Luton Town vs Birmingham City. Sky Bet Championship.
Kenilworth Road.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Luton Town and Birmingham at Kenilworth Road as Matty Pearson earns a point for the Hatters after Lukas Jutkiewicz's penalty had put the Blues in front
Tuesday 24 November 2020 22:57, UK
Birmingham goalkeeper Neil Etheridge produced an inspired display as his side picked up a point in a 1-1 draw against Luton at Kenilworth Road.
The Philippines international made a number of saves to prevent the visitors suffering a third consecutive defeat in the Sky Bet Championship.
Lukas Jutkiewicz had given the Blues the lead from the spot but Matty Pearson levelled in the 37th minute for Luton, who recorded a third straight 1-1 draw.
Etheridge had to punch Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's corner away early on, before Luke Berry's cross glanced wide by recalled Luton striker James Collins.
After being second best, Blues took the lead in the 23rd minute when Maxime Colin's cross was handled by the outstretched arm of a sliding Elliot Lee. Striker Jutkiewicz arrowed the spot-kick beyond Simon Sluga with ease for the 100th league goal of his career.
Dewsbury-Hall went for the spectacular, missing the target from 25 yards, while visiting midfielder Ivan Sunjic saw his ambitious attempt fly into the stands.
Lee's low drive was comfortably gathered by Etheridge at his near post, as the keeper then had to acrobatically tip over Pelly Ruddock's cross deflected his way by visiting skipper Harlee Dean.
From the corner, Luton were level. Berry's set-piece was met by Glen Rea and full-back Matty Pearson swivelled to fire goalwards and finally beat Etheridge, who could only parry it against a post and over the line.
Pearson went for a second, shooting over the bar from 25 yards, while in the second period, Berry's attempt was cleared off the line.
Chances came and went for both sides in what was a thoroughly entertaining 45 minutes of football, Collins beating his man but not Etheridge, who parried well, with Jutkiewicz sending two efforts wide - one with Sunjic in a far better position.
Ruddock's tame shot bobbled through to Etheridge - and the goalkeeper should have been left picking the ball out of the net after 72 minutes - but somehow dived to his left to save Collins' effort from a matter of yards after Dewsbury-Hall's pinpoint cross.
He then denied Jordan Clark, flipping his 18-yard effort over the bar as the City defence backed off, while Collins then had another great chance blocked from close range.
After being under the cosh for large periods, Birmingham could have won it themselves in the closing stages.
First, Jeremie Bela volleyed straight at Sluga after being left unmarked at the far post, before the Town goalkeeper produced a wonderful save of his own to deny Sunjic when the midfielder went clean through in stoppage time.
Luton's Nathan Jones: "Apart from one lapse and then (Simon) Sluga having to pull off a wonderful save, I thought we were totally dominant, in terms of how we moved the ball, in terms of us being brave, the chances we created. We should've won the game, no doubt about it, but the one thing I'm taking from it is, we are a Championship side and we're proving we're evolving week by week, and that's such a good thing for a manager. That's the positive I take from tonight.
"I'm disappointed we didn't get three points, because I felt we deserved them. If we want to do anything in this league, when we're in the ascendancy like that, we have to make sure we take it, but in terms of performance levels, I couldn't have asked for more."
Birmingham's Aitor Karanka: "It's another game and it's about us. We knew that the pitch is narrow, they are really aggressive and really good on set-pieces, we conceded the goal from one corner and I knew players like Jeremie (Bela) and Ivan (Sanchez) would have problems, so we had to play with the same shape as against QPR.
"Then in the second half when they were attacking more, I had to change as I thought we needed to keep more of the ball, we kept more of the ball and we had more chances to score."
