Birmingham City 0-1 Luton Town: Carlton Morris' 13th goal of the season earns Hatters narrow win
- Published
- comments
Carlton Morris' 13th goal of the season sent Birmingham to a fourth defeat in a row
Carlton Morris scored his 13th goal of the season to give play-off-chasing Luton their first Championship win in four games at the expense of struggling Birmingham City.
Defences were well on top in the opening half with only one shot on target coming from Hatters midfielder Jordan Clark in the 12th minute.
However, it took only two minutes of the second period for the visitors to go in front with Alfie Doughty providing a fine cross which was headed past John Ruddy by Morris.
The Blues rarely threatened an equaliser until 11 minutes to go when Scott Hogan saw a header come back off the crossbar.
Luton remain in the play-off spots, in sixth, while Birmingham, who have now lost four games in a row, stay put in 19th, seven points above the relegation zone after all of the teams in action below them also lost.
The Hatters created the first couple of openings with Elijah Adebayo heading wide on 11 minutes before Clark's effort, which was easily dealt with by Blues skipper Ruddy.
Birmingham's strike partnership combined as Lukas Jutkiewicz crossed for Hogan, but he could only head wide in a quiet opening half hour which saw both sides largely cancel each other out.
Adebayo had another headed chance after 32 minutes when he was found by Doughty's measured cross but again the striker missed the target.
The decisive moment arrived on 47 minutes from another Doughty cross, and this time Morris made no mistake as he nodded expertly past Ruddy.
Morris almost had his second shortly after the hour but the striker headed Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu's cross narrowly wide - and he then had to leave the pitch after being injured by a high tackle from Marc Roberts which earned the Blues substitute a yellow card.
Hogan's header against the bar was as close as Birmingham came to an equaliser and Luton almost doubled their lead in the closing stages as Cauley Woodrow's long-range effort was almost fumbled over the line by Ruddy.
Blues boss John Eustace told BBC WM 95.6:
"There was nothing in the game and in the first half we really battled well up against a good, experienced Championship team and the lads' effort first half was excellent.
"Obviously the way we started the second half wasn't great. We had lots of opportunities to clear the ball and stop the cross so it's a disappointing goal to concede. The lads kept going and we hit the bar and in another really tight Championship game we've come out on the wrong end of the result.
"Confidence is low in the camp, you can see that, and in the final third we were poor, making the wrong decisions. We're on a disappointing run of defeats but we've got a group that are very honest and we'll keep working hard and be 100% committed until the end of the season."
Luton manager Rob Edwards told BBC Three Counties Radio:
"I don't think it was ever going to be pretty today. Pitches all around the country at this stage of the seasons are quite difficult to play on and Birmingham were fighting for their lives as well. It was a challenging game but to come out on the right end of it is obviously very pleasing.
"We know how important the points are in every game now. Today we had to grind it out a little bit but we showed some good moments at key times. I think we looked a threat and it was a great goal."
On Marc Roberts' tackle on Carlton Morris:
"I do think the challenge was a poor one and I know it happened quickly which makes it difficult for the ref but it wasn't a yellow card, so that's disappointing as we could lose him now and we know how important he is for us."