A Friday night treat on TNT and what a reward for the 1,500 brave fans who endured weekend traffic up the M1 and M6 to shout for the Hatters. A 92nd minute equaliser from Carlton Morris saw the Town leave the north with a point which was the least their efforts deserved.
Sir Rob made a key change from the last league game as Jordan Clark earned a first start up front to replace the suspended Jacob Brown. Dan Potts and Reece Burke secured places on the bench.
First 25 minutes it was all Luton with both our wide men seeing plenty of the ball. But Luton couldn’t make the 60% pressure count and were caught by a rare Burnley attack when a shot at goal crept over a congested goal line.
Second half saw the introductions of Chong and Morris, and as at Sheffield, it was the Morris introduction that proved the key move.
Burnley keeper Trafford had dealt pretty well with crosses all night, but for one final time Alfie put another of his incredible deliveries in. This time Trafford badly mistimed his run and never left the ground. He knocked into Elijah, the ball sailed over both their heads, and there was Carlton rising again like a salmon to put his header into the unguarded net.
Cue the Benny Hill music as we waited for the comedy factory at Stockley Park to see whether they wanted to intervene. But on this rare occasion they got it right. Ref on field gave the goal. In the VAR room they decided it wasn’t a clear and obvious error, so goal stood.
What a start to the weekend, and now on to that unwanted replay at Bolton in the Cup next week. Then it is 2 weeks until league action resumes at home to Brighton on Tuesday 30th January. If we beat Bolton in the cup there will be a 4th round tie at either Palace or Everton to fit in the weekend before.
Town: Kaminski; Ogbene, Doughty, Osho, Mengi, Bell; Lokonga (sub Berry 86), Clark (sub Morris 74), Barkley, Townsend (sub Chong 64); Adebayo.