Match Preview | Cardiff City (H)

30 January 2023

Luton Town are back in Sky Bet Championship action on Tuesday evening for the visit of Cardiff City.

Rob Edwards' side return to Kenilworth Road following Saturday's Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round draw against Grimsby Town which extended Town's current unbeaten run to three matches in all competitions.

Rob Edwards said:

(Watch the gaffer's Grimsby post-match reaction HERE)

"We had disappointment against West Brom which feels like a lifetime ago already but we bounced back with a few wins and today (versus Grimsby) we haven't lost the game.

"I know we were favourites and we are at home against a team that are below us but the FA Cup can throw up some strange results and you can see how much it meant to them. We haven't lost the game and we're still in the hat so we're three games unbeaten and we have to keep the run going."

The opposition:

Cardiff have struggled for form in the Sky Bet Championship as of late, with their last victory coming in November against Sunderland.

Sabri Lamouchi will take charge of the Bluebirds for the first time on Tuesday, their third permanent manager of the season.

After a 21-year playing career with the likes of Monaco, Inter Milan and Marseille, as well as 12 international appearances for France between 1990 and 2001, Lamouchi turned to management in 2012 with the Ivory Coast. After brief spells with EL Jaish and Rennes, he took charge at Nottingham Forest in 2019. He is now back in England for his second stint and will hope to help move Cardiff away from the relegation zone.

Forward Callum Robinson has had a big impact since moving to the club at the start of the season with nine goal contributions in 21 league appearances this term.

Last time we met:

The Hatters recorded a second successive double in south Wales with Luke Freeman and Gabe Osho both netting their first goals for the club to record a 2-1 win at Cardiff City Stadium back in August.

Following hot on the heels of victory along the M4 at Swansea the previous week, Town leapfrogged their opponents into the top half of the table by securing another three points - making it six points from both trips to south Wales for the second season in a row.

Freeman volleyed past Ryan Allsop from six yards out just after half-time, before Gabe Osho volleyed in James Bree's outswinging 62nd-minute free-kick to double Town's advantage.

Travel information:

For supporters travelling to the game, please be aware that Arriva have agreed to run an F70 Dunstable/Leighton Buzzard service from the Clifton Road stop, leaving from there at 10pm.

Ticket information:

Tickets for our league fixture against Cardiff City on Tuesday 31st January are on general sale.

The Price Category for this fixture is Category B:

Adult: £27
Over 65 / Under 22: £22
Over 75 / Under 19: £19
Youth Under 17: £10
Junior Under 10: £7

Season Card holders who are not able to attend can take advantage of the buyback process and receive vouchers for catering units or either Club Shop. (Requests to cancel your seats must be received at least 24 hours prior to the date of the game by email to ticketoffice@lutontown.co.uk).

How to follow:

Text updates on the Match Centre
Twitter and Facebook updates
Watch live on iFollow Hatters

The match will be shown live on iFollow Hatters.

Supporters not attending the match at Kenilworth Road or that do not have access to Sky Sports can purchase a £10 match pass to watch the Hatters in action against the Bluebirds.

For supporters who want to watch or listen to all available iFollow matches this season and have access to exclusive content, including pre-match press conferences and player interviews, subscription details can be found HERE.

The officials:

Referee: Geoff Eltringham

Assistant Referees: Shaun Hudson and Andrew Fox

Fourth Official: Dean Whitestone

The man in the middle on Tuesday evening is Geoff Eltringham.

He last refereed a Luton match in April last year, officiating the 2-0 away defeat against Huddersfield Town.

So far this term, Eltringham has taken charge of 13 matches - 3 of which in the Championship - dishing out 46 yellow cards and two reds.

Match Reports

Report | Luton Town 1-0 Cardiff City

31 January 2023

The Hatters moved up to fourth in the Championship table with a late Elijah Adebayo winner to see off struggling Cardiff at Kenilworth Road on transfer deadline night.

Adebayo saw a second-half penalty saved, but made sure of scoring for the fifth game in a row with an 88th-minute header to make it eight goals for the season as Town made it four matches unbeaten in all competitions.

Manager Rob Edwards handed Leeds loanee Cody Drameh a debut from the start against the side sitting one place above the drop zone, but with new manager Sabri Lamouchi in the dugout for the first time.

Right-back Drameh was ineligible for the Emirates FA Cup draw against Grimsby Town on Saturday, but was in from the off. Elsewhere in defence, Tom Lockyer captained the side alongside Reece Burke, in the absence of the injured Dan Potts.

Top scorer Carlton Morris made his first start in four matches, partnering Elijah Adebayo up front, while new signing Jack Walton was amongst the substitutes along with Fred Onyedinma, who made his first appearance in more than three months at the weekend.

Town started well, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu seeing a shot blocked from the edge of the box and Drameh looking lively down the right before Cardiff fired two warning shots in the eighth minute, Sheyi Ojo shooting straight at Ethan Horvath before Callum Robinson hit a 25-yarder that skimmed the top of the crossbar.

Ojo tested Horvath again on 15 minutes, though the USA keeper was comfortably behind it at his near post.

Town were asking questions of their own, however, with the threat coming initially down the right with Drameh - who survived one attempt to pull him back by Jack Simpson to put a dangerous ball across the six-yard box - and Woodrow, dug a deep cross out that Adebayo met with a towering 27th-minute header, saved by Ryan Allsop.

Mpanzu and Amari'i Bell then combined on the left for the latter to whip in an inviting cross, which Mark McGuinness did well to head behind as Adebayo readied himself to pounce at the far post.

The Hatters came flying out of the blocks after half-time, Drameh playing the ball inside for Woodrow to bend one just over the bar, then Ojo hit a free-kick at the other end that flew over the frame of Horvath's goal.

Mpanzu did well to beat his man by the left corner flag and deliver a low ball into the six-yard box, but McGuinness again was on his mettle to lift it over his own bar and clear the danger.

Ojo was proving Cardiff's main threat, and the right winger brought a flying save out of Horvath just after the hour, but Drameh and Adebayo soon combined down the Hatters' right, with the latter fizzing a low cross towards strike partner Morris, who couldn't quite connect at the near post.

With just over 20 minutes to go, Edwards made his first changes with Onyedinma coming on for Drameh and Luke Berry for Woodrow.

Within seconds, the Town had a chance to make the breakthrough when ref Geoff Eltringham pointed to the spot for handball against Cedric Kipre as Adebayo looked to lift the ball over him in the box. The Town man saw his spot-kick saved, however, as Allsop dived to his right to push his low shot away.

Ryan Wintle spurned a clear-cut chance for Cardiff when Robinson floated a ball over the top for him to volley at goal, but he sliced his effort well wide from the edge of the box.

Onyedinma was flying down the right, firing three beautiful crosses in that begged to be finished, with Doughty smashing the middle one first time on the volley, but off target.

The breakthrough finally came in the 88th minute when Doughty crossed and Adebayo rose highest to head past Allsop and set the Kenny alight.

Goal: Adebayo 88

Att: 9,031 (544 away)