Nathan Jones says his side were outbattled, outfought, outran and "out-Luton'd" by Bristol City as he questioned his side's desire in defeat.
Luton manager Jones admitted Nigel Pearson's Robins were by far the better team in the opening 45 minutes while they needed Mark Sykes' sending off in the second period to help try and get them back into the contest.
Luton looked far from the playoff hopefuls they were last season and were forced to wait until the 71st minute before their first of two shots on target. The second came in the dying embers of the game when Dan Bentley scrambled across his goal to maintain City's first clean sheet on the season.
"We didn't pass the ball well enough, we weren't brave," Jones said. "They were braver than us and had more energy than us and that usually doesn't happen at our football club.
"(In the) first-half we got outbattled, outfought, outran, we got out-Luton'd, which is the worrying thing because that's what we do to teams. That's how we are built.
"Bristol City were good first half but we allowed them to be good. We've come here wanting to be aggressive, we didn't do the basics early on. Tried to play offside when we don't go with the runners. It's a poor start and we never recovered."
Pearson sprung a tactical surprise by starting Nahki Wells over Chris Martin which offered a different dynamic in attack and his faith was rewarded after just five minutes when the striker finished off Alex Scott's through ball to set the Robins on their way.
Wells' pace and movement caused Luton's defence problems all game until he was substituted for Martin in the 76th minute and Jones admitted he hadn't expected the striker to start.
"We expected Conway to start and probably Chris Martin but it doesn't matter who plays, we don't work on defenders running out and not knowing what's around them and letting Nahki Wells through," Jones added. "We don't do that. We defend, we're strong and when a player makes a run you go with the run. It's not a game plan. Go with your runner. It's simple.
"I probably picked the wrong team, some of the things that happened first half with naïve defending. We don't normally do that. Last year with 19 clean sheets one of the most in the league, we don't concede many chances but when we go lazy with our defending that's what happened."
Jones also believes Mark Sykes' red card in the second half was justified although criticised the reaction from former City favourite Luke Freeman after the Luton midfielder angrily barged City's wing-back to the ground before receiving a yellow card.
"It's a clear red, it's a bad challenge. Our player reacted and gave them another decision to make but it's a bad challenge," the Welshman added. "(Freeman's reaction) It was just stupid and petulance. You don't need to do it. I have no idea what the motivation was behind doing that.
"You're not going to hurt him putting his chest in his back. You're not going to get one over on him and all it does is just give the ref the decision whether he's going to send you off. If he gets a yellow it puts you on a knife edge really."
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