Luton's unbeaten record under the Kenilworth Road lights is ended by QPR

Luton Town's proud and lengthy unbeaten run under the lights at Kenilworth Road was ended this evening after not just a bad day at the office, but a pretty shocking one, as they lost out 2-0 to QPR.

The Hatters hadn't tasted defeat on home soil during a midweek league game in just under three years, going back to a game with Wycombe Wanderers on January 30, 2018, a run spanning 19 matches.

Town had defeated the likes of Norwich City, Blackburn Rovers and Portsmouth in that time, but from the early stages it was clear they were going to struggle against a Rangers side who often enjoy the better of things between these two sides in recent times, Luton winning just twice in their 22 previous meetings.

Although the visitors came into the contest with just four wins all season, their last was back on November 24, some 10 matches ago, they always looked the more likely to triumph, Town seemingly unable to awaken from a slumber that engulfed them all game.

Passes went astray, mistakes crept in, and Nathan Jones' looked a shadow of the team who were nursing a seven game unbeaten run at Kenilworth Road themselves.

The boss made three changes from the last league game, James Bree starting only a second Championship match of the season, with Kazenga LuaLua back in for the first time since October, Dan Potts also included after Rhys Norrington-Davies was recalled by Sheffield United and sent to Stoke City.

Visiting winger Bright Osayi-Samuel was a real menace during the 1-1 draw last season, and showed he had lost none of his menace, setting off on a run from inside his own half, unleashing a cross shot that required parrying by Simon Sluga.

Town showed their own inventive wing-play though, Harry Cornick reaching the by-line, his low ball cannoning off Geoff Cameron's defender's foot, with Seny Dieng reacting well to save with his legs.

Luton pressed again, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall slipping Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu away on the left, whose dinked cross was met by a visiting defender, with Bree's header back fired over by James Collins.

Recent addition from West Bromwich Albion Charlie Austin sent a shot at Sluga from 20 yards, the vastly experienced striker then meeting Todd Kane's cross with a glancing header that the Croatian collected.

The visitors were having by far the better of proceedings, and should have gone ahead on the half hour when Lyndon Dykes went clean through, but a poor first touch forced him wide, Sluga saving with his legs.

Town reacted to create a first real moment of danger since the opening stages, Dewsbury-Hall picking out the run of Potts, whose right-footed attempt was straight at Dieng.

Austin continued to look increasingly full of beans, his powerful charge forward seeing Kane drag a volley across goal and behind.

The goal that QPR had been threatening from very early on finally arrived with 38 minutes gone through a strike of alarming simplicity, Cameron flicking a corner on and Austin nodding home from a matter of yards.

After a dire first half in which Town were nowhere near the levels they had previously produced on home soil, they still had a glorious chance to immediately put that behind them and restore parity when a fortunate rebound sent Collins clean through, however, on his left foot, he sliced horribly, horribly wide.

Potts then blazed ambitiously over from range, but Luton were finally gaining some kind of a foothold, although the poor finishing was catching, Dewsbury-Hall shanking woefully wide from 20 yards.

QPR continued fashioning opportunities which would have surely put the contest to bed, Ilias Chair going through after another error saw Luton give the ball away once more, unable to get the power to beat Sluga.

Mpanzu was inches away from a leveller on 70 minutes, his curling attempt from the edge of the area appearing to clip the frame of the goal on its way behind.

Once more Rangers might have put the game beyond Town, Rob Dickie rising highest from a corner, planting his firm header over.

Despite the well below par efforts he was witnessing from his side, Jones waited until the 77th minute to make his first switch, Sam Nombe introduced, a triple change occurring moments later, Danny Hylton, George Moncur and Luke Berry all tasked with righting the wrongs that went before them.

Town almost forced an equaliser with three minutes left, Dewsbury-Hall's low curler palmed away by Dieng, before it was well and truly game over soon afterwards.

Rangers broke with real precision and Albert Adomah picked out fellow sub Macauley Bonne to sidefoot beyond Sluga, completing a thoroughly deserved victory.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, James Bree Dan Potts (Sam Nombe 77), Tom Lockyer, Sonny Bradley ©, Glen Rea , Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (Luke Berry 83), Kazenga LuaLua (George Moncur 83), Harry Cornick, James Collins (Danny Hylton 83).

Subs not used: Brendan Galloway, Peter Kioso, Jordan Clark, Ryan Tunnicliffe, James Shea.

Rangers: Seny Dieng, Todd Kane, Rob Dickie, Yoann Barbet, Lyndon Dykes (Charlie Kelman 90), Ilias Chair (Albert Adomah 74), Bright Osayi-Samuel, Dominic Ball, Geoff Cameron, Tom Carroll, Charlie Austin (Macualey Bonne 59).

Subs not used: Joe Lumley, George Thomas, Chris Willock, Conor Masterson. Niko Hamalainen, Faysal Bettache.

Bookings: Bonne 90.

Referee: Andy Woolmer.