Championship: Millwall 0 Luton Town 1
Teden Mengi’s stunning first half goal and two terrific saves by keeper Thomas Kaminski saw Luton finally end their wait for a first victory of the season with a battling 1-0 success at Millwall this afternoon.
Going into the match on the back of a four game winless streak since being relegated back to the Championship, the Hatters made three changes from their 2-1 loss to QPR, midfielder Marvelous Nakamba in for his first start since December, while Liam Walsh made his full debut, with Teden Mengi back in too, Carlton Morris dropping to the bench where he was named alongside new signing Victor Moses, summer additions Reuell Walters and Shandon Baptiste missing out as well.
Town boss Rob Edwards switched Alfie Doughty to an unusual right wingback role, which didn’t hinder his efforts to get forward, finding Jordan Clark in a dangerous position, only to see the opportunity go begging. Millwall’s danger from set-pieces was apparent on eight minutes, a long corner swung in for imposing centre half Jake Cooper to head over.
However, Luton went up the other end and scored with their first meaningful attack, Elijah Adebayo doing well to get hold of the ball in the area and finding Tahith Chong who had got back onside. The winger’s deflected cross was tipped away by keeper Lukas Jensen as Doughty’s rebound was charged down, before Mengi was teed up by Walsh to sidefoot brilliantly into the corner from just outside the box for Town’s first goal away from Kenilworth Road this season.
Millwall had penalty shouts turned down when George Saville went over inside the area, referee Josh Smith uninterested in his pleas, while Casper De Norre’s ambitious crack from range was easy for Kaminski. The Hatters almost had a second with 22 minutes gone, Doughty’s free kick headed back across goal where Chong bumped his man before swivelling to shoot, his attempt hitting the inside of the post and bouncing out.
When Luton got their press on they were always a danger, Doughty nicking the ball away from Duncan Watmore in an advanced position, his ball nodded on by Chong for Jordan Clark, but he could only manage a tame volley that didn’t test Jensen. The visitors didn’t help themselves at times when playing out from the back, Walsh’s pass behind Mark McGuinness whose ball back to Kaminski saw the keeper ungainly try and find Mengi, his clearance picked off allowing Millwall to win a corner.