A relieved Luton boss Rob Edwards labelled it a “good day” as his side ran out 3-0 winners against sworn enemies Watford at Kenilworth Road.
The Hatters led through Jordan Clark’s deflection in the 11th minute, with Carlton Morris netting moments after the interval and Jacob Brown then rubber-stamping the victory in stoppage time.
It ended a run of three matches without a win for the hosts, with Edwards saying: “It was good. We had a good day here on April 1 last year, and we’ve had another one today.
“I’m really pleased for the supporters today because I know how much it means to them.
“It’s been a big two weeks, and we knew we had to respond after the disappointment of our last game (against Sheffield United). The lads have done that, they’ve gone and shown it today and that’s when it matters.
“It’s no good just talking about it. You’ve got to go and show it. And they did it. It looked like today it mattered to us. It looked like they cared. It looked like they understood the magnitude of the game, so we’re really, really proud of them.
“I thought that every individual was at least seven or eight out of 10. We made a few mistakes. You’re always going to make some, but if we did, we recovered really well, either with a great block or a great tackle.
“Our intensity was amazing. Both with and without the ball, we had a real purpose and a fire about us that I liked.”
After home defender Tom Holmes almost scored the most bizarre of own goals early on, his 45-yard backpass just bouncing wide, Luton upped the tempo and Reece Burke was denied by Daniel Bachmann.
Town did get the goal they craved in the 11th minute though, Alfie Doughty swinging a corner in from the left that was met by Holmes and midfielder Clark somehow diverted his volley into the net.
Tahith Chong put a good chance over as the Hornets barely threatened, Giorgi Chakvetadze rifling into the stands and Tom Dele-Bashiru curving wide.
After the break Luton soon made it 2-0, Doughty’s set-piece once more the architect and Morris’ powerful downward header beating Bachmann.
Home goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski, a relative spectator throughout the afternoon, flew to his left to save well from Dele-Bashiru but the Hatters, despite a number of injuries, stood firm, Pelly Ruddock sending Adebayo away even if the forward was unable to beat Bachmann.
In stoppage time Luton did score a fully deserved third, substitute Brown rolling Ryan Porteous and then finding the bottom corner to send Kenilworth Road in raptures.
With the Hornets supporters quick to let their players know what they felt about the display, Watford boss Tom Cleverley added: “It doesn’t take a genius to see that it was a very disappointing performance.
“You know what you’re going to get when you come here and that is good channel balls and strong channel runs, competing, winning set-pieces, balls coming in your box.
“We didn’t stand up to that challenge well enough to start and then our own identity, which is to get on the ball, playing through the lines, getting the ball wide and into the box, we just didn’t commit to.
“So when you fall short in both areas, it resulted in a really poor afternoon for us.
“There’ll be an inquest into what we can do as a coaching staff to make the players realise, but for me it’s an away form thing and it’s something we really have to address.
“We are flat away from home, we’re not committing to trying to play football and we’re just not standing up to the battles well enough either.
“So that will result in some shaky performances and it’s absolutely my responsibility to make sure the team looks like it has an identity away from home and can start picking up results.”
Nuno Espirito Santo acknowledged no one at Nottingham Forest expected to be third in April but backed his team to embrace the challenge after they started a huge week with victory at Tottenham.Forest had slipped to sixth in the Premier League after weekend wins for Champions League qualification rivals Manchester City, Chelsea and Aston Villa, yet responded with aplomb in the capital.Early efforts...
Chris Wood’s 19th goal of the season fired Nottingham Forest back up to third in the Premier League with a 2-1 win at Tottenham.Forest had slipped to sixth after the weekend’s results, but Nuno Espirito Santo savoured a sweet three points against old club Spurs after early goals from Elliot Anderson and Wood in the capital.It brought Ange Postecoglou’s team back down to earth aft...
Leeds boss Daniel Farke saluted his players for holding their nerve after a 6-0 home win against Stoke helped seal promotion back to the Premier League.Joel Piroe scored four goals, including Leeds’ fastest-ever league hat-trick, with strikes in the sixth, eighth and 20th minutes and added his fourth before half-time after Junior Firpo had put Farke’s side 4-0 up in 26 minutes.Willy Gn...
Burnley captain Josh Brownhill sent the Clarets back into the Premier League with both goals in a 2-1 win over Sheffield United that also saw Leeds promoted and left the Blades relying on the play-offs.Scott Parker made it three promotions with three different clubs in the space of six seasons as Burnley extended their unbeaten league run to a club-record 31 games, bouncing straight back to the Pr...
Burnley captain Josh Brownhill joked the Clarets had “bored our way to the Premier League” after a 2-1 win at home to Sheffield United confirmed their return to the top flight at the first attempt.Scott Parker’s side have conceded just 15 goals in 44 matches and victory over their promotion rivals ensured they could not be caught with two matches remaining.“I’m speech...
West Brom have announced the departure of Tony Mowbray after the club’s play-off hopes were all-but ended by a 3-1 Championship defeat at home to relegation-threatened Derby.The visitors twice punished the Baggies from set-piece situations when Ebou Adams and Jerry Yates struck from corners in the first half.Adam Armstrong’s goal halved the deficit and made for a nervy final 20 minutes...
Ian Holloway emphasised his pride in his resurgent Swindon side, despite Will Wright’s own goal against Bromley ending their slim play-off hopes.Danny Imray nutmegged Tom Nichols on the byline and fired a low ball into the box which bounced off the hapless defender’s shin in the 88th minute, condemning the Robins to a 1-0 loss.Kabongo Tshimanga had earlier missed a first-half penalty f...
Grant McCann admitted the task ahead for him is to keep his players calm after Doncaster put themselves within touching distance of promotion with a 3-0 win over Colchester.Goals from Harry Clifton, Jordan Gibson and Patrick Kelly saw Rovers power into top spot in League Two.It means a victory over promotion rivals Bradford this weekend will see them promoted to League One but McCann is determined...
Leeds boss Daniel Farke saluted four-goal Joel Piroe after his side thrashed Stoke 6-0 at Elland Road to stand on the brink of Premier League promotion.Piroe fired Leeds’ fastest-ever league hat-trick with strikes in the sixth, eighth and 20th minutes and added his fourth before half-time after Junior Firpo had put Farke’s side 4-0 up in 26 minutes.Willy Gnonto headed Leeds’ sixt...
Tony Mowbray felt West Brom “lacked a bit of courage on the ball” as their play-off hopes were all-but ended by a 3-1 home defeat to relegation-threatened Derby.The visitors twice punished the Baggies from set-piece situations when Ebou Adams and Jerry Yates struck from corners in the first half.Adam Armstrong’s goal halved the deficit and made for a nervy final 20 minutes until ...
- 1 Jordan Bowery earns Mansfield a point at Rotherham
- 2 Arteta makes exciting Arsenal transfer claim
- 3 Grant McCann to keep Doncaster players calm despite being on brink of promotion
- 4 Mentality and spirit unbelievable – Daniel Farke praises promoted Leeds players
- 5 Four Tottenham stars could leave this summer
- 6 Big Brother legend Chanelle Hayes flaunts weight loss in red bikini
- 7 Man Utd & Man City join PSG in race for Akliouche
- 8 PL side eyeing summer move for Rashford
- 9 Newcastle continue to impress in absence of Eddie Howe with Crystal Palace rout
- 10 Man City in pole position to secure Morgan Gibbs