Luton 0 Rovers 4

[Alan75]

match comments from Tris

My first visit to Kenilworth Road, and very pleasant it was too.

I'm not saying Luton has made it into my top 10 weekend away destinations, quite the opposite.

But the pub (Yeoman - thanks brfc_jonesy) before the game was friendly enough - as one would hope so early in the day - the stewards were great, and it was nice to be behind the goal just feet away from the action, watching the Rovers in a characterful ground which for once didn't feel like something out of an Ikea showroom.

I never thought we'd lose this but then I didn't see the Watford debacle in midweek, but from the moment Derbyshire let fly in spectacular style it was a question of how many. I feel very sorry for Mike Newell, who isn't on speaking terms with his chairman. They keep selling the best players from under him, but he's honest enough to get on with his job and highlight the games greater ills. I hope such honesty doesn't preclude him from roles higher up the football pyramid in the future.

Warnock could not have hoped for a better debut. OK the opposition was poor, but his perfornance was full of intent in defence and verve going forward - which he had no hesitation in doing. I have been one of Mickey Gray's biggest fans, but Warnock had the same tireless attitude and tenacity, with the addition of culture and class. He's only been training with MGP since Thursday - this left hand side could be really summat.

Mokoena has his critics but IMO his critics expect too much sometimes. Clearly he's the worst distributor of a football in the team of 11 (and the squad of 16) - and so he gets noticed for that. But he's there to break things not make things, and he does that effectively. Chelsea / Man U can shell out £20 million on Carrick / Essien / Makelele but we can't. We've got a guy who covers for Savage - Ronaldo he ain't (either of them), Savage he ain't - but he's ours and we need to support him rather than knock him down.

Nelsen was majestic, and it was comforting to see a back 4 perform so well when three of them had never played together (Henchoz / Nelsen / Warnock). Samba came in and looked ... tall. And did nothing wrong other than an air kick which in fact let to MGP's goal.

Post match comment from Mark Hughes on Matt Derbyshire:

"I've got options up front but when a young player makes an impact by scoring goals then you have to play him."

"We sent him out to Wrexham on loan and he did well and scored plenty of goals, so we thought he could make the step-up to at least Championship level.

"Maybe the step-up has come sooner than we expected but he's taken his chance."

Luton manager Mike Newell post match comments.

"Their extra quality showed but I half expected it with the way they've been playing and the disruption we've had.

"It's not only about losing Rowan Vine and Carlos Edwards. If you look at our injury list we're missing half a team."

Newell also praised Blackburn's two-goal Matt Derbyshire.

"He will get better. He's got pace and scores goals. What more can you ask from a striker?"

Luton: Beresford, Foley, Davis, Coyne (Keane 21), Perrett, Robinson, Emanuel, Langley, Bell (Morgan 58), Boyd, Talbot (O'Leary 82).

Subs Not Used: Brill, Spring.

Rovers: Friedel, Khizanishvili (Gallagher 76), Nelsen (Samba 70), Henchoz, Warnock, Emerton, Mokoena, Bentley, Pedersen, Derbyshire, McCarthy (Jeffers 67).

Subs Not Used: Enckelman, Nonda.

Booked: Khizanishvili.

Goals: Derbyshire 10, McCarthy 37, Derbyshire 56, Pedersen 74.

Att: 5,887

Ref: S Bennett (Kent).