First-half goals by Tom Lockyer and Carlton Morris earned Luton a 2-1 victory over Everton at Goodison Park, the Bedfordshire club’s first ever Premier League win.
Rob Edwards’ men, who had amassed just one point in their first five matches, scored twice in seven minutes to stun the disgruntled Goodison Park crowd and record Luton’s first top-flight win since April 1992.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin scrambled in shortly before half time to give Everton hope of a comeback, but the Toffees were made to regret an abundance of missed opportunities.
First Issa Kabore was slow to attack a loose ball and Dwight McNeil lashed wide with a dipping volley from the edge of the box. Next, Abdoulaye Doucoure’ side fence-splitting pass set James Garner away on the right. The Englishman then cut inside and cut inches wide with his left foot.
Another attacking wave resulted in Doucoure laying to Idrissa Gueye on the edge of the box, only for the Senegalese to skew wide.
Town finally responded by attacking down the left side, utilising the pace of Alfie Doughty and Chiedozie Ogbene. Doughty’s out-swinging corner found the head of Tom Lockyer, but the Town captain’s header flew over the bar.
From another corner, Morris connected with Doughty’s delivery, only to see his goal bound header deflect off James Tarkowski.
It was third time lucky for Town and Doughy when he once again picked out Morris from a corner kick. This time his header clattered Adam dr the bar, and when Ashley Young failed to clear the ball, Lockyer showed desire to charge the former Watford man down. To the delight of 3,000 travelling Town fans, the ball rebounded off Lockyer’s outstretched left boot and into the net.
Before Everton could regain their composure, Doughty’s deep free-kick from the left found an unmarked Morris at the back post. With exquisite control, the forward half-volleyed back across goal with the inside of his right foot and into the bottom left corner, sending the away fans into raptures once more.
Town survived a scare when Garner headed against the top of the bar from close range, but Everton managed to halve the deficit on the cusp of half time.
Jordan Pickford’s long goal kick was initially headed clear by Morris, yet Garner retrieved the ball and chipped expertly into Amadou Onana. His close-range effort was saved by Thomas Kaminski, but the ball was eventually smuggled in by Doucoure and Calvert-Lewin.
Despite a lengthy VAR stoppage to check a possible offside, the England striker was eventually awarded the goal and Everton were back in the game.
Town withstood significant pressure at the end of the first half and Calvert-Lewis almost scored his and Everton’s second after the break when his audacious volley rolled wide.
Luton thought they had re-established their two-goal lead minutes later. Doughty was the creator once again. His delicate cross to the back post was headed back across goal by Jacob Brown to Morris who nodded into an empty net. But the linesman quickly raised his flag to indicate Brown had strayed offside.
Town had lost defender Reece Burke and Tom Lockyer to injury, so Sean Dyche sent on Beto to disrupt replacement defenders Mads Andersen and Teden Mengi, and score an elusive equalising goal.
Much to the disbelief of the Gwladys Street End, Beto headed over once again just minutes later after Garner’s deep delivery.
With time running out, Town subs Elijah Adebayo and Cauley Woodrow chased Everton’s players down and defended diligently from the front. And after Town’s makeshift defence cleared yet another long ball, referee Anthony Taylor blew his whistle for a final time.
Jubilant scenes followed, with Rob Edwards and his players gladly accepting the applause from the away fans. With the duck finally broken, Town must approach Tuesday’s visit of fellow relegation rivals Burnley full of confidence.
No comments:
Post a Comment