Norwich boss Hughton stunned after FA Cup defeat to non-league Luton

Jan 27, 2013 12:40:00 AM

The Canaries coach has expressed his disappointment following his side’s embarrassing defeat to the club four divisions below his team at Carrow Road on Saturday

Norwich manager Chris Hughton has conceded his team took their FA Cup clash with non-league Luton too lightly, and were burned with a shock 1-0 defeat as a result.

Luton, who ply their trade in the fifth-tier of English football, snatched a late win at the Canaries courtesy of a close-range Scott Rendell strike.

Hughton is adamant the days following the defeat will be tough for the squad, but he insists that they must bounce back from their lacklustre performance and concentrate on their Premier League campaign.

"How much of a shock is it? It is a big shock," Hughton told reporters. "We were rightly expected to beat them and this will be a tough few days.

"We have to give Luton credit. They came with a gameplan and they relied on a few things happening to get the result.

"We found it very difficult to break them down. The good chances we had we could not put them away and that would have changed the game.

"Even in the second half period when we pushed and pushed they caught us on the classic counter-attack. That was a poor goal for us to concede and it was one thing we said at half-time.

"We wanted to push but we knew these were a fit side. Perhaps that one opportunity they had they scored in the second half."

Luton boss Paul Buckle admitted the full effect of the result is yet to hit them, and said his side could not have done it without sizeable away following of 4,000 supporters.

"I don't think it has quite sunk in yet," Buckle stated. "It is an incredible effort by the players.

"I know Norwich had a couple of good chances in the game and you expect that, but Mark [Tyler] has pulled off two good saves. Other than that the most pleasing thing for me is we defended so well and carried a threat going the other way.

"I am absolutely delighted for the players and the fans were out of this world. We probably couldn't have done it without those 4,000 travelling fans."

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