Bruised and down to the bare bones like never before, the Hatters came within four minutes of securing a vital, battling point at Tottenham – only to be beaten by Heung-Min Son’s deflected late strike.
It was tough to take after an exhausting 90 minutes of Premier League action that ultimately left the Town finish the day inside the division relegation’s zone.
The afternoon started so positively when Rob Edwards’s side took the lead in the third minute when former Spurs winger Andros Townsend teed up Ross Barkley inside the box. The midfielder’s cute pass into the path of Tahith Chong was perfect and the former Birmingham man drove a wonderful left-foot effort into the corner of the net.
The early goal sparked Spurs into action. Timo Werner flashed a shot wide and on 20 minutes the Hatters somehow survived when Son’s shot came off both posts before two follow-up shots were blocked by Issa Kaboré and Teden Mengi.
As the host continued to attack the Hatters defence stood tall but there was a half-a-chance for a 2-0 half-time when Alfie Doughty’s volley was blocked behind for a corner and Luke Berry headed wide from the resultant flag-kick.
Leading at the break the Town were rocked by yet another injury as Reece Burke needed to be withdrawn and Daiki Hashioka was introduced.
However six minutes after the restart the home side were level when half-time substitute Brennan Johnson’s low right-wing cross was put through his own net by Kaboré.
Spurs laid siege on the Town goal but shortly after the hour Jordan Clark came mighty close to restoring the lead when his low shot from the edge of the box was tipped away by home stopper Guglielmo Vicario.
Tottenham upped the ante as time ticked down and with 12 minutes left the Hatters somehow survived another goalmouth melee. Johnson’s shot from close range was stopped by Kaminski and Doughty hacked clear with the ball all but over the line.
But the Town were not so lucky with four minutes left on the clock when Spurs countered following a Hatters corner with Son striding clear. Werner’s pass from the left found Johnson whose layoff was hit home by Son, via the aid of the unfortunate Hashioka.
The Hatters couldn’t force an equaliser in the nine added minutes leaving them to reflect on another spirited display that ended in defeat.
On we go to Arsenal on Wednesday.
See you there.
Town: Kaminski; Townsend, Doughty (sub Woodrow 83), Mengi, Burke (sub Hashioka 46), Kaboré; Mpanzu, Barkley, Berry (sub Clark 63); Chong (sub Onyedinma 73), Morris.
Subs not used: Shea, Krul, Johnson, Nelson, Piesold.
Attendance: 61,534, including 3,038 proud Hatters in the away end.
