Luton Town vs Millwall. Sky Bet Championship.
Kenilworth RoadAttendance10,049.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash at Kenilworth Road
Wednesday 2 October 2019 23:08, UK
Callum McManaman's 86th-minute strike gave Luton Town a share of the points as they played out a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Millwall at Kenilworth Road.
After an opening 45 minutes of little goalmouth action, Tom Bradshaw gave the visitors the lead against the run of play as he turned in Jed Wallace's rebounded effort.
It sparked the Championship game into life and Luton got a deserved equaliser four minutes from time as McManaman steered the ball home from inside the six-yard box.
There was nothing between the two sides in the table before the game and there was not much after it, with Luton lying in 17th place, ahead of Millwall on goal difference.
With both teams having failed to keep a clean sheet so far this season, it would have been fair to assume goals would be flowing in this encounter.
However, the first half delivered a game full of endeavour but lacking in quality in the final third - Luton's James Collins having the best effort of the opening period, meeting Izzy Brown's corner to force a smart reaction save from Millwall keeper Bartosz Bialkowski.
It was a game of contrasting halves though, with Millwall's second-half introduction of Ben Thompson sparking the game into life.
And Neil Harris' tactical bravery to revert to a 4-3-3 was rewarded 15 minutes later as Millwall took an unlikely lead. Wallace, buoyed by a more advanced role, saw an effort parried by Luton keeper Simon Sluga into the path of Bradshaw to open the scoring.
Seeing the impact of Harris' change, Luton counterpart Graeme Jones threw on Kazenga LuaLua, McManaman and Luke Bolton.
And it was Bolton who was the provider for his fellow substitute as the winger got to the byline before finding McManaman to claim his first goal for the club and a deserved equaliser.
The forward was League One's top scorer last season as his goals helped fire Luton to promotion and he always carried a threat for the Hatters against Millwall.
He may not have got on the scoresheet but in a game of few chances, Collins was only denied by great saves from Millwall stopper Bialkowski either side of half-time.
Graeme Jones: "I thought they played on the counter when we gave the ball away, they were at their most dangerous with (Jez) Wallace and (Connor) Mahoney, but we coped really, really well.
"They weren't a threat first half, at all, they scored, I'll have to look in detail how they scored, but the reaction from our players was magnificent."
Neil Harris: "Ultimately, I'm pleased. The second half performance was outstanding from the group of players, we were disappointed to concede so late, definitely, there is that and even after conceding we responded again and finished the game really strongly.
"I want to praise my players tonight, we changed shape at half time, we had to change in the game a few times to try and match them, the reaction of the players was outstanding."
Luton travel to Derby County on Saturday, while Millwall host Championship leaders Leeds United at The Den. Both fixtures get underway at 3pm.
