Edwards blames defensive errors for Luton's defeat to WBA

Hatters boss Rob Edwards was left to lament the manner in which his side were breached three times during this afternoon’s 3-2 defeat to West Bromwich Albion at Kenilworth Road.

Leading 2-0 after a magnificent opening 10 minutes which saw Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo on target, the Hatters then conceded just before half time, when keeper Ethan Horvath lost out to Daryl Dike when trying to clear a long ball on the edge of his box, the ball rebounding into the net.

After the break, the Baggies looked to dominate, and were level midway through the half when a deep cross was fumbled by Horvath, the loose ball eventually crashed home by Jayson Molumby.

Conor Townsend then took advantage of a statuesque home defence to slam home a third from close range to ensure the visitors took the points, as Edwards said: “I was delighted with our start.

"To go two nil up was well deserved and exactly how we want to try and be, aggressive and on the front foot, playing forward, thinking forward, a couple of really good goals.

"They still retained that threat, they had a couple of chances as well in those opening exchanges, but it probably then shifts that mindset a little bit of, ‘okay, we’re two nil up now, good.’

"They probably shift their mindset a little bit now into ‘we’ve got to up this,’ and they just made the shape of their team when they had the ball, it was difficult for us to press at times.

"We had to try and change it a little bit in that first half which we did and then we were okay, but ultimately it was the manner of the goals.

"it was the way we conceded the goals, that as the disappointing thing.

"Yes they created chances, but the goals we conceded were from our mistakes and that’s what we’ve been really good at.

"Defending the box, blocks, stopping crosses, clearances, we’ve done that really well this season and today we got punished when we made some of those errors.”

Despite going 2-0 up so early in the game, Edwards didn’t think that should ever have been an issue, adding: “It was a long way to go, it's great to go 2-0 up at any stage, I know what you're saying, there’s a long way back for them as well.

"I think at 2-1 at half time, the game, they can gain a little bit of confidence from that.

"We started the second half probably on the back foot, but then we grew into it a little bit again, then the goals change games, changes people's perceptions, change the mindset.

“The second one deflates us, then they’re really on the front foot and we can definitely, definitely defend better in those moments.”