Luton Town 4 Brighton 0
It was an emotional night at Kenilworth Road as Tom Lockyer returned to the ground for the first time since suffering a cardiac arrest playing for The Hatters. Brighton were the visitors on this occasion, looking to push for European qualification once again.
The game could not have got off to a better start as Brighton gave the ball away and a clipped cross into the back post was headed down by Morris for Adebayo to head home. The goal after only 18 seconds, was the second fastest in Premier League history.
Lokonga then played a long pass over the top of the visitors’ defence and Ogbene rounded the keeper and tapped home into an empty net. The Seagulls’ keeper hesitated in coming out of his box, just enough, to allow the Luton midfielder to get to the ball first.
There was not a great deal Steele could do as any contact on the Luton player would have resulted in a straight red card as the last man. With no more than three minutes on the clock, things were going swimmingly for Rob Edwards’ side.
Credit: @LutonTown
Roberto De Zerbi’s side had the chance to get back into the game when Joao Pedro did well out on the left and played a teasing ball across The Hatters’ box, but somehow, Welbeck failed to convert at the back post. It was a big chance that went begging for Brighton.
Pedro then linked up with Welbeck again but as the former Arsenal striker shot, he dragged it wide of the far post. His inconsistent form in front of goal is just why he has a strike rate of a goal every five games. Not something you could ever describe as prolific.
Ross Barkley started creating problems for the visitors in the final third and slid the ball into Clark in the box. He cut onto his left foot and fired a shot at goal but on this occasion, Jason Steele was equal to it as he got down well to make a save.
The former Everton playmaker stole the ball from Brighton in the middle of the park and strode towards goal. Spotting the run of Adebayo, he slid the ball into his path and the striker did the rest, slotting the ball past the Brighton keeper to make it three-nil.
The Hatters continued to open up the visitors and it was Barkley pulling all the strings. His interplay, vision and movement showed why Chelsea decided to fork out all that money for him back in the day. As the corner was whipped into the box, Adebayo got a near-post flick on to score.
It was the player’s first ever hat trick for Luton Town in the Premier League. De Zerbi cannot have believed what he was seeing from his team. It was them who looked out of their depth, as if they had been promoted via the play-offs the season before.
Credit: @LutonTown
Welbeck had another good chance but on this occasion his shot was well saved by Kaminski. The ball then broke to Lamptey on the back post but somehow, he volleyed wide of the goal when it seemed far easier to score with the keeper nowhere to be seen.
Steele had to be on his toes once again as Morris looked to put the icing on the cake but the Brighton stopper reacted quickly to block. It was a mixed night for The Seagulls’ keeper and one that he will be quite happy to forget as soon as the full time whistle went.
Luton took all the points and moved out of the bottom three, thanks to Everton’s draw at Fulham. It was a huge marker to lay down and told the clubs above them that The Hatters were not looking to be also-rans this season and will do all they can to stay up.
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