Luton Town vs Stoke City. Sky Bet Championship.
Kenilworth RoadAttendance10,070.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash at Kenilworth Road
Saturday 29 February 2020 18:31, UK
Luton striker James Collins scored an injury-time penalty to earn his side a crucial late point against relegation rivals Stoke at Kenilworth Road.
It had looked like the visitors had done enough for a precious victory on the road, only to concede a spot-kick at the death which was confidently tucked away by Town's top scorer.
City had gone ahead after nine minutes when Tommy Smith's cross-shot was turned in by the alert Sam Vokes from close range for his seventh of the season and first since New Year's Day.
Tom Ince should have doubled the Potters' lead moments later, escaping the attentions of the home defence only to see his low attempt draw a superb save from home keeper Simon Sluga, who diverted over the bar with his legs.
Hatters took a good 20 minutes to have their first real attack, when right-back Martin Cranie's deep cross was met by leading marksman Collins, who acrobatically volleyed into the ground and Harry Cornick put his header too close to Jack Butland.
Ince had another effort at full stretch that was easy for Sluga, while the fit-again Izzy Brown curled over the bar after receiving Dan Potts' pass in what was a desperately poor first half from the hosts.
In the second period, Ince might have done better when beating the offside trap, only to slip when shooting, as Sluga gathered at the second attempt.
Sam Clucas then saw his potshot fly well wide of the target from 22 yards, before Town thought they had a leveller after 70 minutes.
Substitute George Moncur's shot was parried away by keeper Butland and Cornick converted the loose ball, only to see the linesman's flag raised for offside.
Nick Powell had an opening for Stoke, who were clearly eager to stick with what they had, blazing wide from the edge of the box when he had time and space to go on.
Town upped the pressure slightly in the closing stages and were awarded a penalty in the 90th minute when substitute Callum McManaman was felled in the area after a good run from Luke Bolton.
Collins stepped up to commendably hold his nerve and send Butland the wrong way to make it 11 for the season and steal a point for the Hatters.
The result sees the Hatters stay bottom of the table, five points behind Stoke who are one place and two points above the drop zone.
Luton's Graeme Jones: "You've got to be experienced, you've got to have experienced big moments in order to keep your call in those situations. The courage of the lad, I don't think anybody at the football club doubts it and he was ice cool. I never give in, ever, not with these lads, and they're a very, very experienced Championship side. You have a look at their group of players and their ages.
"We were treading in quicksand for large parts of the game, Tuesday night really took its toll on us physically. I didn't see the spark we had then, but in those situations the key for us is to get something out of it. I've been speaking to the boys before Christmas about we need to accumulate points and that's what we've done today. We've managed to nick a point and that might be enough at the end of the season."
Stoke's Michael O'Neill: "It's very disappointing to be in front and get to the 90th-plus minute and the penalty's soft to say the least, let's be honest. But there's nothing we can do about, it's two points dropped, because of the position we're in.
"Equally, it's important we weren't beaten as well, but it doesn't feel like that at this minute. I don't think there was very much in it to give it at that moment in the game. There's contact between James Chester and their player with their upper body, he gets a toe to the ball, but there's a lot of bodies there. It's an interesting one to give that late in the game to make that decision."
