Luton fans’ day gets even worse after being banned from pubs ahead of Watford clash
Luton Town fans’ day went from bad to worse. The Championship side are staring down the barrel of back-to-back relegations after dropping down from the Premier League last season. Watford took on Luton in the Championship on SundayGetty To rub salt into the wound, they have had a nightmare day against their arch rivals Watford. Ahead of the derby clash, Luton fans were banned from all the pubs in the vicinity of Vicarage Road. Licensees had taken the decision to not serve Hatters fans, according to Hertfordshire Police. Around 230 officers are working at the stadium and behind the scenes to ensure everything goes smoothly. That is eight times more than when Watford faced Leeds earlier this month. The travelling fans were bussed in to avoid any fan trouble both before and after the game. Their day just kept getting worse, however, as they quickly went 2-0 down. An 11th minute penalty was converted by Tom Dele-Bashiru before Edo Kayembe doubled the lead in the 23rd minute. Speaking on talkSPORT, former Charlton and Chelsea player Scott Minto said: “This is a million miles from where his [Matt Bloomfield] Wycombe team was playing in terms of the style. “When you jump up a division, and I think the biggest jump is from the Championship to the Premier League, but there is even one from League One to the Championship, you realise actually when players are down there and they’re lacking in confidence. Watford quickly found themselves 2-0 upGetty “To ask them to do sometimes simple things, they seemingly can’t do it. Honestly, I’ve been there and I hear the likes of even Alan Shearer talk about the word confidence. “When you haven’t got it, you’re a different player. When you have got it, you look absolutely brilliant. “This Luton side now is about character and it has been about character for a long time. “Unfortunately it looks like not only have they not got the confidence, they probably haven’t really got the character.” Their 2-0 defeat to Watford leaves the Hatters five points off safety having played a game more than Cardiff in 21st. Luton need to pick up results to avoid consecutive relegations. Rob Edwards was sacked in January, but the club remain rooted to the bottom of the Championship. Matt Bloomfield was drafted in from League One side Wycombe, but it looks as though he will be heading straight back to the third tier. Speaking to talkSPORT after the match, Bloomfield said: “Disappointing first half. “I thought we actually started quite well, played in Watford’s half, had a couple of set-piece situations but then gave away two soft goals and from there we had a mountain to climb. “I thought we played in good areas, we passed the ball well. We got into attacking areas, didn’t quite have that final touch. And one goal could have led to something more for us. “But we have to keep working, we have to keep lifting ourselves every single day. And once that first result comes, I’m sure more will follow. “It’s not a nice situation, I understand that. It’s not something that anyone enjoys these moments. “But you have to relish the challenge, you have to look at it as an opportunity to improve and we’ve got certainly a lot of work to do to make sure we improve.” Luton host in-form Portsmouth next Saturday before a difficult trip to Burnley.
Luton Town fans’ day went from bad to worse.
The Championship side are staring down the barrel of back-to-back relegations after dropping down from the Premier League last season.
To rub salt into the wound, they have had a nightmare day against their arch rivals Watford.
Ahead of the derby clash, Luton fans were banned from all the pubs in the vicinity of Vicarage Road.
Licensees had taken the decision to not serve Hatters fans, according to Hertfordshire Police.
Around 230 officers are working at the stadium and behind the scenes to ensure everything goes smoothly.
That is eight times more than when Watford faced Leeds earlier this month.
The travelling fans were bussed in to avoid any fan trouble both before and after the game.
Their day just kept getting worse, however, as they quickly went 2-0 down.
An 11th minute penalty was converted by Tom Dele-Bashiru before Edo Kayembe doubled the lead in the 23rd minute.
Speaking on talkSPORT, former Charlton and Chelsea player Scott Minto said: “This is a million miles from where his [Matt Bloomfield] Wycombe team was playing in terms of the style.
“When you jump up a division, and I think the biggest jump is from the Championship to the Premier League, but there is even one from League One to the Championship, you realise actually when players are down there and they’re lacking in confidence.
“To ask them to do sometimes simple things, they seemingly can’t do it. Honestly, I’ve been there and I hear the likes of even Alan Shearer talk about the word confidence.
“When you haven’t got it, you’re a different player. When you have got it, you look absolutely brilliant.
“This Luton side now is about character and it has been about character for a long time.
“Unfortunately it looks like not only have they not got the confidence, they probably haven’t really got the character.”
Their 2-0 defeat to Watford leaves the Hatters five points off safety having played a game more than Cardiff in 21st.
Luton need to pick up results to avoid consecutive relegations.
Rob Edwards was sacked in January, but the club remain rooted to the bottom of the Championship.
Matt Bloomfield was drafted in from League One side Wycombe, but it looks as though he will be heading straight back to the third tier.
Speaking to talkSPORT after the match, Bloomfield said: “Disappointing first half.
“I thought we actually started quite well, played in Watford’s half, had a couple of set-piece situations but then gave away two soft goals and from there we had a mountain to climb.
“I thought we played in good areas, we passed the ball well. We got into attacking areas, didn’t quite have that final touch. And one goal could have led to something more for us.
“But we have to keep working, we have to keep lifting ourselves every single day. And once that first result comes, I’m sure more will follow.
“It’s not a nice situation, I understand that. It’s not something that anyone enjoys these moments.
“But you have to relish the challenge, you have to look at it as an opportunity to improve and we’ve got certainly a lot of work to do to make sure we improve.”
Luton host in-form Portsmouth next Saturday before a difficult trip to Burnley.
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