Luton's winning start to League One season is ended by Bradford City

Luton Town's promising start to life in League One came down to earth with a bump as they suffered their first defeat of the season, beaten 2-1 by Bradford City this afternoon.

Although the Hatters hadn't exactly set pulses racing when winning their opening two third tier matches of the campaign, it was assumed the defensive stability, that is so essential at this level, and had been lacking over recent years, had returned, keeping two clean sheets in the process. Sadly there was no evidence of that at Valley Parade, as the hosts were left unmarked not once, but twice, to score from close range, and with Town barely threatening a goal of their own until the final stages, it leaves manager Matt Bloomfield with a whole host of questions to ponder following this 90 minutes

The boss had made three changes from last weekend's 2-0 win at Peterborough United, Mark McGuinness and Lamine Fanne in for their first league starts of the season, as Nigel Lonwijk also started, Christ Makosso suspended, Reuell Walters injured, as was Nahki Wells. Lonwijk started in the left wingback role, in order to keep an eye on ex-Hatter Josh Neufville, with Milli Alli stretching his legs on the right, McGuinness on the right of a back three, Fanne pushed upfield in support of Jerry Yates.

Met by a red-hot atmosphere at a still buoyant Valley Parade following their promotion back to this level after six years away last term, it was important Town tried to take the sting out of the occasion early on, winning a corner that saw George Saville pick out Mads Andersen once more, but he couldn't replicate his effort at the Weston Homes Stadium last weekend, nodding over.

With nine minutes gone, the Bantams were inches away from taking the lead, an increasingly lively Stephen Humphrys able to fashion a shooting opportunity that he put narrowly wide, as Alli gave a free kick away that the hosts turned into a corner, seeing yellow in the process. It was sent in for Humphrys to meet with a glancing header that was well parried away by an alert Josh Keeley, Alli then extremely fortunate to stay on as from the hacked clearance, he caught Ibou Touray with referee Edward Duckworth just about keeping his cards in his pocket.

Matthew Pennington's header was easy for Keeley, but knowing that Alli's next indiscretion and he was off, Bloomfield made sure that decision didn’t become a reality, as he replaced the January signing with summer addition Gideon Kodua, who was getting his first minutes in the league for Luton with just 24 minutes on the clock.

Fanne had a crack that was well blocked, as the tackles started to fly in, Lonwijk cautioned for a full blooded challenge, while Bobby Pointon also saw yellow for the hosts. Town looked like they were just beginning to have the better of things, pressing well to force a loose pass out which saw Saville latch on to the ball, but drag well wide from range.

However, that was then ended when the visitors were breached for the first time in the league this season on 34 minutes, in such a disappointing manner as well. A deflected cross wasn’t dealt with by McGuinness who appeared to want to let it bounce out for a goal kick, but Antoni Sarcevic was there to flick past Andersen and Keeley for the completely unmarked Humphrys who couldn’t miss, and didn’t, tapping into the unguarded net from a yard out.

The goal pepped up Bradford, as you'd expect, and they sensed a second, Max Power's hopeful sidefoot from range well wide of the target. Following a first half in which Luton once again didn't have a shot on target, they were out early for the second yet again, with another alteration, Cohen Bramall making his league debut for the visitors, Lonwijk sacrificed.

However, the Bantams made the sharper start to proceedings and had a second goal after just three minutes, as Bramall's pass out from the back was seized on, the ball transferred to Neufville, whose cross into the middle saw Pointon getting there ahead of Andersen to prod past Keeley. Bloomfield reacted by bringing on Lasse Nordas for Shandon Baptiste as Luton finally started to threaten themselves, Kodua's cross just evading Yates, who had cut a peripheral figure, while Pennington was then forced to nod over his own bar.

Naismith tried to take things into his own hands on 55 minutes, driving forward from his centre half position, but on his right foot, lofted well over as home stopper Sam Walker still hadn't had to make an actual save. Despite starting to dominate possession and territory, Town who had made five changes by the midway point to their hosts’ none, weren't able to do anything with it, Kodua’s skill and cross missing his intended target as the loanee then tried his luck from 30 yards on 70 minutes, woefully wayward.

Walker was finally called upon moments later, Naismith's curling free kick easily parried away, before McGuinness sent in a terrific cross from the right, only to see no-one gamble as it flew across goal. With 12 minutes left, Tyriek Wright almost caught out Keeley but couldn't keep his lob down, the Bantams sub should have scored from closer in after Will Swan squared the ball to him, but a sprawling Town stopper kept his side in it.

Luton then did have a lifeline on 86 minutes as the two wingbacks combined superbly, Bramall doing well to deliver a cross from the left that saw Kodua time his run and towering leap to perfection, sending his downward header beyond Walker and into the net. It meant Bloomfield’s side sensed an unlikely leveller in those closing stages, Nordas trying his luck from the edge of the box, as Walker shovelled uncomfortably behind.

With four minutes of stoppage time, Wright could have put the result beyond Town, only to blaze his third opportunity over the bar, but the visitors weren’t able to get anywhere near forcing an equaliser that they didn’t really deserve, as Luton saw their unbeaten start to the campaign ended.

Bantams: Sam Walker, Ibou Touray, Max Power (C), Josh Neufville, Antoni Sarcevic (Ciaran Kelly 89), Stephen Humphrys (Will Swan 69), Aden Baldwin, Tommy Leigh (Jenson Metcalfe, 78), Bobby Pointon (Tyreik Wright 78), Curtis Tilt, Matthew Pennington. Subs not used: Joe Hilton, Alex Pattison, George Lapslie.

Hatters: Josh Keeley, Nigel Lonwijk (Cohen Bramall 46), Mark McGuinness, Mads Andersen, Kal Naismith (C), Milli Alli (Gideon Kodua 24), George Saville (LIam Walsh 67),Shandon Baptiste (Lasse Nordas 52), Jordan Clark, Lamine Fanne (Zack Nelson 67), Jerry Yates. Subs not used: James Shea, Tom Holmes. Booked: Alli 18, Lonwicjk 25, Pointon 30, Power 82. Referee: Edward Duckworth. Attendance: 20,233 (1,338 Luton).