Luton Town vs Sunderland. Sky Bet Championship.
Kenilworth RoadAttendance10,060.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Luton Town and Sunderland at Kenilworth Road as Carlton Morris scored for the Hatters before Elliot Embleton equalised for the Black Cats.
Saturday 29 October 2022 18:38, UK
Elliot Embleton came off the bench to score a second-half equaliser as Sunderland earned a 1-1 Championship draw at Luton.
Both sides were denied by the woodwork before Carlton Morris put the hosts in front on the stroke of half-time, but the impressive Jack Clarke set up Embleton for the leveller.
The hosts started brightly, eager to make amends for their heavy defeat to fierce rivals Watford last weekend.
Alfie Doughty was denied an opening by a sliding challenge from Dennis Cirkin after appearing to be favourite to convert Morris' cross.
Midfielder Henri Lansbury's low 20-yard shot missed the bottom corner and then Morris forced visiting goalkeeper Anthony Patterson into a save at his near post when the Black Cats gave the ball away in their own half.
Sunderland threatened through the twinkle toes of Clarke, who was denied by Ethan Horvath, before Luton really should have taken the lead after a period of dominance.
First, James Bree sliced his angled volley over before Amari'i Bell's cross was met by Doughty, who saw his header hit the inside of a post, with Elijah Adebayo foiled twice when trying to turn the rebound in.
Jordan Clark then failed to get enough on Lansbury's whipped cross from the right.
But, with 25 minutes gone, the woodwork saved Luton, Leon Dajaku cutting inside to beat Horvath, only to be denied by a post.
Lansbury had to go off injured just before the half-hour mark and Sunderland were left ruing their luck once more after 32 minutes, Danny Batth heading a deep free-kick against a post.
Horvath then denied Manchester United loanee Amad Diallo twice in quick succession, the winger also dragging wide, before Luton took the lead two minutes into stoppage time.
Doughty reached the byline and crossed low for Morris, who stole in front of the defence to turn home from close range.
After the restart Black Cats keeper Patterson had to be alert to fist away Doughty's inswinging cross from the right that was threatening to creep in.
There were few chances in the second period, Diallo once more going close by firing into the side-netting, and then Bell throwing himself in the way of Clarke's drilled effort to prevent a leveller.
Sunderland equalise after 77 minutes, though, as a good burst on the left saw danger man Clarke pick out Embelton, and he stabbed home.
The visitors went closest to grabbing all three points, Patrick Roberts curling inches wide, as all Luton could muster was a Luke Freeman volley that was deflected behind.
Luton's Nathan Jones: "He (Morris) looks a threat, he's been excellent for us. He's already surpassed his best Championship season and we're only 16, 17 games in. It's wonderful for him, I'm really pleased for him, he's a great kid and I like that.
"This is Sunderland Football Club, 40,000 every week, so they're a big club, really tricky to play against because of the individuals they've got and they play that way. It was nice to make sure we had to bounce back and not go back-to-back defeats from last week, as I thought we started really, really well."
Sunderland's Tony Mowbray: "We've been playing without strikers for the last seven weeks, so I think we grew into the game. Take the first 20 minutes out - you know what's coming when you come to Luton, they play a lot of diagonal balls into your box, they've got a huge physical presence and we've got a very diminutive-sized football team.
"So we knew it was going to be a tough ask for us. The players are disappointed we didn't get three points and, yes, we could have easily lost more goals to the directness of Luton, but we'll put the point in the bag and move on."
