Oxford United 3-2 Luton Town: Greg Leigh heads winner in five-goal thriller

Greg Leigh headed in a 69th-minute winner as Oxford twice came from behind to beat Luton 3-2 at the Kassam Stadium and extend Gary Rowett's unbeaten run in the Championship to seven games.

The defeat stretched Luton's dismal run of successive away defeats to 12 - 11 in the Championship and one in the FA Cup.

And Leigh's winning goal will have frustrated the Hatters' new head coach Matt Bloomfield as the Jamaica international was left totally unmarked to nod in Will Vaulks' right-wing cross from eight yards.

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In what was an open and entertaining match, both sides created plenty of chances and the U's again showed their character as they made it four straight home wins since Rowett took charge.

Tom Krauss capitalised on sloppy defending by the home team to rifle a right-footed angled shot past Jamie Cumming in the 11th minute to put Luton ahead.

Former Germany Under-21s international Krauss had also scored in the 2-2 draw between the teams at Kenilworth Road in October, his only other goal for the Hatters this season.

The U's responded with a first goal for his new club by Poland international centre-back Michal Helik who stuck out his leg to neatly divert in Cameron Brannagan's left-wing cross in the 22nd minute.

But Luton were back in front four minutes later with Mark McGuinness heading Jordan Clark's cross into the top left corne r, with the referee signalling that the ball had crossed the line despite Cumming's attempt to paw it out.

The Hatters led 2-1 at the break, but in the 59th minute centre-back Ciaran Brown turned in Brannagan's corner in a crowded box to draw the home side level again.

Sirike Dembele had twice gone close to levelling for a second time for United before half-time, seeing one shot deflect into Thomas Kaminski's arms, and a second one beaten out by the goalkeeper.

Luton still looked dangerous going forward, however, and it needed a good block by Helik, who only joined Oxford from Huddersfield last Friday, to stop Elijah Adebayo from scoring a third.

Brannagan had struck a spectacular free-kick winner against Blackburn at the weekend and when Dembele was fouled early in the second half, and in a similar position, he must have fancied his chances of repeating the trick. But Luton's wall held firm to block his drive.

However, the visiting defence were caught out in the 69th minute when Leigh headed Oxford into the lead.

Rowett had brought on striker Tom Bradshaw for Mark Harris four minutes before Leigh's goal, and the former Millwall forward had an effort with a back header which went straight into Kaminski's arms.

Luton pressed hard for an equaliser in stoppage time but United held firm.

The managers

Oxford's Gary Rowett:

"I probably wouldn't have expected the quality of finishing from the defenders, it was outstanding really.

"It was outside of the foot from Ciaron Brown and Michal Helik and then Greg getting free in the box and finishing it off, so it was a fabulous way to win the game.

"I felt this would be our toughest test in some ways. I've watched them play and they're a little bit different - they're very good at what they do in that they are very direct and are good at winning second balls.

"I was a little bit disappointed with the two goals we conceded, pleased with the way we got back into the game.

"We went behind for the first time, went behind for the second time, and I said to the players at half-time sometimes in the Championship you have to show a little bit how to win in a different way.

"Before this we've gone in front each time, here we had to show a different type of resilience and quality to find a way to win the game."

Luton's Matt Bloomfield:

"There was some real good stuff, especially first half. We sank a bit too deep for my liking second half and invited a bit too much pressure, which is not what we wanted to do.

"But it's frustrating because there were some good elements and we've come away with nothing because we have to defend our box better.

"The game will never change… The two boxes are the most important areas of the pitch. You have to defend one area with your life and you stick the ball in the net at the other end, that's what the game comes down to.

"We scored two good goals tonight but ultimately we didn't defend our goal well enough.

"Ultimately the game is about results, and I'm here to win.

"I knew the job when I came in, it's a fantastic football club, full of really, really good people, but there's a lot of work to do on the training ground."

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