Carlton Morris Penalty Earns Luton First Premier League Point in Wolves Draw

Carlton Morris scored from the penalty spot as Luton Town claimed their first ever Premier League point in a 1-1 home draw with 10-man Wolves. 

The Hatters were awarded a controversial penalty midway through the second half when Issa Kabore’s low shot ricocheted up onto the hand of Joao Gomes. And Morris made no mistake from 12 yards by netting his second Premier League goal - both of which have been penalties.

The visitors were reduced to 10 men before half time when Jean-Ricner Bellegarde kicked out at Luton captain Tom Lockyer, but took a surprise lead five minutes into the second half thanks to Pedro Neto’s excellent solo goal. 

In front of a highly charged Kenilworth Road crowd, Morris was unfortunate not to score from open play in the early stages. The forward shifted the ball onto his right foot and fired a curling shot towards the top right corner, only to see his effort cannon off the post with Jose Sa beaten. 

In an adaptable 5-2-3 formation, Town dominated the first 25 minutes with Alfie Doughty and Chiedozie Ogbene causing Wolves problems with their direct running down the left flank. The former crossed to Jacob Brown on two occasions. The former Stoke man saw his first shot blocked by the imposing Max Kilman, and headed into the arms of Sa moments later.

Ogbene and Doughty combined again on 35 minutes, but the wing-back’s shot - which looked destined to hit the target - hit Morris and bounced clear. 

Wolves had finally begun to settle into the game when Bellegarde took exception to Lockyer’s robust but fair tackle from behind. With the two players in a heap on the floor, the Frenchman - who joined Wolves from Strasbourg this summer in a £12.8m deal -  lost his temper and stamped on Lockyer as he tried to wriggle free. 

The midfielder refused to walk down the tunnel until VAR approved referee Josh Smith’s decision to show a red card, allowing the home fans to taunt him for a second time as he trudged off down the tunnel. 

Wolves were grateful to go into the break level after Craig Dawson’s stray pass left Sa stranded and Ogbene racing to tap into an empty net, only for Kilman to rush back and scramble behind.

The Town fans roared their players off at half time, sensing this was the prime opportunity to claim a first Premier League victory, and Morris came close again when he picked up Nelson Semedo’s loose pass and fed Ogbene. The Irishman chipped back into Morris whose diving header was held by Sa at the second attempt. 

Town’s players and fans - who had been growing in confidence - were silenced by Neto’s strike. Wolves pounced when Marvelous Nakamba was unable to evade the referee to retrieve Doughty’s loose pass. Gomes clipped behind the Luton defence with the outside of his right foot and Neto turned on the pace to beat Lockyer to the ball, cut inside, dance past the retreating Reece Burke and fire high above the helpless Thomas Kaminski.

Town have fallen behind in each of their five Premier League fixtures and Wolves almost doubled their lead when Neto’s deep free-kick was headed towards goal by Mario Lemina and pawed off the line by Kaminski. Kilman was there to convert the rebound but Kaminski saved again, this time with his legs. 

But the hosts were quickly level when Kabore’s left-footed shot was blocked by Gomes’ left foot, only for the ball to divert onto his raised right hand. Taking no mercy, Smith pointed to the spot and VAR surprisingly ruled that the decision should stand. 

At the end of a stuttering run up, Morris struck into the bottom left corner, sending Sa the wrong way and levelling the score. 

Town were to miss a glaring opportunity when Doughty’s low corner arrived at the feet of Nakamba, but the Zimbabwean could only volley harmlessly wide with his weaker left foot.

However, Luton thought they’d scored a late winning goal when substitute Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu’s deflected shot landed at the feet of Ogbene who gratefully struck under Sa and into the net, only to see the linesman’s flag raised for offside. 

Gary O’Neil’s men were fortunate to come away from Kenilworth Road with a point, and they survived one final scare when Sa dropped Burke’s cross at the feet of Cauley Woodrow, but the Town academy graduate could only lob onto the roof of the net. 

At full time Luton manager Rob Edwards, who represented Wanderers as a player, coach and caretaker manager, was left to reflect on an opportunity missed against another club expected to struggle in this season. With upcoming fixtures against Everton and Burnley, the Hatters are under mounting pressure to record their first win.

Carlos Vinicius scores first goal of Premier League season as Fulham edge past Luton

Carlos Vinicius scored from close range to earn Fulham their first home win of the Premier League season, extending luckless Luton’s losing run to four games. 

The Brazilian pounced midway through the second half after Luton keeper Thomas Kaminski spilled Willian’s cross into the danger zone, firing home just three minutes after coming on as a substitute.

The visitors had set out their stall to defend deep and hit their hosts on the counter attack, and they almost struck straight away when Tahith Chong raced half the length of the pitch before firing straight at Bernd Leno. 

Fulham should have taken the lead minutes later, but Andreas Pereira’s in-swinging corner was headed over the bar by Kenny Tete at the front post. The Dutchman’s frustration was clear for all to see as he raced back to his right-back berth. 

Town broke away once again and when Carlton Morris passed to Issa Kabore, the Manchester City loanee had time to look up and cross deep into the Fulham penalty area. The Whites defenders failed to clear their lines, and Morris should have capitalised on this hesitancy, but the forward could only scuff a left-footed volley wide. 

Luton were growing in confidence with debutant Albert Sambi Lokonga adding guile and tenacity to the midfield. In the 27th minute he passed out wide to Kabore who broke forward down the right flank, crossing perfectly for Jacob Brown whose free header from six yards crashed against the post. 

Brown, who was making his first Premier League start, worked tirelessly both in and out of possession, and the former Stoke striker won a free kick in a promising position when he was upended by Issa Diop. Lokonga’s resultant set piece was chipped towards the back post, but attention quickly turned to Morris, who had been felled by Harrison Reed, only for referee Michael Salisbury to wave away the penalty appeal.

While it would have been generous to award Luton a spot kick on this occasion, Luton can consider themselves harshly treated by Salisbury, whose baffling and inconsistent display was epitomised by decisions to book Kaminski for time wasting and Chong for diving. In contrast, Fulham were awarded a soft free kick moments before half time, with Harry Wilson whipping inches wide of the post.

Kabore continued to cause Fulham problems at the beginning of the second half, passing into Brown whose drilled cross was volleyed towards goal by Amari’i Bell. Leno scurried along his goal line and was grateful to grab the ball as Luton were left to rue another missed opportunity.

Fulham enjoyed 77.8% possession throughout the game, the most they have had in a Premier League game since 2003/04, but they were unable to fashion another opportunity until Timothy Castagne’s cross was headed onto the roof of the net by Joao Palhinha. It seemed Luton, who had conceded nine goals in their opening three league games, had found a formula to nullify their opponents.

But Town were undone once again when Willian dribbled down the left flank and crossed from the byline. Town defender Reece Burke stretched as if to head the ball behind, and this movement seemingly distracted Kaminski, who moved late to dive and collect the cross, but could only palm into the path of Vinicius who slammed into the net.

Town players were once again left questioning the officials, who had failed to spot Alex Iwobi controlling the ball with his hand in the lead up to the goal. VAR did not ask Salisbury to review the incident. 

With Luton now chasing the game, Fulham sought to expose the gaps in their defence, and almost doubled their lead when Pereira passed to Willian, but the Brazilian’s shot was deflected behind by Kabore.

 

After Palhinha’s long-range effort flew inches wide of the top right corner, Town manager Rob Edwards decided to introduce Alfie Doughty, Chiedozie Ogbene and Elijah Adebayo, deploying them as the front three in a 4-3-3 formation. 

Ogbene and Adebayo worked together to give the onrushing Kabore a sight of goal, however Castagne stood firm to block his shot and concede a corner. 

Town fans sensed one final chance would arrive in the closing minutes. Kaminski punted all the way through to Adebayo who laid off for the tireless Kabore. His cross was perfectly delivered to Tom Lockyer, with the Town captain sent up to play as a centre-forward as the clock ticked into stoppage time, but he could only glance his header across the box and away from goal. 

As the referee blew full-time on a hard-earned Fulham victory, Town’s players and staff trudged across the pitch in disappointment. For the first time this season, it seemed Rob Edwards’ men truly believed they had done enough to win. 

With this latest result Luton became the first promoted team to lose each of their first for Premier League games since Swindon in 1993-94. While the Hatters seem to be creeping closer to an elusive victory, they must quickly turn performances into points if they are to avoid a humiliating season.

Jarrod Bowen and Kurt Zouma score as West Ham defeat Luton on Kenilworth Road Premier League Homecoming

 Headers from Jarrod Bowen and Kurt Zouma were enough to earn West Ham a 2-1 victory over Luton Town in the Hatters’ first ever Premier League home game, despite a late Mads Andersen goal. 

It was the first time Luton had played a top-flight home match since 1992, but the Hammers spoiled the party at a packed and expanded Kenilworth Road to move top of the embryonic Premier League table. 

The hosts showed positive signs early on, buoyed by the crowd and the compact conditions. Tathith Chong picked the ball up on the left side of midfield and his cross was headed clear by Nayef Aguerd, only for Ross Barkley to volley harmlessly wide. 

Next it was West Ham who probed to open the scoring. Said Benrahma danced down the left flank, adjacent to the Bobbers Stand which had been renovated and rebuilt in just three months following the Hatters’ Championship Play-off final win at Wembley. 

The Algerian’s cross was retrieved by Vladimir Coufal who returned the ball, and after his cross was flicked away by Andersen, Benrahma scuffed his right-footed volley wide. 

Barkley was again at the centre of the action moments later when Ryan Giles’ cross from the left was chested cleverly by the marauding Alfie Doughty. From the edge of the box, Barkley spun but dragged across goal and well wide with his weaker left foot. 

The Hammers moved from back to front quickly when Aguerd spotted Bowen in space and launched upfield. The forward chested and volleyed wide with his right foot, hitting the advertising hoardings behind Thomas Kaminski’s goal. 

Both West Ham and Edson Alvarez were growing in confidence, and the Mexican midfielder found himself on the edge of the Luton box when the home side failed to clear their lines, but his shot was blocked bravely by the diving Andersen. 

In midfield West Ham had seized control, and in the 37th minute made their dominance tell when the classy Lucas Paqueta crossed perfectly for Bowen. who headed through Kaminski and into the net. The Belgian, who has saved Luton so many times already this season, should have shovelled wide instead of into his own net. 

Town bounced back quickly with Carlton Morris passing into Elijah Adebayo, but the Nigerian’s snapshot sailed over Alphonse Areola’s goal and towards the scoreboard; another new addition to Luton’s antiquated stadium. 

The hosts twice came close to levelling before the break, first when Giles’ cross was met by Morris’ looping header, only for the forward’s looping header to land on the roof of Areola’s net. Next, Barkley’s corner from the left was nodded towards goal by Reece Burke, but Chong awkwardly bundled wide. 

West Ham thought they had doubled their lead early in the second half when Antonio laid off to Ederson who fired past Kaminski’s legs. VAR was called into play for the first time in the rickety old ground to disallow the goal, with Antonio adjudged to have been offside in the build up. 

Luton began to take some more risks in pursuit of an equaliser, yet a mistake by Amari’i Bell saw James Ward-Prowse break forward. The new arrival from Southampton crossed for Benrahma at the back post but Barkley and Burke combined to frantically clear the danger. 

Marvelous Nakamba had been found wanting in large parts of Luton’s first two Premier League matches, but the Zimbabwean was a bundle of energy at Kenilworth Road. His hopeful cross confused Areola and Aguerd, culminating in Adebayo bundling wide at the back post. 

Town were gathering some momentum and thought they’s cultivated a prime opportunity to equalise when the endeavour of substitutes Chiedozie Ogbene and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu led to Morris firing into Aguerd. To the disbelief of everyone inside the ground, referee Paul Tierney signalled for a goal kick. Aguerd, who had celebrated his fine last-ditch defending, seemed surprised by the decision. 

David Moyes’ men all but sealed their victory with five minutes of normal time remaining when Ward-Prowse’s corner was delivered expertly onto the head of Kurt Zouma, who rose highest to head in off the post. The defender, who had been catcalled all evening by the home fans in reference to recent disciplinary issues, savoured the moment of celebration in front of his tormentors. 

Luton hit back in the second minute of stoppage time when Bell’s long ball was headed across goal by Morris and into the bottom left corner of the net by Andersen, reviving hopes of a first Premier League point.

The hosts were controversially denied the opportunity to equalise when substitute Cauley Woodrow’s corner was handled by Ward-Prowse at head height. Despite the appeals for a penalty, Tierney and VAR John Brooks allowed play to continue and swiftly blew for full-time, awarding West Ham a hard-fought victory and propelling them to the top of the table.