3/1 To Win
Derby County succumbed to two late goals at Kenilworth
Road as Luton Town hit back to claim a 2-1 in the Sky Bet Championship on Friday night.
Valiant defending, with Nat Phillips, Callum Elder and Jacob Widell Zetterström all making crucial goal-denying actions, saw the game remain at 0-0 until the hour mark, whenn Kayden Jackson’s headed goal gave Derby the lead in Bedfordshire.
But two late goals with Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu's deflected effort off Tom Holmes and Carlton Morris, also via a deflection, getting on the scoresheet saw the Hatters perform a turnaround and take maximum points.
Key Moments
Sonny Bradley captained the Rams against his former club - he made 175 appearances for Luton before joining Derby in July 2023.
Striker Morris came close for the hosts as he connected with Jordan Clark’s free-kick delivery to the near post in the fifth minute. Morris ghosted into a clear position in front of the goal but could only nod the ball wide of the mark.
The first 15 minutes of the game saw both teams looking to establish dominance but neither side was able to take control of the match with possession frequently changing hands without yielding chances.
Phillips performed an interception as Morris bore down on goal in the 18th minute. The ball bounced in the air and the defender saw the ball away to deny a hooting chance. The ball was quickly swung back into the box but goalkeeper Zetterström got down low to save as it headed towards goal.
Moments later Jerry Yates was found in space to perform a counter-attack. The Rams’ striker fizzed a dangerous low cross into the penalty area from the right flank but couldn’t find a Derby player in the box to have a shooting chance.
Luton winger Tahith Chong went on a marauding run towards goal in the 22nd minute but some dogged defending from Elder saw the ball out of danger as he tracked the pacey attacker into the box and performed a well-timed block to clear Derby’s lines.
Promising wing-play between Yates, Kane Wilson and Kenzo Goudmijn looked to fashion a goalscoring chance on multiple occasions with the trio creating crossing opportunities - but Luton’s defence remained solid to quell any clear-cut efforts.
Elder was on hand again with a vital sliding challenge as he put his body on the line to thwart Jacob Brown who looked to strike on goal from 12 yards out in the 34th minute when the ball bounced towards him in the penalty box.
A long-range strike from Chong flattered to deceive a minute later, as he curled the ball from the edge of the box, but it flew wide of the post.
Derby had the final chance of the half after tenacious pressing from Yates won the ball high up the field and allowed Osborn to find Ebou Adams emerge at the back post, but the ball was nudged wide by a defender.
Jackson had the Rams’ first opportunity of the first half. Yates teed up Jackson on the edge of the penalty area in the 51st minute and his low-driven strike forced Luton goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski to get down low to make a save.
Elijah Adebayo came close for the hosts at the other end of the pitch as a high cross to the back post was met by the head of the striker, but he directed the ball to the wrong side of the post.
A fast passage of play in the 55th minute fashioned a chance for Wilson to strike at the far post; Goudmijn found Yates to flick the ball onto Elder on the left flank who drove the ball low and found Wilson, but the Hatters’ defenders were alert to block the shooting chance.
Derby took the lead as Wilson whipped a ball in the box for Jackson to head with composure beyond Kaminski in the Luton goal.
Phillips was again the defensive hero for Derby as Adebayo looked for an immediate response from kick-off. He twice blocked the striker’s efforts from close range and saw the ball go behind to give Luton a corner.
Zetterström was next to step up as he made a fingertip save from the resulting corner as Morris connected with a powerful header towards goal.
The Rams’ first change of the night came when Sonny Bradley departed the field to applause from around the ground in the 61st minute, with Craig Forsyth entering the field of play.
Derby looked dangerous on the break as Jackson sprinted beyond Luton’s back line in the 64th minute and squared the ball to Goudmijn who looked to steer the ball low into the bottom corner, but Kaminski was alert and made a vital stop.
Warne's next changes came in the 78th minute with
Yates and Jackson making way for Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and James Collins. Goudmijn also made way for Marcus Harness six minutes later - as the Rams looked to solidify their one goal advantage.
Mpanzu drew the game level in the 89th minute as he connected with the ball on the edge of the area and saw it take a deflection off Holmes to evade the goalkeeper and go into the net.
The hosts had the lead minutes later as Zetterström saved a strike
well but couldn’t deny Morris’ follow up that saw Luton in front as the ball was deflected beyond the shot-stopper to inflict a harsh defeat on the Rams.
The Teams
Luton Town: Kaminski (GK), Andersen (Johnson 86), McGuinness, Moses (Nelson 69), Krauß (Mpanzu 69), Morris (C), Adebayo, Chong, Clark (Taylor 86), Brown (Woodrow 69), Holmes.
Unused Substitutes: Krul (GK), Nakamba, Pieters, Chigozie.
Derby County: Zetterström (GK), Wilson, Phillips, Nelson, Bradley (C) (Forsyth 61), Elder, Osborn, Goudmijn (Harness 84), Adams, Jackson (Mendez-Laing 78), Yates (Collins 78).
Unused Substitutes: Vickers (GK), Ward, Barkhuizen, Blackett-Taylor, Brown.
Referee: Andrew Kitchen
Assistant Referees: Shaun Hudson, Robert Hyde
Fourth Official: Ben Toner
What’s Next?
Derby will return to action in the Sky Bet Championship for football under the lights when they face West Bromwich Albion at Pride Park Stadium on Boxing Day (5:30pm kick-off).
