An early goal and off the line three times as Luton Town manage to hold on to a vital win against Derby County down in the relegation scrap.
It took just 10 minutes for the Hatters to go ahead. Millenic Alli saw a left-wing cross blocked behind for a corner, the ball then flicked on by Carlton Morris to Mark McGuiness who was at the back stick, he slid the ball back into the middle where Alli was on hand to net it from an angle.
On the verge of half time, Mark McGuinness prevented a deflected Jerry Yates effort from creeping inside the post.
Mark McGuinness was on hand to block again in the 51st minute, in the right place and the right time again Marcus Harness jumped on a poor clearance, only to drag a low shot at goal, which the Luton defender kept out.
With 30 minutes to go in the second half, Mark McGuiness, again, was there to clear off his line after Marcus Harness’ scuffed a follow-up which had made its way past the keeper.
On the 75th minute, Jerry Yates saw his angled volley deflected off Mark McGuiness and behind.
Derby kept pushing in the latter stages for that equaliser, but Luton did enough to clinch those important three points.
The result means Luton are in the bottom three still, level on points with 21st place Derby, but on goal difference alone, ahead of the 3pm fixtures.
The PERFECT start for Luton Town 🤩
Millenic Alli gives the away side the lead 🙌 pic.twitter.com/EBz9hVOXtT
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) April 18, 2025
“You can’t get much closer than that!” 🤏
McGuinness clears it off the line AGAIN! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/g8j4P9gRmJ
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) April 18, 2025
FULL-TIME: A HUGE win for the Hatters! 🟠 pic.twitter.com/jSzQmMUL7P
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) April 18, 2025
“Is it going to be the great escape?”
“Certainly is” 💪Mark McGuinness and Millenic Alli react to Luton’s MASSIVE win over Derby at Pride Park. pic.twitter.com/zUY4Xufc8C
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) April 18, 2025
Derby County head coach John Eustace told BBC Radio Derby:
“The first half wasn’t what we had been like and what we expected, so that is disappointing.
“We looked a little bit anxious. It was a big game, it’s a full house and I thought Luton set up really well and made it really difficult for us and we just couldn’t get our game going.
“But the way we approached the second half was excellent and the attitude of the group was good.
“In the second half the effort of the group was fantastic, we had two or three golden chances that we just couldn’t put away.
“The most important thing is that we react on Monday [when Derby face West Bromwich Albion], which I know we will. We are a team of fighters.”
Luton Town boss Matt Bloomfield told BBC Three Counties Radio:
“I thought first half, for an away performance, we were excellent. We passed the ball incredibly well, we had a goal threat and the only disappointment is that we didn’t come in two or three up to kill the game off.
“It was always going to be a tough second half with Derby supporters right behind their team and creating the noise they do here.
“But to put on that kind of defensive display, I’m so proud of the lads. We took a real punch on the nose last Saturday in the defeat against Blackburn, but I didn’t want it to ruin the momentum we had been building.
“It was important that we kept our heads today, because if we got too uptight and anxious, and built it up to be too much, then we weren’t going to come and perform. It was really important that we stayed calm in this situation.
“I’ve just delivered the message to the boys that nothing is done yet, just like it wasn’t over last Saturday when we were beaten by Blackburn.
“We have to show that fighting spirit at the Kenny [Kenilworth Road against Bristol City] on Monday.”
Luton defender Mark McGuiness told Sky Sports: “We all realised the magnitude of the game. It shows the character of the boys. It’s not over for us.”
McGuiness made 19 clearances, including two goal-line interventions, and admitted: “I made a few clearances, I’m a bit dizzy, but that’s my job.
Luton match-winner Millenic Alli told Sky Sports: “We knew we would have to fight for the full 90 minutes and we did that – it turned out very well.
“A game like this, with Derby so close to us in the table, it was very important for us.”
Luke Ashmead (BBC Three Counties Radio sport): Luton were poor in the second half if we’re honest, but it makes absolutely no difference; they’ve got the job done, and it is huge for the Hatters. They’ve given themselves a chance.
Malcolm Christie (Former Derby striker on BBC Radio Derby): We fell short, and if I’m honest, I didn’t expect to be sitting here looking at the Luton fans celebrating. They have played us at our own game, they defended magnificently. The three centre halves for Luton were outstanding. They scored a very Derby-like goal, and we just weren’t at the races in the first half; it heaps massive pressure on the next two games now.
Twitter users reacted as an early goal and off the line three times sees Luton hold on to a vital win against Derby…
@LTFCShirts: TOWN ARE STAYING UP 🎶
@L_Macca: Good Friday just became great, up the town 👒
@lprscouting: Great defending! Huge three points! COYH!
@SSE_LTFC: WHAT A 3 POINTS. This is an unreal end to the season and I’m proud of how the lads are fighting, especially away from home. Whisper it but we are right in this fight 💪 we have to bring the energy at home. #LutonTown #COYH
@EllTFC96: Big 3 points but Christ that was a horrible watch 😭 50+ mins of pure defending from McGuinness and we never make it easy for ourselves. Another MUST win on Monday #ltfc #coyh
@ChappersLTFC: That was a horrible match to watch but somehow we kept them out and there’s hope. Tough remaining games starting on Monday! COYH!
@w1spa_1: MASSIVE WIN. My heart couldn’t take that last 20 minutes. McGuinness and Kaminski were incredible. Deserved clean sheet. We can do this. COYH 🧡🧡🧡🎩🎩
@StefanBroome: Cant remember seeing such a one sided half, how on earth we lost that, wow credit to Luton though defensively they were brilliant bit of luck but maybe they deserve that luck, its going down to the last game against Stoke at home 🐏
@Gems171: Not a single player can hold their head high after that performance. Dreadful! No fight, no quality. Poor across the pitch. Why NML is being chosen over Tommo I do not know. We’ve looked lightweight in midfield since he was dropped.
@MattHunt99: If we play the same team again we’re down, without Thompson we look so disjointed why he took him out in the first place I have no idea.
@Raceboy1232: Absolutely disgraceful. That’s miles worse than we played under Warne. Terrible game.
@Shaggyramsdcfc: I swear if Forest get champions league and Derby get relegated to league 1 then we are finished as a football club. FINISHED I TELL YOU! #dcfc #dcfcfans #NFFC
@chrisbrideaux: The Luton result is just one more nail in the coffin for Cardiff. I honestly and genuinely can’t see us avoiding the drop. Not when all the other teams around us are picking up points. Sad state of affairs for the bluebirds
@JD02___: Tough loss to swallow that, yet again another season we have to depend on the teams around us to fall away, definitely see it going right until the last game. We’ve got the easiest fixtures out of the bottom 5 but if we can’t put away Luton we’ve got next to no chance. #dcfc
