Mpanzu the hero as Luton heap more misery on Owls

Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu was the hero as Luton added to Sheffield Wednesday's wretched home form with the only goal of the game at Hillsborough this afternoon.

A match that Town really deserved to be leading was finely balanced going into the last 20 minutes, before a crucial few minutes ultimately changed proceedings.

Owls defender Joost van Aken saw a straight red for a high challenge on Mpanzu as he looked to break from inside his own half, before the midfielder made the hosts pay with a cool finish into the bottom corner moments later to ensure Luton took all three points.

It redeemed Mpanzu from a glorious first half opportunity that he missed when clean through on goal, keeping the hosts on minus four points as well, stretching their winless run on home soil to 11 matches, moving Town back up to ninth in the table.

Luton boss Nathan Jones made four changes to his side from the 2-0 defeat at Millwall on Tuesday night, with Tom Lockyer, Joe Morrell and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in for their full league debuts, Elliot Lee also back.

Dropping to the bench were Kazenga LuaLua, Luke Berry and Jordan Clark, joined by deadline day signing Sam Nombe, with Glen Rea missing out altogether.

Luton striker Danny Hylton almost ended his long wait for a goal in the first 20 seconds, as after beating his marker, he went past keeper Cameron Dawson and pulled the trigger on his left foot, only to see defender Aden Flint back in time to pull off a superb goal-line block.

Owls also started well in an end-to-end opening, Elias Kachunga looking dangerous on the left hand side, with two efforts blocked, as ex-Hatter Jack Marriott's attempt was deflected away, van Aken's header clearing the bar.

Kachunga's next effort was easy for Simon Sluga, before Lockyer, who showed an impressive array of passing throughout, lofted a ball over for Hylton, stopper Dawson out to head clear.

The centre half almost broke the deadlock himself with 15 minutes gone, an angled volley after Dewsbury-Hall's free kick dropped to him, falling a yard or so wide, with a revitalised Hylton just unable to divert Rhys Norrington-Davies' cross in.

Moses Odubajo couldn't test Sluga, but Town should have been ahead on 24 minutes, creating the chance of the half, thanks to Lee's marvellous vision to pick out Mpanzu's run, sending him clean through.

The midfielder steadied himself, and only had to beat the keeper, which he did, but saw his radar awry, somehow missing the target.

There was always the worry that after such a dominating first period, Luton would be made to rue their inability to score as they had against Stoke City last weekend, the Owls coming out strongly after the interval.

Keeper Sluga was a busy man to begin with, punching Barry Bannan's dangerous inswinging corner clear, palming aside a header from van Aken and gathering Callum Paterson's effort.

Luton regrouped as they looked to make the most of the gaps opening up in the Wednesday half, Mpanzu, constantly running beyond Hylton and giving his team-mates an out ball, as he was tripped when about to shoot on the edge of the box, Lee driving the resulting free kick into the stands.

Bannan also couldn't keep his rasping effort down from further out, before Owls had the ball in the net on 68 minutes, Flint thundering a header home at the far post from Bannan's corner but the goal was ruled out for an infringement inside the area.

The Owls were then reduced to 10 men with 19 minutes to go when defender van Aken was dismissed for his high tackle on Mpanzu.

Town then made it a double whammy for Garry Monk's side as they went up the other end to move in front just three minute later, Norrington-Davies' cross cleared out as far as Mpanzu, who transferred on to his left foot and drilled low beyond Dawson for his second goal of the season.

Hatters had a great chance to extend their lead, a break by substitute Kazenga LuaLua finding the overlapping Norrington-Davies, whose dinked delivery clipped the top of the bar on its way behind.

Luton could count themselves slightly unlucky not to concede a penalty in the 87th minute when Cranie appeared to bring down Kadeem Harris as he looked to reach a ball into the area, but Geoff Eltringham didn't take the opportunity to try and even up proceedings by awarding a spot-kick.

The visitors almost added to their tally in the closing seconds, Ryan Tunnicliffe off the bench and winning possession back, but rather than play in the lurking Hylton, he took aim himself, hitting the outside of the post from 20 yards.

In the dying moments, Town had to withstand some pressure from either flanks, Adam Reach in particular a constant menace, but they did just that to claim an excellent clean sheet and away day victory.

Owls: Cameron Dawson, Joost van Aken, Callum Paterson (Josh Windass 65), Aden Flint, Kadeem Harris, Joey Pelupessy (Jordan Rhodes 80), Jack Marriott (Julian Borner 75), Barry Bannan ©, Adam Reach, Moses Odubajo, Elias Kachunga.

Subs not used: Joe Wildsmith, Liam Palmer, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Alex Hunt.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley ©, Tom Lockyer, Rhys Norrington-Davies, Martin Cranie, Joe Morrell (Ryan Tunnicliffe 90), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Elliot Lee (Kazenga LuaLua 69), Danny Hylton.

Subs not used: James Shea, George Moncur, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Luke Berry, Jordan Clark, Sam Nombe.

Booked: Odubajo 60, Cranie 90.

Sent off: van Aken 71.

Referee: Geoff Eltringham.