Luton fight back to earn vital point against Millwall

Posted Sunday, April 03, 2022 by PA

A late own goal from Millwall skipper Jake Cooper gifted Luton another point in their quest for the Sky Bet Championship play-offs as they twice hit back to draw 2-2 at Kenilworth Road.

An uneventful start saw the game finally come to life after 20 minutes as Town midfielder Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu was found by Amari’i Bell inside the area, but could only curl high and wide.

The Lions went back up the other end and took the lead in the 24th minute, a long ball forward falling to Tom Bradshaw outside the box and he picked out the bottom corner with wonderful accuracy to score his eighth of the season.

Town responded well though as firstly Mpanzu shanked off target again, before the Hatters levelled on 33 minutes.

It was a wonderful team move too, Mpanzu and Henri Lansbury involved before Bell took over and an excellent one-two released Elijah Adebayo in the area, who opened up his body and curled a finish beyond Bartosz Bialkowski via the inside of the post.

Millwall regrouped, Benik Afobe’s header looping over the top, while in the second half Luton should have moved ahead just two minutes in, when a ball over the top saw Harry Cornick in the clear. Faced with just Bialkowski to beat, he shot straight at the keeper’s legs.

Luton midfielder Lansbury made a crucial interception as Bradshaw looked set to swivel and put his side back in front, while Murray Wallace took aim from 30 yards but James Shea was not troubled.

Scott Malone was not too far away after connecting with a half-volley when a corner was cleared into his path, while Kal Naismith advanced out of defence for the Hatters, his shot deflecting behind off a trailing leg.

The Lions then looked to have got the deciding goal on 83 minutes when a quickfire break out from the back saw an overload on the left and substitute Oliver Burke looked up to pick out the perfect ball for Afobe to volley past Shea and make it 2-1.

However, Luton showed their fighting spirit yet again, winning a free-kick with three minutes to play, which former Scotland international Robert Snodgrass took, and his set-piece was turned into the net by Cooper.

Shea still had to be alert at his near post to prevent Malone from securing victory for the Lions, while Luton might have snatched it too, ex-Millwall attacker Fred Onyedinma doing superbly on the right, with Bell’s effort taking a nick on its way behind.