Promotion-chasing Luton held by Blackpool

Posted Saturday, April 23, 2022 by PA

Luton failed to get the win they needed to all but secure a Sky Bet Championship play-off place after being held to a 1-1 draw by Blackpool.

Town went ahead after just two minutes when Kal Naismith released Elijah Adebayo on the right and he cut inside before firing a deflected cross-shot into the bottom corner for his 17th goal of the season.

Unbowed, the visitors looked the brighter, Keshi Anderson skewing well wide with a difficult 20-yard half volley before a long throw caused confusion and was prodded wide by Gary Madine, with the hosts needing debutant goalkeeper Harry Isted to confidently claim some crosses and relieve the pressure.

Harry Cornick went close to adding a second, his well-struck attempt drawing a decent parry from Chris Maxwell, while he should have also scored on 33 minutes but headed wastefully over the bar from Robert Snodgrass’ pinpoint cross.

With Blackpool’s threat reducing, Anderson tried his luck again from distance but fired into the stands.

After the break, Luton looked for a pressure-relieving second, with a good move on the right seeing Peter Kioso’s cross deflected for Allan Campbell, whose shot was charged down.

Blackpool then got the goal their first-half display deserved, CJ Hamilton going down easily in the box under a needless sliding challenge from Dan Potts, with Madine drilling the resulting penalty beyond Isted.

Madine looked to double his tally but his 20-yard snapshot was too close to Isted before Luton substitute Admiral Muskwe, on for skipper Sonny Bradley, almost netted with his first touch, Maxwell repelling his close range stab.

Anderson got his radar all wrong from a decent free-kick chance while Hamilton, picked out by a superb crossfield pass from Connolly, cut inside Kioso but sliced his attempt out for a throw-in.

Kioso tried to score at the other end, tamely shooting at Maxwell, before Luton might have won it with four minutes left when Snodgrass’ cross was met by the leaping Cameron Jerome who powered disappointingly wide.

Luton thought they had won it in stoppage-time when Adebayo raced on to Henri Lansbury’s free kick and fed Muskwe who scored, but the forward was adjudged to have fouled Richard Keogh and the goal was disallowed.