Matchwinner Sean Morrison singled out for praise by Cardiff boss Steve Morison

Luton Town v Cardiff City – Sky Bet Championship – Kenilworth Road
(Image credit: Tess Derry)

Cardiff boss Steve Morison heaped praise on skipper Sean Morrison as the defender scored the winner in a 2-1 victory at Luton.

The 30-year-old had been left out for the last three matches but returned to lead the Bluebirds at Kenilworth Road, powering home a diving header with 13 minutes to go to secure a third win in four games for Cardiff.

Morison said: “Sean was excellent. It was a great team move and he was there to put the ball in the back of the net.

“He knows what we are trying to do and he is on board with that. He had his moment today and it was fantastic.

“I made four changes, like I did against Huddersfield, and I’ll continue to do the same.

“It’s imperative we have fresh legs and fresh bodies.

“Sometimes it gives you people who have a little bit extra or a bit of a point to prove.

“It keeps people involved, it keeps people interested and they’ve got to realise they are one game away from starting a game of football, so they can’t shut off and down tools.

“There’s a point to it, a process to it. We have done it twice now and it has worked twice.

“Tonight we have got something to celebrate.

“The main thing now is that on Monday morning everyone comes back in with a smile on their face.”

The visitors went in front from their first effort after 10 minutes. Perry Ng’s cross met by Rubin Colwill and his downward header was deemed to have crossed the line by goal-line technology.

Morrison missed a glorious chance on the stroke of half-time and Mark McGuinness did the same in the second half.

Luton upped their tempo, with Tom Lockyer off target before Jordan Clark levelled from Elijah Adebayo’s pass after 64 minutes.

However, Morrison popped up to win it, meeting Ryan Giles’ cross from close range.

Frustrated Hatters boss Nathan Jones, who himself made five changes, said: “I’m regretting it (team selection) and I do it every time.

“I make the same errors and I’m learning as a manager, but I pull people out of the team that were excellent in midweek to freshen it up.

“I go big, strong, and ironically we play three centre-halves and they score from two crosses into the box, so I’m better off going a little bit more brave and bolder in my selection process.

“We’ve got a poor record against Cardiff here, and other teams enjoy playing against Cardiff at the minute in their run of form.

“We usually kick Cardiff’s run and that’s just a lack of bravery all over, whether that’s in the clinches, whether that’s in battle, whether that’s in bravery to get on it and dominate, we didn’t.

“We’ve played Cardiff three times when we’ve been in good form – 4-0, 2-0, 2-1 – and it’s not from anything elaborate, they don’t carve us open, we haven’t had to hold our hands up and go ‘wow, they’re a good side’.

“They just put the ball in our box and we don’t handle it.”