Devoid of a match ticket last night, I had to watch the action, or should that be torture, on Sky Sports.
It turned out to be a long 90 minutes and even though the Hatters started well, we were second class for the last 65 minutes of the game, as the score line shows.
Matters were not helped by losing Allan Campbell in the warm-up and Fred Onyedinma early in the game, not what Nathan Jones needed with all the injuries the club is already having to cope with.
At times Luton looked very fatigued and couldn’t get hold of the ball to ease the constant pressure, Fulham were good, probably very good, but Luton didn’t do themselves justice, heads went down as the goals crashed in.
But all is not lost, we are still one win away from a play-off place, if we can overcome Reading, on Saturday, who knows what will happen.
After the game there were mixed reactions, from the supporters, on social media.
Some posters looked on the bright side:
Today was always a free hit. Win against 21st placed Reading (at home) and we’re in the play offs, simple as that. It’s still in our hands 🎩
— Levi (@LeviLTFC) May 2, 2022
Other teams will have their fun of course but 7-0 is no worse than 1-0 for our overall picture. Need to refocus for Saturday. All in our own hands going into the final day. Dream season still very much on. #COYH
— markledsom (@markledsom1) May 2, 2022
But others were not so forgiving:
Think the fans who went today deserve a refund! Definitely wasn't expecting a win with the injuries but to lose by that much is still galling. Nathan needs to get the team's confidence back for Saturday.
— Daniel Harris 🇺🇦 (@Daniel_Harris91) May 2, 2022
While others seemed keen to put the whole mishap behind us and concentrate, fully, on the forthcoming Reading game:
Proud of you no matter what, we go again one last push, Kenny will be rocking and hopefully we get 1 or 2 players back. COYH
— Tom (@LTFCPanthers) May 2, 2022
As horrible as this was, win Saturday and we're in the playoffs. Up the town.
— Andy Sharp (@AndySharp2) May 2, 2022
Although some, in our hour of need, didn’t quite see the fairness of it all:
Championships Broken with parachute payments and everyone knows it. If anyone was to say we would finish in top 10 I would have laughed at them. Whatever happens what a great season. 👏🏻👏🏻
— Coop (@Coop88199099) May 2, 2022
I must point out that getting promoted would hugely benefit our ability to pay for the Power Court development, and if we were to get relegated in our first season, those parachute payments would be very welcome.
But, as we lick our wounds, I’ll leave the last word to a Kenilworth Road favourite, from the past, Mike Saxby:
Has a truer word ever been spoken?
COYH’s
Luton v Reading?
Luton to Win!
Reading to Win!
A Draw!
Previous article by Mad Hatter
Luton – The Matt Ingram Mini Fact File
Obviously the scoreline isn’t welcome. But avoiding defeat was always unlikely, especially in the circumstances – our injury list, Fulham needing to clinch title.
As one of tweeters has pointed out, losing 7-0 doesn’t really do any more damage, other than to pride, than a 1-0. While we did have an advantageous goal difference over Middlesborough and Millwall, it practically disappeared at half time, and is no longer a factor vis a vis either team.
I can’t help feeling that in the second half, we decided that avoiding further depletion to the squad either through injury or red cards, (we had four yellows before the second goal), was the sensible policy, even if it cost goals.
all in all, it was a strange evening and we were, perhaps, always destined to be the fall guys