Championship: Middlesbrough 5 Luton Town 1
Ireland international Finn Azaz scored twice as Middlesbrough piled further pressure on under-fire Luton Town boss Rob Edwards as they cruised to a 5-1 win at the Riverside.
Edwards’s underperforming Hatters side crashed to their heaviest defeat of the season as they were comprehensively outplayed on Teesside, with the loss coming almost a year to the day since they were holding Liverpool to a draw in the Premier League.
While Luton’s season continues to unravel, Middlesbrough’s is gathering positive momentum after a week that also saw Michael Carrick’s side win at QPR.
Their latest success came courtesy of doubles from Azaz and Delano Burgzorg, and a further goal from Emmanuel Latte Lath, with all three forwards exploiting a porous Luton defence.
Middlesbrough were the dominant side from the start, although Hayden Hackney was unable to find the target with a clipped shot after breaking into the right-hand side of the box.
Ben Doak’s breaks down the right-hand side were a major factor in Boro’s midweek win at QPR, and the Liverpool loanee was at it again as he broke free and pulled the ball back for Luke Ayling, only for the full back to sidefoot a first-time effort high over the bar.
Luton recorded their first effort on goal when Cauley Woodrow fired in a speculative long-range strike that was parried by Seny Dieng, but the home side’s growing confidence was rewarded when they broke the deadlock via a well-worked corner routine on the half-hour mark.
Doak broke along the byline to receive a rolled short corner from Azaz, and flicked the ball towards the penalty spot. Burgzorg was waiting, and the Dutchman slotted home a precise first-time finish to claim his first goal since his summer move from Mainz.
It was an excellent opener, but an even better goal was to come as Boro doubled their lead three minutes before the interval.
Having been restored to the starting line-up in place of Tommy Conway, Latte Lath still had plenty to do when he received Azaz’s chipped ball forward with his back to goal. The Ivorian displayed neat technical skills to spin away from Teden Mengi, and followed up with a composed finish as he slotted the ball into the bottom corner.
It was turning into a wretched afternoon for Luton, and things quickly got worse after the interval.
Hackney’s 51st-minute pass sent Doak galloping away down the right-hand side again, and when the youngster pulled the ball back into the area, Azaz hammered home a first-time strike.
Three minutes later, and Boro were adding a fourth goal when Azaz turned provider, sending Latte Lath breaking into the Luton 18-yard box. The Ivorian shrugged off Ireland defender Mark McGuinness, and rather than trying to shoot past the advancing Thomas Kaminski, slipped a square pass to Burgzorg, who was able to roll home his second goal of the game.
Luton’s consolation goal came with 13 minutes left, with substitute Jordan Clark stroking home after a pass from fellow replacement Tom Krauss.
However, Boro added a fifth in the 87th minute, with Azaz curling home his second of the afternoon from the corner of the box.
