Championship: Luton ease to win over rivals

Luton Town 3 - 0 Watford 

Under-pressure Luton Town manager Rob Edwards guided his team to a spirited and well-deserved win against their fierce rivals, Watford, in a typically heated derby at Kenilworth Road.

Author - Wiliam G from GMCR Football

Luton, who were sitting 21st in the table and had only managed two wins in their last nine league matches, took the lead in the first half through Jordan Clark. The midfielder reacted quickly to redirect Tom Holmes' shot past goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann.

Watford, who had the chance to go level on points at the top of the table with a victory, struggled to cope with Luton’s physical approach and failed to muster a single shot on target before half-time.

Within two minutes of the second half, Carlton Morris, in top form, was left unmarked to head home Alfie Doughty’s corner from close range, putting Luton 2-0 up.

Watford rarely looked like they could avoid a fourth consecutive away league defeat.

Edwards had the final word against the club that sacked him in 2022, as Jacob Brown sealed the win with a composed low finish in injury time, making it 3-0.

Taking in the sights

Before the match, this Twitter/X post from Watford's official account caused some controversy. Some took the post as a dig at the facilities at Luton’s iconic stadium. Of course, it was the home side that ultimately had the last laugh. You can watch the highlights of the match in the video below. The footage is from the official Luton Town YouTube account.

My reaction

This was a fantastic performance by Luton. They were comfortable throughout and capitalised on what was a strange display from Watford. The home side has proven they can still mount a serious bid to return to the Premier League, despite some poor results at the start of the Championship season. Their league position doesn't look good at the moment but there's a long way to go. 

For Watford, their start to the season has epitomised their inconsistency since relegation from the Premier League in 2022. They have looked fantastic at times but are equally capable of performances like this one.