Luton Town 3 Middlesbrough 1: Neil Warnock's landmark match ends in defeat

With Warnock overtaking Dario Gradi’s record of most games managing English league clubs, he saw Boro go ahead through 18-year-old striker Josh Coburn on his full debut.

But Sonny Bradley, Elijah Adebayo and Harry Cornick struck to condemn Boro to a 3-1 loss.

Boro broke the deadlock in the 15th minute with their first shot on target when Coburn slid home Andraz Sporar’s cross.

Luton might have conceded a penalty midway through the half when Dan Potts bundled Isaiah Jones over inside the box, but referee Tim Robinson gave nothing.

Cornick curled high over the bar from 25 yards, while with 37 minutes gone he chanced his arm again, sending a low shot that flicked off a defender and went behind.

The forward should have made it 1-1 in the 40th minute as he slid wide of the bottom corner with just Luke Daniels to beat.

MORE - Neil Warnock explains why Middlesbrough have stopped trying to sign free agents - despite injury problems continuingMarcus Tavernier then curled over the bar from distance, while on the stroke of half-time Cornick’s long throw was flicked on and James Bree arrived at the far post but did not get enough on his effort, with Boro clearing off the line.

After the break, the fun really started, Luton drawing level after 57 minutes. Boro’s defenders completely switched off from a corner allowing an unmarked Bradley to power his downward header beyond Daniels for his first goal of the season.

One then became two on the hour mark, as another set-piece caused problems for the visiting defence, and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu kept the ball alive for leading scorer Adebayo to take a touch and hammer low into the net.

Luton then had their third in the 62nd minute as the visiting midfield were pressed into a mistake by Henri Lansbury, with Cornick played clean through and he found the bottom corner of the net.

Boro went close to pulling one back, with Tavernier’s fizzing free-kick requiring a block from Simon Sluga, while James Lea Siliki came off the bench to shoot miles over and also drag an effort wide.

Lansbury might have added a fourth from range, but flashed well, well wide, as victory saw Town climb back into the play-off places once more, sitting in sixth place ahead of Saturday’s home game with Stoke.

Luton Town: Sluga, Burke, Bradley, Naismith, Bree, Lansbury, Osho, Mpanzu, Potts (Onyedinma 55), Cornick (Hylton 81), Adebayo (Jerome 89). Unused substitutes: Shea, Rea, Campbell, Muskwe.

Middlesbrough: Daniels, Anfernee Dijksteel, Bamba, McNair, Jones, Tavernier, Howson, Crooks (Lea Siliki 77), Hernandez (Kokolo 83), Sporar (Watmore 68), Coburn. Unused substitutes: Lumley, Olusanya, Peltier, Sivi.

Referee: T Robinson (West Sussex).

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