Birmingham City 2-1 Luton Town: Jutkiewicz scores late winner for Blues

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Kristian Pedersen scoring for Birmingham CityImage source, Rex Features
Image caption,

Kristian Pedersen netted his first goal for Birmingham City since scoring the winner against Brentford on the opening day of the season

Lukas Jutkiewicz's late header gave Birmingham City all three points against Luton Town in the Championship.

Blues opened the scoring with the last kick of the first half when Kristian Pedersen headed in fellow full-back Maxime Colin's cross.

Pedersen was at fault for Luton's equaliser, however, losing possession before substitute Harry Cornick blasted the ball beyond keeper Lee Camp.

But Birmingham retook the lead with eight minutes remaining as Jutkiewicz nodded home a corner.

In the first league meeting between the two sides since December 2006, Blues started the brighter and nearly went in front after two minutes as Luton keeper James Shea denied Jutkiewicz from close range.

Shea did well to deny Jutkiewicz again midway through the first period, keeping out a deflected effort destined for the top corner as the hosts dominated, but he could do nothing about Pedersen's opener.

The Hatters improved after the restart with keeper Camp pushing substitute James Collins's powerful strike onto the post in the 65th minute.

And two minutes later Luton were level, as Izzy Brown pinched the ball from Pedersen before assisting Cornick whose shot sailed in off the crossbar.

But the hosts found a winner as Jutkiewicz, unmarked at the back post, headed in his third goal of the season to keep Birmingham 11th in the Championship table, just one point outside the play-off places, with Luton 18th.

Birmingham City boss Pep Clotet told BBC WM:

"I am very pleased. (This result) is a massive credit to the players. No one will argue that we deserved one more goal.

"We played the way we wanted to play. Now (we've done that) for a lot of our games. We are growing and we are very confident with our football.

"Again we found spaces, we found attacks and we kept putting pressure on their goal. And I'm very happy as well for both goals to come from two set-pieces."

Luton Town manager Graeme Jones told BBC Three Counties Radio:

"We're just getting to the stage of the season when just being positive about performances is not enough. I've said that to the players, we have to take points.

"We wanted to stay in it and we did. And then we give a stupid set-piece goal away which was arguably a foul, in the 82nd minute of the game. Sometimes (those) fine margins cost you.

"I believe in the lads, their character is outstanding. There are 18 (players) in that dressing room, everybody's contributing."

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