MX23RW : Saturday, November 16 10:39:18| >> :600:706207:706207:
[monks data]
Luton Town
Championship | Gameweek 18
Dec 12, 2020 at 3pm UK
Kenilworth Road Stadium
Preston North End logo

Luton
3 - 0
Preston

Collins (20', 29', 66')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Nathan Jones pays tribute to Luton players after 100th win

Nathan Jones pays tribute to Luton players after 100th win
© Reuters
James Collins hits hat-trick as the Hatters ease past Preston.

Luton boss Nathan Jones paid tribute to his players after he recorded a 100th win on his 200th game in charge when beating Preston 3-0 at Kenilworth Road.

Striker James Collins scored a hat-trick, his second of the season, moving Luton up to 11th in the table after beating a visiting side who had the joint-best away record going into the game.

Jones, in his second stint after returning in May, said: "I'm really proud of the players, I've thanked them for just the level of performance they gave me as from start to finish we were aggressive.

"We went out and pressed, these are a good side, the best away record in the Championship, I watched them in midweek, they won 3-0 [against Middlesbrough] and it didn't flatter them.

"So it was a real top performance and I'm just really happy with the level of how we went about it, how we went out and how we worked, and then to score three and in all honesty we could have had another two more as well.

"But I'm delighted, any win is massive in the Championship, but the manner and the level of the win, I'm so proud of.

"I think it's probably slightly more complete [than the 3-1 win over Norwich last time out], we just showed a level of work-rate and pressing and aggression that is rare.

"I haven't seen that in many teams in terms of what they do, so I'm really, really happy with that.

"Then we were absolutely clinical and I felt the performance was outstanding."

Preston had started well themselves, Jayden Stockley and Alan Browne going close in the opening stages, but Collins bagged his first of the afternoon following a wonderful pass from Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu in the 20th minute.

He made it 2-0 nine minutes later, burying a header from Glen Rea's cross as Preston couldn't clear their lines from a corner.

Harry Cornick diverted a volley wide and Town could have been out of sight earlier, Mpanzu shooting over with keeper Declan Rudd out of position following another excellent spell of pressing by the home team.

With 66 minutes gone, Collins had his treble, Cornick winning possession back to find the striker who arrowed a drive into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

Rea, Jordan Clark and Tom Lockyer went close late on, the latter's header from Rhys Norrington-Davies' free-kick dropping inches wide of the target.

Frustrated Preston skipper Browne said: "We were losing the scraps, I think we got what we deserved.

"I think every aspect they beat us, every position on the pitch, they outplayed us, outfought us, literally everything.

"We were second best, it's inexcusable, it's not good enough, we just need to forget about this.

"I don't think we've ever played that bad, it was shocking all the way through.

"It just passes you by, to a man you can't do anything, because every one of us just weren't good enough.

"To be fair, I think we've been consistent all season, I don't think there's been much in the games we've lost, but to get beat like that it's just embarrassing."

ID:426268: cacheID:426268:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5136:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Tyrhys Dolan celebrates scoring for Blackburn against Preston in the Championship on November 24, 2020
Read Next:
Saturday's Championship predictions including Blackburn Rovers vs. Norwich
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sunderland1594225111431
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd1510321971231
3Leeds UnitedLeeds158522491529
4Burnley157621861227
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom15672169725
6Watford158162322125
7Middlesbrough157352317624
8Millwall156541813523
9Blackburn RoversBlackburn156451917222
10Bristol City155732019122
11Swansea CitySwansea155461110119
12Derby CountyDerby155461919019
13Stoke CityStoke155461819-119
14Norwich CityNorwich154652322118
15Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds155371725-818
16Oxford UnitedOxford Utd154561718-117
17Coventry CityCoventry154472021-116
18Plymouth ArgylePlymouth154471526-1116
19Hull City153661620-415
20Preston North EndPreston153661523-815
21Luton TownLuton154381726-915
22Cardiff CityCardiff154381423-915
23Portsmouth152671628-1212
24Queens Park RangersQPR151771225-1310


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!