NOT SO SMALL AFTER ALL
Luton Town 1 West Ham 2
West Ham were the last team to win at Kenilworth Road when Luton Town were in the top flight of English football. That was a 1-0 victory in January 1992, the goal scored by ex-Brighton favourite Mike Small. Luton then went on a great home run winning five and drawing three of their remaining eight home fixtures. But it wasn’t enough. They were relegated with 42 points (two more than West Ham managed last season) with Coventry City two places above them on 44, but with a vastly superior goal difference.
If we could crystal ball now, it would be interesting to see how they perform now as opposed to then. West Ham went down with them at the end of that final pre-Premier League season with Notts County on 38 and 40 points respectively, totals that would have seen them escape relegation in 2022-23. Notts County, one of the original founders of the football league in 1888, have of course rejoined the league this season after four seasons in the Conference. Football, eh? Bloody hell.
Tonight is Luton’s first game at home in the Premier League after failing to get their ground ready for the fixture against Burnley a fortnight ago. And it’s on Sky. They are up against a rejuvenated and tricky footballing outfit playing some of the best football their fans have seen for several decades. What else could go wrong for the ‘Hatters’?
If the few hundred travelling fans needed any reminder of what it was like playing in a ground where you can feel fans’ breath on your ankles every time you take a throw in, then they’re having it this evening. Luton have played here through thin and thinner, hosting Chelsea in the FA Cup two seasons ago and the likes of Hyde and Salisbury City in the 2013-14 season when they won promotion back into the football league.
Tonight they initially look just pleased to be here, but they hold Hammers for the first twenty minutes, playing confidently out of defence and keeping Paquetá’s creative genius at bay. Reece Burke and Ross Barkley need no introduction, and for the first half hour it looks as though West Ham might have a game on their hands. Ten minutes before half-time the run of play begins to suggest different things and Paquetá’s pinpoint cross threaded across the Luton defence reaches the head of Jarrod Bowen, and though he heads it straight at Thomas Kaminski, the Belgian keeper can only parry it into his own net with the power of the header. I recall David Coleman’s commentary from the 1976 FA Cup Final…. ‘Right through Peter Mellor.’
The second half features more confident football for the league leaders, with Álvarez playing quite brilliantly in Declan Rice’s old position. Zouma seems to be relishing his unexpected appointment as the new West Ham United captain, and marshalls the defence with confidence and aplomb. He steps up a shade five minutes from time when he gets his head on a James Ward-Prowse corner to open up a two goal lead for the Hammers. Even though Mads Andersen pulls one back for Luton in injury time and they almost secure a penalty from a late inswinging corner which hits Ward-Prowse on the arm and bounces away to safety despite the shrieks from Luton’s aggrieved forwards,
West Ham are secure at the end. Top of the league and playing football the West Ham way, none of the travelling fans dares shout David Moyes’ name other than in buoyant celebration.
13 Alphonse Areola, 33 Emerson, 4 Kurt Zouma (captain), 5 Vladimir Coufal, 19 Edison Álvarez, 27 Nayef Aguerd, 7 James Ward Prowse, 11 Lucas Paquetá, 22 Saïd Benrahma,, 20 Jarrod Bowen, 9 Michail Antonio
Substitutes: 8 Pablo Fornals, 18 Danny Ings, 14 Mohammed Kudus
