Luton manager Matt Bloomfield hailed his team’s character after watching them ignite their bid for Championship survival by defeating fellow strugglers Derby 1-0 at Pride Park.
Millenic Alli’s early strike proved enough to settle a contest of two distinct halves.
The forward, a January signing from Exeter, fired home after 10 minutes when John Eustace’s side failed to deal with a corner.
The visitors deservedly led at the break but came under heavy pressure during the second with Jerry Yates forcing a fine reaction save from Thomas Kaminski and Mark McGuinness, who had turned the ball back across the box for Alli to convert, clearing off the line when Marcus Harness pounced on the rebound.
Substitute Kayden Jackson also tested Kaminski but Derby were unable to fashion an equaliser and
Luton remain in the bottom three but are now behind their opponents on goal difference alone.
Bloomfield said: “Our results have been very good away from home. We knew this was going to be a tough game here but we knew we could win.
“In the first half, I thought we were excellent and played so well. In the second, we had to weather the storm a bit but we did that to a man. I thought we defended incredibly when we needed it.
“We didn’t actually ask for anything other than a performance today. If you put in match-winning performances then the victories are surely going to follow.
“But nothing is done yet. We are in there fighting and we have given ourselves a chance.
“I keep getting asked when the picture at the bottom will get sorted and I don’t know. It could go right down to the wire and I think it probably will.”
Bloomfield added: “The resilience the players showed was excellent and that’s got to continue. You can see that the belief is growing.”
Eustace, the Derby head coach, was left to rue missing a chance to pull clear of the drop zone.
He said: “I’m disappointed to lose the game and we looked a little bit anxious at the beginning. We didn’t get on the front foot.
“In the second, I couldn’t fault them. We had a full house behind us and we changed a few things during the interval, making slight changes in midfield and further forward.
“We just told the lads to forget about everything and not worry about the situation. Just to go out there and play their game. They did that and, genuinely, I couldn’t fault their attitude at all.
“Listen, goals change games and we had some opportunities. We have spoken about the need to be more clinical in the final third and, at times of late, we have been. It’s just about getting that consistency.
“It was an opportunity for us to get three important points and obviously we didn’t. So there was a lot of disappointment in the dressing room. But we’ve got an opportunity in the next game to do that and so we’ve got to get straight back to it.”
Eustace, revealing goalkeeper Jacob Zetterstrom is set to miss the rest of the season with a broken eye socket, confirmed Nathaniel Mendez-Laing could do likewise after suffering the same injury during the opening skirmishes.
“We’ve just got to get on with it,” Eustace added. “We can’t do anything about it.”
[(Gil Vicente FC) Strength]: 1. Gil Vicente FC finished 13th in the league last season. They aim to avoid relegation and fight for a Conference League spot in the new season. Facing FC Porto, the team are motivated to take points in this home game.2. Gil Vicente FC won the recent two games in a row across all competitions. They won 2-0 over CD Nacional in the last league game, smoothly starting wi...
[(Dynamo Dresden) Neutral]: 1. Both sides have never met before, so there were no records to refer to.[(Dynamo Dresden) Weakness]: 1. As the newly promoted team in the 2. Bundesliga, Dynamo Dresden suffered a losing streak in the first two rounds, being demoralized a lot. Facing 1.FSV Mainz 05 in the first game of the DFB-Pokal at home, the team find it hard to secure a win, indicating doubtful mo...
[(Jaro) Strength]: 1. Jaro are 8th in the table and still need points to secure a Championship play-offs spot, indicating full motivation in this match.2. Forward Kerfala Cissoko scored the winner in the last game, helping his side win.3. Jaro won 2-1 over FC Haka in the last game, securing a 2-game winning streak and showing outstanding recent form.4. Jaro were unbeaten with 1 win and 1 draw in t...
[(SC Preussen Munster) Strength]: 1. In the new season, SC Preussen Munster's 3 goals in two league games were scored by 3 players, showing multiple scorers on offense.2. SC Preussen Munster won 4 of the last 5 home games in AH, boasting a decent home trend.[(SC Preussen Munster) Neutral]: 1. SC Preussen Munster drew 1-1 with SC Paderborn 07 in the last 2. Bundesliga game, showing average performa...
[(Rot-Weiss Essen) Strength]: 1. Rot-Weiss Essen are playing in the 3. Liga this season. Despite their inferior strength to their rivals, the team will still go all out to secure a qualification spot in this home game.2. Tobias Kraulich scored a goal in the last game, showing his outstanding form.3. Rot-Weiss Essen scored 2 goals and conceded 2 in the last 2 competitive games, boasting decent offe...
[(IFK Varnamo) Strength]: 1. IFK Varnamo are at the bottom of the table this season. If they want to avoid relegation, they have to go all out for points in every game, indicating strong motivation in this match.2. Kai Meriluoto scored a goal and made an assist in the last game, helping the team tie with IF Elfsborg.3. IFK Varnamo won the last 2 games in AH, demonstrating recent performances in li...
[(Le Mans) Strength]: 1. Le Mans drew with En Avant Guingamp in the last league game, failing to start with a win. In this home match, they are motivated to secure their first win of the new season.2. William Harhouz scored an equalizer before the end of the last game, helping the team tie with En Avant Guingamp.3. Le Mans secured a 3-game winning streak in recent warm-up games at home, showing de...
[(Mirassol FC) Strength]: 1. Mirassol FC midfielder Gabriel Santana scored a goal in the last league game, performing actively.2. Mirassol FC scored 10 goals in the last 5 league games, averaging 2 goals per game, showing full offense.3. Mirassol FC conceded 5 goals in the last 5 league games, with an average of only 1 goal per game.4. Mirassol FC boast reliable home strength, remaining unbeaten w...
[(Leeds United) Strength]: 1. After relegation, Leeds United returned to the Premier League this season as the EFL Championship winners. The team significantly strengthened their squad during the summer transfer window, with the goal of staying in the Premier League this season. For their opening home game against Everton, they are determined to secure a winning start to the league, showing strong...
[(Elche) Strength]: 1. As the newly promoted team this season, Elche are motivated to start with a home win in their debut.2. In the summer window, Elche signed midfielder Federico Redondo, Real Madrid loan forward Alvaro Rodriguez, and Valencia CF striker German Valera.3. Elche finished 22 wins, 11 draws, and 9 losses in the Segunda Division last season, smoothly being promoted as the 2nd-placed ...
- 1 Brentford Agree Deal to Sign Dango Ouattara From Bournemouth
- 2 TIPS - Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas VS Liga Deportiva Universitaria
- 3 TIPS - Villarreal VS Real Oviedo
- 4 ngland cricket legend’s granddaughter stuns in bikini
- 5 Lamela explains retirement decision: It started 11 years ago...
- 6 Estevao Willian set for 'key' Chelsea role after debut vs Palace
- 7 TIPS - Club Necaxa VS Club Leon
- 8 Emotional Arne Slot admits he had wanted to bring late Diogo Jota on as a substitute in Liverpool's dramatic victory over Bournemouth
- 9 Benjamin Sesko vs Viktor Gyokeres: Man Utd-Arsenal showdown sets early stage for big-money No.9s to show the Premier League what they can offer
- 10 TIPS - Cambuur Leeuwarden VS FC Oss