Luton thrash Brighton after a fast start

A fast start with two goals in three minutes set the platform for Luton Town to hammer Brighton and Hove Albion by four goals to nil at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday evening.

LINEUPS

LUT XI: Kaminski; Burke, Osho, Bell; Ogbene, Clark, Lokonga, Barkley, Doughty; Morris*, Adebayo

LUT SUBS: Krul, Johnson, Potts, Mpanzu, Chong, Townsend, Woodrow, Nelson

BRI XI: Steele; Igor, Dunk*, Van Hecke, Estupinan; Milner, Gilmour, Gross; Buonanotte, Joao Pedro, Welbeck

BRI SUBS: Verbruggen, Webster, Lamptey, Baleba, Hinshelwood, Moder, Lallana, Baker-Boaitey

Action: Luton Town opened the scoring in just 18 seconds when Brighton’s kick-off routine was intercepted by Jordan Clark, prompting a sharp Hatters attack. 

The ball was fed wide to Chiedozie Ogbene and the Irishman floated the ball to the back post, met by Carlton Morris and then headed home by Elijah Adebayo.

The remarkable start by the hosts was then continued in just the third minute when Albert Sambi Lokonga floated a ball over the top for the on-rushing Chiedozie Ogbene, who beat Jason Steele to the ball and then he just tapped the ball into an empty net.

Brighton began to finally get a grip of the game with Pascal Gross having an effort curled just over the bar and Danny Welbeck put through but dragging the ball wide of the post.

However, as The Seagulls kicked on, Luton were the team that got the third goal of the first-half late on in the opening period when Ross Barkley slid the ball into Elijah Adebayo and he cooly slotted past Steele to make it 3-0.

Luton continued their demolition of their visitors with some aggressive play from the off in the second-half but they had a fourth chalked off early on in that half. Carlton Morris’ effort on goal was saved by Steele but Clark, who put the ball back in on the rebound, was deemed to have been stood offside initially.

Luton did have a fourth moments later, though, when Alfie Doughty’s corner was nodded in at the back post by Elijah Adebayo for his hat-trick.

Brighton improved as the second-half went on and had really good chances for Danny Welbeck and Tariq Lamptey but Thomas Kaminski continued his excellent season with some good saves. 

Luton very nearly added some further gloss to the result late on when Ross Barkley waited and waited to release Carlton Morris before Morris then had his effort saved, once again, by Steele.

Elijah Adebayo has scored his first Premier League hat-trick ⚽️⚽️⚽️

Luton make it 𝟒-𝟎 against Brighton 🍿 pic.twitter.com/AVKgYo7ATM

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 30, 2024

The big picture: Luton Town’s remarkable 4-0 hammering of Brighton means they have leapt out of the bottom three and the relegation places in the Premier League, pushing Everton into the bottom three. Brighton remain in the top-half of the table and in contention for the top seven and the European spots but tonight perhaps showed why Roberto De Zerbi is keen on adding to his squad before the transfer deadline on Thursday. 

Man of the match: Elijah Adebayo. The former Walsall striker notched a hat-trick in the top-flight of English football and, despite excellent performances from Jordan Clark and Ross Barkley, has to be deemed the key man. 

EVENTS

Kick-off

‘1 | GOAL: Adebayo (1-0)

‘3 | GOAL: Ogbene (2-0)

’20 | INJURY: Milner

’42 | GOAL: Adebayo (3-0)

Half-time

’50 | DISALLOWED: Clark

’56 | GOAL: Adebayo (4-0)

Full-time