The Hatters’ hopes of gatecrashing the play-offs were dealt a blow as they were held to a draw with Stockport.

Emilio Lawrence’s fine first senior goal gave the Town a deserved half-time advantage, but it was a lead that lasted until 12 minutes from time when Ollie Norwood’s free-kick crept past Josh Keeley.

The point keeps the Hatters in 11th place in League One with seven games to go but there was a palpable air of frustration as the Town left the field knowing that may be two points dropped in the race for a place in the top six.

In truth the Town could have had more to show for their endeavours other than Lawrence’s goal following a dominant first-half.

Jordan Clark skewed a volley when well placed in the penalty area following Kasey Palmer’s peach of a cross on nine minutes and 11 minutes later Palmer’s crisp low strike kissed the outside of the post.

But the Town continued to press and they were rewarded with the lead on 28 minutes in fine style. Lawrence seized on the ball outside the penalty area and arrowed an unstoppable low shot into the bottom corner. It was a brilliant first ever goal in senior football for the 20-year-old.

With the Hatters in front and enjoying their football, they were inches away from doubling their lead on 38 minutes when an inventive set-play saw Clark’s cross evade both Devante Cole and Hakeem Odoffin inside the six-yard box.

In front at the break it would be a different story in a second half that Stockport dominated.

Yet despite the visitors’ control it was the Hatters that came closest to adding to the score when Kal Naismith’s looping header was tipped over the bar by visiting goalkeeper Corey Addai.

Jack Wilshere made a triple change in a bid to counteract the visitors’ dominance with Gideon Kodua, Ali Al-Hamadi and Davy van den Berg introduced with 20 minutes left.

And Kodua was immediately into the action by shooting straight at Addai but minutes later County were level when Norwood’s free-kick from the left caught Keeley by surprise.

The equaliser knocked the stuffing out of the Hatters who couldn’t force a winner despite seven additional minutes.

In fact the Town had Naismith to thank for a magnificent clearance to deny a certain goal when the visitors countered in the second of those minutes.

So frustration for the Hatters who must now wait until Good Friday before going again in League One.

We’ll see you then.

Town: Keeley, Jones, Lawrence (sub Kodua 71), Lonwijk, Odoffin, Naismith, Saville (sub Sandal 88), Richards (sub Morris 88), Clark, Palmer (sub van den Berg 72), Cole (sub Al-Hamadi 71).

Subs: Shea, Sandal, van den Berg, Al-Hamadi, Morris, Kodua, Johnson.

Attendance: 10,791, including 1,132 from Stockport