Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Luton and Bournemouth at Kenilworth Road; Lloyd Kelly own goal and Allan Campbell strike put hosts ahead; Emiliano Marcondes and Morgan Rogers pulled two back before injury-time strike from Kal Naismith
Saturday 15 January 2022 18:29, UK
Kal Naismith scored with the last kick of the game in the 97th minute as Luton produced a stunning 3-2 victory over Bournemouth, who drop important points in their automatic promotion bid.
A Lloyd Kelly own goal and a fine first Luton goal for Allan Campbell put the home side ahead in the first half, but Emiliano Marcondes pulled a goal back shortly after half-time.
A point looked to be saved by substitute Morgan Rogers late on as he fired into the net in the 78th minute, but Naismith tucked the ball into the bottom corner from outside the box deep in the 97th minute to the delight of the home support inside Kenilworth Road.
Blackburn's victory against Cardiff on Saturday lunchtime means Bournemouth are now top of the Championship on 49 points on goal difference. Luton, meanwhile, move up into 13th on 32 points.
Bournemouth started brightly, but Luton grew as the first half progressed and Kelly's own goal on the half-hour mark broke the deadlock. Elijah Adebayo's low driven strike was kept out by the left foot of Mark Travers and ricocheted off Kelly into the net.
Six minutes later and Cameron Jerome saw his tap-in disallowed by the linesman as he strayed narrowly offside, but Luton did grab a second three minutes before half-time as Campbell fired in his first goal for the club into the bottom corner.
Bournemouth responded early on in the second half through Marcondes. Jack Stacey's perfectly-weighted dinked cross was powerfully headed into the net by the Dane.
The visitors continued to push for an equaliser and Luton defended resolutely, but Scott Parker's side looked like they had rescued a point late on. Substitute Jamal Lowe surged into the box and squared the ball back for Rogers to thump his first-time strike into the roof of the net.
But deep into stoppage time, Naismith produced a finish any striker would be proud of as the defender curled his low shot beyond Travers into the bottom corner to seal a dramatic victory for Luton.
The Scottish winger was a constant problem down the right flank and combined well with Jack Stacey on the overlap. Luton's defence struggled to deal with his pace and directness.
Luton's Nathan Jones: "With the greatest respect, these will go up. These and Fulham, they're the best two sides in the league, so to do what we did, I thought we were full value for our win. We weren't categorically better than them, but I thought we were the more aggressive side. We created more problems, especially first half and then we finished with real intent to win a football match and that's what happened.
"It's a wonderful way to win a game against a very, very, very good side, one of the top two sides in the division, that's not even arguable. We were always going to lack a bit of energy second half because we haven't played but the goals are poor, we should defend better, but to show the character that we did is amazing, as I thought we were the ones pushing late on to win the game."
Bournemouth's Scott Parker: "We gave ourselves a mountain to climb in the first half going two goals down, one an own goal, another one from 30 yards - the boy's hit a great strike. For bits in the first half I liked us but then I thought we got to the final third and really just pitted out, didn't really cause them any problems through the first phase. We got up to that part of the pitch very well but didn't have enough about us in those moments, and then second half, we showed unbelieve character, quality, the subs coming on made a difference and we get ourselves to 2-2.
"After 2-2, I thought we were right in the ascendancy, I thought we had the momentum with us, but it didn't pan out like that really. At that point the game became quite neutral and then they scored with literally the last kick of the game which is obviously devastating. I'm not sure we did enough to win the game, but certainly I didn't think we deserved to lose it."
Bournemouth host Hull at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday, January 22 at 3pm. Luton, meanwhile, travel to Reading on Wednesday evening; Kick-off 8pm.
