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Rob Edwards apologised to Luton’s fans and admitted he did not know whether he would hold on to his job after his side collapsed 5-1 at Middlesbrough. Luton’s rapidly-imploding season went from bad to worse as they suffered their heaviest defeat since last season’s relegation from the Premier League.
Luton conceded four in the opening 54 minutes as they were repeatedly ripped apart by Michael Carrick’s improving Middlesbrough side, and while Jordan Clark scored a consolation with 13 minutes remaining, Finn Azaz completed Boro’s rout.
“That is out of my hands,” said Edwards, when asked whether he feared for his future. “I want what’s best for the club. If it is [the end], then I’ve loved my time here. My main concern right now is the club. The supporters are the most important people at any club, they’ve spent their hard-earned money coming up here, and I want to apologise. It’s one of those days where you want the ground to swallow you up.”
Two second-half goals from managerless Coventry earned a 2-2 draw at Sunderland after the leaders had conjured up a couple of special finishes to take control. The biggest Stadium of Light crowd of the season must have felt it was going to be their day when French striker Wilson Isidor’s brilliant volley in the 16th minute and Dennis Cirkin’s fine second in the 35th put them two up, but Coventry followed up Haji Wright’s 62nd-minute finish with Jack Rudoni’s header with six minutes left. It left Sunderland two points clear of second-placed Leeds, although Sheffield United can move level by beating Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday.
League One: Northampton shock Blues as Wycombe extend lead
ShowWycombe went two points clear at the top of Sky Bet League One as Joe Low's early goal secured a 1-0 victory at Wigan. The Chairboys, now unbeaten in 12 in the league, recorded their sixth successive triumph after Low headed what proved the only goal in the 12th minute.
Second-placed Birmingham, meanwhile, were held 1-1 at home by Northampton as Mitch Pinnock's finish in the seventh minute of stoppage time cancelled out Jay Stansfield's opener for the hosts.
Wrexham are two points further back in third following a 1-0 victory over Mansfield at the Racecourse Ground, where Ryan Barnett scored early on.
Lincoln are up to fifth after Jack Moylan's equaliser gave them a 1-1 draw at Bristol Rovers, and Stockport moved into the top six with a 5-0 thumping of Bolton at Edgeley Park, with Will Collar, Kyle Wootton, Fraser Horsfall, Louie Barry and Odin Bailey on the scoresheet.
The battle of the bottom two saw Burton move off the foot of the table and send Shrewsbury to it as they beat their fellow strugglers 2-0 at home thanks to goals from Tomas Kalinauskas and Danilo Orsi - the Brewers' first league win of the season.
Cambridge, who are 22nd, saw their sequence of three league victories come to a shuddering halt as they were thrashed 6-1 at Peterborough, for whom Kwame Poku notched a hat-trick.
Crawley also remain in the drop zone after a 2-2 draw at home against Huddersfield, with Herbie Kane scoring the second of two levellers for the Terriers.
Reading drew 1-1 at Stevenage, Tristan Crama's goal gave Exeter a 1-0 home victory over Charlton and Leyton Orient were 3-0 winners at home over Blackpool.
Jayden Bogle and Joel Piroe helped Leeds keep up the pressure as their 2-0 victory left QPR without a victory in 11 league games. Daniel Farke’s side lost 1-0 at Millwall on Wednesday but Bogle’s 19th-minute opener and substitute Piroe’s late clincher ensured there was no hangover. It was another damaging defeat for Martí Cifuentes’ injury-ravaged visitors who slipped to the bottom of the table.
Stoke head coach Narcis Pelach thanked the club’s hierarchy for taking the “very brave” decision to appoint him after his side gained another valuable point in a 1-1 draw with Millwall, a header from Ben Gibson cancelling out Josh Coburn’s opener. “I have been here 54 or 55 days and I have enjoyed every single second. Hopefully it is the beginning of something long.”
Blackburn manager John Eustace said his team gave a textbook performance to get a first away win of the league season. Rovers were without a win on the road from their previous seven but recorded a comfortable 3-1 win at strugglers Cardiff. Andreas Weimann scored early in both halves, David Turnbull pulled a goal back then Lewis Baker sealed Rovers’ first win in five games. Eustace said: “We have a small squad but the players coming off the bench showed the fight to make a difference.”
Derby were unable to build upon the platform handed to them by Jerry Yates’ superb early strike as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Plymouth. Despite being on top for long periods, Paul Warne’s side could not translate their dominance into a commanding lead and paid the price when captain Adam Randell clawed Argyle level just before half-time. Led by former County head coach Wayne Rooney, the result will please Argyle more given that it represents their first point on the road since August.
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League Two: Leaders Vale slip up at Gillingham
ShowTable toppers Port Vale were beaten 1-0 at Gillingham via Jayden Clarke's 79th-minute header, their first defeat in 11 to end a five-match winning streak.
They are now three points clear of Walsall, Notts County and Doncaster.
Walsall claimed a 1-1 draw at home against fifth-placed Crewe with Nathan Lowe equalising late on.
Notts County and Doncaster drew 1-1 at Meadow Lane, the Magpies leading early through Alassana Jatta before Joe Ironside drew things level.
MK Dons and Grimsby moved up into the play-off places with a 3-1 home win over Swindon and 1-0 victory at AFC Wimbledon respectively.
The gap between 22nd-placed Swindon and basement boys Morecambe is two points after Harvey Macadam's stoppage-time goal gave the Shrimps a 2-1 win at Harrogate, and Carlisle are a point behind the Robins in 23rd after winning 1-0 at Salford thanks to a late Ben Barclay effort.
Elsewhere, Accrington won 3-0 at Chesterfield, Barrow and Colchester drew 1-1, and Bromley secured the same scoreline at Cheltenham despite having Carl Jenkinson sent off in the first half.
Norwich’s unbeaten home record ended with a whimper as Bristol City came away with a well-deserved 2-0 win. The Canaries had gone 24 games without defeat at Carrow Road, stretching back to November of last year, but, with a number of key players missing they turned in a below-par display. City went ahead after 16 minutes when Anis Mehmeti drilled home and made sure of the points just after the hour through Nakhi Wells.
Colby Bishop returned from heart surgery to secure Portsmouth’s first home win of the season as they beat Preston 3-1. Pompey’s leading goalscorer in their League One title-winning season, Bishop had missed the opening 14 matches as he recovered from his summer health scare after a heart scan revealed a risk. He came on in the 78th minute, with Pompey 2-1 up after a piledriver from Jacob Murphy and a Connor Ogilvie tap-in, and 12 minutes later converted from the spot to secure the points.
