Match Reports

Town earn point at Hillsborough

Hatters dig in to earn first point on the road since September

doughty goal

A resolute second half rearguard performance helped the Hatters end their run of 11 straight Championship defeats away from home as Matt Bloomfield’s side earned a 1-1 draw at Sheffield Wednesday.

Ahead at half-time thanks to a superb strike from Alfie Doughty, the Town were hanging on at times in the second half after Wednesday had levelled through Michael Smith’s penalty on the hour.

But a combination of brave defending, good goalkeeping and bad finishing ensured the Hatters could pick up a first point on the road since winning 1-0 at Millwall in September.

Doughty’s goal – his first of the season – came shortly after the half-hour mark in a first half that saw both sides create few clear-cut chances.

The Town, showing four changes to the team that lost to Millwall at Kenilworth Road last weekend, began brightly with new signing Thelo Aasgaard bright in attack.

The goal when it came was a beauty. Lamine Fanne drove forward from midfield and fed Jacob Brown on the right. The forward flashed a cross into the feet of Carlton Morris and the captain held the ball up strongly before laying the ball off to Doughty. With nobody around him and from 22 yards, the wing-back looked up and arrowed a wonderful left-foot drive into the top corner.

At half-time home manager Danny Rohl made a double change with Smith and Stuart Armstrong introduced and the switch had the desired effect as the Owls pushed for an equaliser with Barry Bannan pulling the strings in midfield.

The equaliser when it arrived came from the spot. Djeidi Gassama’s mazy run upfield took him past half-a-dozen men in orange shirts but his progress was halted by Lamine Fanne’s challenge and referee Ben Toner pointed to the spot. Kaminski guessed right but Smith’s penalty was well-hit and the hosts were level.

Bloomfield reacted by bringing on Josh Bowler for his debut but a two-minute period after his introduction saw the Hatters fortunate to be on level terms.

Smith shot straight at Kaminski on 65 minutes before Windass skied the rebound high into the home end. Less than 60 seconds later, Windass’ firm low drive was turned away by Kaminski with the hosts then unable to turn the loose ball home from close range.

But the Hatters rode that storm and Bloomfield sent on Millenic Alli brought on for his debut for goalscorer Doughty with 18 minutes remaining.

Back came the Town, Bowler scuffing a shot wide when first to react to a blocked shot from Alli on 79 minutes as the Hatters sensed a late winner against the run of play.

However, as time ticked down, the Hatters withstood heavy Wednesday pressure in the closing stages.

Mark McGuinness and Mads Andersen threw themselves in front of the ball into injury time with one magnificent block from McGuinness thwarting the hosts’ final chance.

After 141 days since the last points on the road, the Hatters were left to claim a point – only their fifth of the season away from Kenilworth Road.

There’s a week without a fixture before we make the long trip to Sunderland a week on Wednesday.

Take care, and we’ll see you then.

Come on Luton.

Town: Kaminski, Walters (sub Hashioka 72), Johnson, McGuinness, Andersen, Lamine Fanne, Clark, Aasgaard (sub Naismith 87), Doughty (sub Alli 72), Brown (sub Bowler 64), Morris.

Subs not used: Krul, Adebayo, Nakamba, Walsh, Nelson.

Attendance: 27,437, including 1,321 backing the Hatters.

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