Luton Town 2-1 Huddersfield Town: Luton secure back-to-back league wins
- Published
Tempers threatened to boil over in the second half as Huddersfield's frustrations continued
Luton came from behind to claim their second consecutive league win with victory over struggling Huddersfield Town.
Karlan Grant turned home Terence Kongolo's cross at the back post to put Huddersfield ahead just after half-time as the visitors sought their first win of the season.
Luton were level 10 minutes later when James Collins was brought down by Christopher Schindler and he stepped up to confidently convert the resultant penalty.
Andrew Shinnie grabbed the winner in the 66th-minute with a curled left-footed finish into the bottom corner from 20 yards.
Luton move up to 15th place in the Championship while Huddersfield - relegated from the Premier League last season - have taken just one point form their opening six league games and are only kept off the bottom by Stoke City's poorer goal difference.
After a quiet start to the match, Luton began to cause problems from short corners, creating opportunities for Jacob Butterfield, whose driven effort from just inside the penalty area was blocked by Jaden Brown, and Shinnie, who curled an effort over from 18 yards.
Harry Cornick then won possession in Huddersfield's half and drove into the area before drawing a good save from Kamil Grabara in the Terriers' goal.
Huddersfield's best first-half chance fell to Karlan Grant, who fired wide from close range under pressure from Ryan Tunnicliffe after Adama Diakhaby had beaten two Luton defenders cut the ball back.
Frazier Campbell, who joined Huddersfield on a free transfer earlier in the month, also came close to breaking the deadlock, but could not quite get on the end of Diakhaby's dangerous ball into the area.
After Collins had cancelled out Grant's opener midway through the second half, Shinnie took centre stage to continue Luton's recent momentum.
Having found his range with a 20-yard effort that flew narrowly wide moments earlier, the midfielder took aim from similar distance and found the bottom corner to spark delight among the home supporters.
Grant headed just over from Trevoh Chalobah's cross as the Terriers looked for a way back into the game, before Simon Sluga saved from Steve Mounie in a one-on-one situation with some Huddersfield players still appealing for a penalty after Elias Kachunga had gone down in the area.
Luton Town manager Graeme Jones told BBC Three Counties Radio:
"If you look around world football, three wins in seven days doesn't happen very often, especially at this level. A home win was the last psychological barrier.
"The most important thing for me is that we played in three completely different styles in all three games. I said when I arrived at the club we would have to be adaptable.
"They didn't give us the freedom we had last week. After going 1-0 down, everyone's response was first class. The commitment is never in doubt. We're at this level on merit, and competing in every game."
Huddersfield Town caretaker manager Mark Hudson:
"There are decisions that I totally disagree with but there's no point talking about them or the good bits we saw.
"The ref stopped play for a first-half head injury and then he doesn't for their goal, but we cannot just stop - we have to play to the whistle.
"Some of our leaders weren't strong enough and until that changes, we won't win games. We've got to be stronger. You have to show character."