unfortunately so did a mass of City opponents, his shot charged down. Ibou Touray shot over from 20 yards in a rare Bradford attack, although the home support was up in arms that referee Ross Martin didn’t give a foul on Callum Marshall in the build-up.

The Town striker then thought he might have a sniff of restoring parity on 37 minutes as Luton once more knocked the ball about with conviction, Richards finding Palmer, who slipped a delightful pass through for the Northern Ireland international, but the impressive Aden Baldwin threw himself in the way just as he pulled the trigger.

The Hatters then had another chance just before half time with Walsh threaded a magnificent through ball between the City defence which sent Marshall away, but with McCracken coming out, he hesitated at just the wrong moment that allowed Matt Pennington to get back, demonstrating just why the Bantams, with four clean sheets from six going into the contest, have been just so hard to break down this term.

With Town fans retaking their seats hoping for more of the same in the second period, but with an end product this time, alas they were then served up a 45 minutes which wasn’t what was needed, the Hatters guilty of trying to force things too much, as their hopeful passes ended up getting cut out, only making the frustrations both on the pitch and in the stands grow, Dan Gore booked for a hefty and late challenge.

With precisely nothing to write home about, Bradford more than adept at keeping their opponents at arm's length, Luton’s bench rang the changes with 15 minutes to go, Nahki Wells, Jones and Donley coming on for Gore, Lawrence and Richards, as they left two strikers out there for the first time.

Still it was the Bantams who gave a masterclass in holding on to a 1-0 lead, going down and staying down whenever they felt contact and strangling the life out of proceedings with their experience, ensuring Luton didn’t ever remotely look like scoring, meaning the biggest cheer of the afternoon came when Clark made his return from injury on 66 minutes.

They did finally work McCracken for the first time in the second period with the clock ticking to 90, Clark spreading the play to Izzy Jones and his ball into the box dropped for Kodua to see his angled attempt gathered by the sorely underworked stopper. During stoppage time, an increasingly frustrated and already booked Ashby, who had been getting something of a battering from his former team-mates, with little protection from the officials, made the unwise decision to kick out at an opponent and was shown a second yellow by Ross Martin.

In the final seconds, Town might have snatched a point, with the ball dropping to Clark, but with space then tried the most ambitious attempt to cut across his effort and fly into the bottom corner go wrong, as the final whistle brought more boos from Kenilworth Road, Luton suffering a third loss in defeat in five matches. It meant Town to slipped to 16th in the table, only able to watch on longingly as their opponents celebrated going to the summit with their jubilant travelling supporters.

Hatters: James Shea, Harrison Ashby, Hakeem Odoffin, (Gideon Kodua 84) Mads Andersen, George Johnston, Emilio Lawrence (Izzy Jones 75), Liam Walsh ©, Dan Gore (Nahki Wells 75), Jake Richards (Jamie Donley 75), Kasey Palmer (Jordan Clark 66), Callum Marshall. Subs not used: Josh Keeley, Kal Naismith.

Bantams: Jon McCracken, Ibou Touray, Callum Connolly, Josh Neufville (Kieran Morgan 62), Jake Beesley (Nick Powell 82), Antoni Sarcevic, Aden Baldwin (Macaulay Gillesphey 84), George Pratt, Kayden Jackson, Bobby Pointon (Corey O’Keeffe 84), Matt Pennington. Subs not used: Cameron Dawson, Adam Phillips, Stephen Humphrys. Booked: Connolly 47, Gore 59, Sarcevic 67, Morgan 71, Ashby 83, Gillesphey 90. Sent off: Ashby 90. Referee: Ross Martin. Attendance: 11,647 (1,309 Bantams).