Hatters outclassed by Bluebirds as away day misery continues

Luton failed to prevent leaders Cardiff City from continuing their seemingly inevitable push for an instant return to the Championship when falling to an all too obvious 3-1 defeat this afternoon.

With manager Jack Wilshere having spoken in the week about wanting his side to use the game as a marker to see just how far they had come during his tenure, it quickly became quite that it is not as far as the boss had wanted, such was the ease at which the Bluebirds made it 11 unbeaten on home soil, securing a 10th victory in the process, with a scintillating first half display that did all the damage.

Town meanwhile saw their wretched run on the road stretch to a seventh winless game, losing for a fifth successive time, as although they improved in the second period, it was clear their opponents were in cruise control, while still going on to create the better chances. Ahead of kick-off, the Hatters made one change, Izzy Jones in for his first start since early November, Shayden Morris dropping to the bench, but a confident Cardiff demonstrated their threat early on, Ollie Tanner left in acres of space just outside the box to curl inches wide.

He then had another crack that was deflected behind for a corner which was eventually cleared to Joel Bagan some 25 yards from goal who took aim, his shot flying through a crowd of players, Josh Keeley reacting superbly to get down to his left and palm the ball away, with the rebound slammed over.

Town didn’t heed the early warnings though and were undone in the simplest of fashion on 11 minutes as Joel Colwill was able to bump his way into the area and despite having three opposition players around him, picked out the completely unmarked David Turnbull who stroked into the bottom corner from 10 yards.

Kasey Palmer sliced wide from range, but Town’s first real moment of danger on 20 minutes saw Devante Cole pick the ball up in a deep-lying position and play a wonderful sliderule pass to release Jones who had got the wrong side of Bagan. Speeding into the box, the winger was then brought down by the defender as after considering the appeals for a few seconds, referee Ollie Yates awarded the penalty and booked Bagan.

With Jones and the entire Town bench enraged a red hadn’t been brandished, the attacker also cautioned for his objections, skipper Jordan Clark stepped forward to abandon the stuttering run-up he had previously deployed, striding forward and powerfully picking out the side-netting to score his ninth of the campaign, notching the Hatters' first goal on the road since before Christmas.

Midway through the half and Town were under pressure once more, as a cross saw Keeley bravely parry away and appeared to injure his arm, but realising no decision was forthcoming, got up to repel Calum Chambers’ fierce drive. Luton’s efforts at getting through to half time on level terms were rocked on 37 minutes though as Keeley’s pass out to Palmer saw the midfielder’s first touch elude him, Colwill nipping in to motor through the middle of Town’s defence and catch the keeper out to shoot into the bottom corner.

The rest of the opening 45 was a real struggle for the visitors as Cardiff’s class shone through, grabbing a third in style when Perry Ng was given all the time in the world to hammer a brilliant shot into the roof of the net from 25 yards. City pressed for a fourth and might have had it too, Gideon Kodua's hand getting in the way of Ng’s shot which saw it blocked behind, as Palmer tried to score from the half-way line which summed up the Hatters’ efforts as it was well wide.

Still there were chances for the Bluebirds, ex-Hatter Gabe Osho heading against the bar and Tanner’s blast hitting Teden Mengi, falling just wide, as Turnbull also glanced off target, Wilshere’s side thankful to hear the half time whistle. The Town manager brought on Ali Al-Hamadi for the second period as they moved to a 4-4-2 formation in an attempt to halt the onslaught, with Richards on the right and Jones over on the left.

The switch allowed the visitors to have more of the ball, Bagan lucky not to see a second yellow for clipping Richards, quickly substituted due to an apparent injury, while Clark and Nigel Lonwijk had chances to cross that couldn’t pick out a team-mate in the box. Chambers, always eager to have a go at goal, dragged wide from range, as the Hatters sent on Nahki Wells and Morris for Cole and Joe Johnson, with Al-Hamadi almost escaped the back-line only for Osho to skillfully prevent him from doing so.

Despite Luton’s improved territory, it was always Cardiff who looked the more likely, Keeley smartly parrying away from Willock at his near post. Deadline day signing Davy van den Berg came on for his second outing, involved in a great opportuniy to halve the deficit, only for some miscommunication with Clark lead to the move going astray.

Morris sprinted past his man on the wing and saw his cross tipped away from Al-Hamadi by the outstretched gloves of Nathan Trott, but that was about as close as it got for the Hatters, who were indebted to a terrific stop from Keeley in stoppage time to prevent Callum Robinson from extending the hosts’ advantage.

Bluebirds: Nathan Trott, Joel Bagan (Ronan Kpakio 55), Gabe Osho, Omari Kellyman (Callum Robinson 69), Ollie Tanner, Calum Chambers ©, David Turnbull, Chris Willock (Cian Ashford 69), Alex Robertson (Dylan Lawlor 89), Joel Colwill (Rubin Colwill 69), Perry Ng. Subs not used: Harry Tyrer, Will Fish.

Hatters: Josh Keeley, Nigel Lonwijk, Mads Andersen, Teden Mengi, Joe Johnson (Shayden Morris 66), Kasey Palmer, Jordan Clark (C), Gideon Kodua (Ali Al-Hamadi 46), Izzy Jones, Jake Richards (Davy van den Berg 73), Devante Cole (Nahki Wells 66). Subs not used: James Shea, Kal Naismith, George Saville. Booked: Turnbull 14; Bagan 18; Lonwijk 45; Trott 64; Palmer 76. Referee: Ollie Yates. Attendance: 19,524 (890 Hatters).