Luton Town 2-0 Sunderland: Highlights and reaction as Black Cats’ promotion dream ends at Luton

Sunderland have been working towards penalty-kicks forward of tonight’s Championship play-off semi-final second leg at Luton Town – simply in case. And Tony Mowbray has already warned his gamers that he has no truck with stuttering run-ups and tippy-tappy spot-kicks!

The Black Cats maintain a 2-1 lead within the tie after coming from behind to beat the Hatters at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, however they have to full the job at Kenilworth Road tonight to seal a spot within the last at Wembley in opposition to both Middlesbrough or Coventry City. If Luton have been to win by a single aim tonight to degree the scores on mixture, the sport would go to extra-time.

The away objectives rule will not be used within the play-offs, that means that if there was nonetheless nothing between the edges after the extra half-hour the competition can be determined by a penalty shootout. Some managers consider penalties are a talent that may be honed prematurely, and others really feel that may be a waste of time as a result of the stress of the scenario can’t be replicated on the coaching floor.

Asked which college of thought he subscibes to, Mowbray smiled: “I’m someplace within the center on that. I left them working towards penalties yesterday lunchtime after I got here to talk to you guys [the media].

“What I do is dictate to them learn how to take a penalty, however I do know they’ve all obtained their very own types. If I’ve obtained seven individuals taking a penalty and, after I watch them, considered one of them is a type of guys who takes two steps, stops, appears to be like at the goalie, and sidefoots a bit of tender one within the nook, he isn’t taking one!

“It’s crept into the sport, hasn’t it, these penalties the place individuals take one step, cease, look at the goalkeeper and attempt to sidefoot it into the nook. If you are [Brentford striker and penalty specialist] Ivan Toney who has scored a large proportion of his penners – nice.

“Although I nonetheless suppose, after I watch Ivan Toney, he nonetheless raps it along with his sidefoot fairly laborious, it is not a case of him guessing which approach the goalkeeper goes to go and then trickling it in so all of the followers suppose it is good. I’d moderately them simply whack it within the internet!”