Luton Town vs Millwall. Sky Bet Championship.
Kenilworth RoadAttendance10,060.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Luton Town and Millwall at Kenilworth Road as Elijah Adebayo and Luke Berry scored as the Hatters battled back to earn a point.
Wednesday 1 March 2023 13:56, UK
Luton substitute Luke Berry scored a late equaliser as the Hatters hit back from 2-0 down to claim a point with a 2-2 draw against Millwall at Kenilworth Road.
The Lions had looked on course to take a big step forward in the battle for a top-six spot after doubling their advantage early in the second half, but they had not reckoned on a fightback that saw Elijah Adebayo and Berry find the net to rescue a point.
The visitors were handed the best start when in the fourth minute a clearance by keeper George Long was nodded down to the feet of Zian Flemming.
He took aim from the edge of the box, home keeper Ethan Horvath somehow letting the ball squirm through his grasp and over the line.
Adebayo headed Alfie Doughty's corner over as Luton looked to respond, with Jordan Clark sending a shot off-target in the 20th minute.
The midfielder then tried to beat Long at his near post, the shot-stopper getting fingertips on the ball to turn it around the post.
As the half wore on, Luton looked the more likely to score. Midfielder Clark appeared to be clipped in the area but referee Geoff Eltringham, despite being well positioned, waved the appeals away.
After the break, the Hatters were inches away from levelling as Doughty's corner crashed against the bar with Long beaten, Millwall's defence ensuring there was no way through from the rebound.
The Lions then got a controversial second in the 52nd minute, when an offside-looking George Honeyman on the right wing sent in a low cross that Tom Bradshaw tapped home to make it 2-0.
Luton did finally give themselves a chance in the 58th minute, though.
Amari'i Bell's ball into the box was met at the back post by Cody Drameh, his effort was brilliantly tipped on to the bar by Long and Adebayo was alive to the loose ball to flick over the line and pull one back.
Flemming curled waywardly over, before sending an ambitious free-kick from 30 yards into orbit, as Luton substitute Cauley Woodrow was on target from range, Long saving easily.
If anything, Millwall looked more likely to add a third, Oliver Burke diverting a header goalwards that Horvath could gather.
However, with three minutes left, Clark fed Berry and he swivelled just outside the box before finding the bottom corner.
Town might have won it too, Carlton Morris meeting Doughty's stoppage-time free-kick only to head it over.
Luton's Rob Edwards:
"I said to the lads 'pick your heads up, come on, that's a really good point'. To give a team like that, who are very well drilled, really well structured, a two-goal head start and if someone had offered me then a 2-2 draw then I would have taken it, I think we all would have.
"I'm really proud of the lads, the way they responded, tried to do the right things against a really good team, but it's what we deserved by the way, at the very least, so let me get that bit clear as well. The response to the setback was great, but you would expect that from our lads, they've got strong character and they've shown a lot of resilience already this season."
Millwall's Gary Rowett:
"If you reflect on being 2-0 up pretty late in the game then you're always going to be disappointed not to win the game. I think being 2-0 up was probably a slightly unfair reflection on the game and on Luton. We scored a fortuitous goal. It's a good strike, the keeper clearly made a mistake for it, maybe then we just drop and invite pressure and Luton are very good at putting the ball in our box and keeping that physicality and energy.
"At half-time I said 'this is not a game we can sit in, we've got to move the ball' and I thought second half for about 20-25 minutes we showed a little bit more quality on the ball. To go 2-0 up, we're in a good position and the two moments we just don't defend very well and get out to the ball quick enough, so that was the disappointment. Would I have taken a point before the game? Possibly. But being 2-0 up you're always going to be disappointed."
