Blackburn Rovers vs Luton Town FC (11th Sep 2021)

Report | Blackburn Rovers 2-2 Luton Town

Berry bags a brace to earn the Hatters a brilliant point at Ewood Park

The injury and illness-depleted Hatters came from 2-0 down to grab a last-gasp point in a feisty encounter at Blackburn this afternoon.

Substitute Luke Berry scored twice on his first appearance of the season, including an equaliser eight minutes into injury-time, to pull the Hatters back to 2-2 after two quickfire Blackburn goals had put the hosts 2-0 up at half-time, courtesy of Tyrhys Dolan and Harry Pickering.

The Town produced a never-say-die performance in the face of adversity and a poor refereeing decision that should have seen Blackburn forced to play with ten men for more than 80 minutes after their captain Darragh Lenihan escaped a straight red card for an awful challenge that forced Allan Campbell off.

With his initial selection, manager Nathan Jones made three changes to his starting line-up from the goalless draw with Sheffield United.

Coming into the side for his first start of the season was Dan Potts, while Admiral Muskwe and Cameron Jerome were picked to return in attacking roles.

That changed just before kick-off with Muskwe dropping out having pulled up in the warm-up, with Carlos Mendes Gomes coming in for his first Championship start.

Also returning to the matchday squad for the first time this season were captain Sonny Bradley and midfielder Luke Berry, both named among the substitutes.

Amari'i Bell and Fred Onyedinma missed out through injury, while striker Elijah Adebayo woke up unwell on the morning of the game and had travelled home.

Mendes Gomes made a bright start, releasing Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu through the middle of the pitch. The midfielder in turn set Harry Cornick free, but the Town forward was ushered out to the byline by Daniel Ayala for a corner.

Within the first ten minutes, the Hatters' ranks were depleted further when Allan Campbell became the victim of a shocking over-the-top challenge by Darragh Lenihan, although referee deemed it worthy of only a yellow card and the Rovers captain remained on the pitch, while our Scottish midfielder had to be taken straight down the tunnel.

Henri Lansbury came on in his place, and almost immediately the midfielder sprayed a lovely ball out to James Bree, whose cross found Cornick

The hosts took the lead in the 26th minute when Ryan Nyambe raced down the right and cut a ball back that took two deflections off Mendes Gomes and Potts, before landing at the feet of Tyrhys Dolan, who placed his shot into the roof of Simon Sluga's net.

It was two by the 31st minute, when Harry Pickering latched onto Ben Brereton Diaz's pass into the box and finished low past Sluga into the bottom corner.

The Town tried to regroup and mounted a response, Gabe Osho lashing a volley that was well off target, before a patient build-up presented him with the opportunity to shoot from 25 yards, but his low effort was comfortable for Thomas Kaminski to gather in the Blackburn goal.

Jones was forced into another change at the break, Bradley coming on in place of Potts, who had landed heaving on his head and shoulder in a challenge towards the end of the first half.

The opening five minutes of the second half produced almost as many yellow cards, Dolan punished for diving in the box under a challenge from Lansbury, before Sluga and Brereton Diaz went into the book for a shoving match on the edge of the area and Jerome for catching Lenihan with an arm in an aerial challenge.

When football prevailed, Naismith met Lansbury's corner with a firm header in the 55th minute, only for it to be cleared off the line, before Jerome steered his header into the top corner as the ball came back into the six-yard box via Mpanzu, this time Langford penalising the striker for a push.

Blackburn broke up the other end and Brereton Diaz struck a post in the 56th-minute, before Osho became the next player into the book for a late challenge on Lewis Travis.

Berry was introduced in place of Mendes Gomes just before the hour, and he hit a volley into the ground - and well wide - as the Town looked to exert some pressure after Rovers' Sam Gallagher had been shown a yellow for a high challenge on Lansbury, who had also been booked minutes earlier for a foul.

The Hatters had a golden chance to get back into the game with 20 minutes to go when Cornick pounced on a loose ball in just inside his own half and burst forward, playing Jerome in to his right as he approached the penalty area, but the experienced front man's placed effort was turned away by Kaminski's left boot.

The deficit was halved in the 73rd minute, however, when Bree nodded Bradley's cross-field ball into Mpanzu's path, the midfielder cut the ball back from the byline and Berry got in front of Nyambe to poke his finish past Kaminski, via a deflection off the Rovers right-back.

Sluga got down low to his left to keep out a shot from Nyambe in the 84th minute, with Burke helping out to clear the danger from the rebound.

There was still time for referee Langford to be replaced by fourth official Andy Haines, due to injury, then Sluga having to race off his line to deny Brereton Diaz with a point-earning save before Osho got back to block Gallagher's follow-up.

Then came the moment we had waited for, deep into injury-time, as Berry got on the end of a knock-down to steer in his second and the equaliser to secure a point that the Hatters thoroughly deserved.

Goals

Rovers: Dolan 27, Pickering 31

Town: Berry 73, 90+8

Att: 11,241 (810 Hatters)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ_pg1O04cI – Nathan Jones post match interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtuWrNsSM4A – Match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcxxWXZ-c2g – Luke Berry interview

Berry steals in to earn Town a stoppage time point as Luton hit back from 2-0 down at Blackburn

Championship: Blackburn Rovers 2 Luton Town 2

A sensational stoppage time equaliser from substitute Luke Berry saw Luton fight back from 2-0 down to earn a magnificent and well deserved point against Blackburn Rovers this afternoon.

The visitors looked dead and buried with just over half an hour on the clock, conceding twice to their hosts as it looked like a long afternoon was in prospect.

But to their credit, the Hatters never let their heads dropped, and with a second half performance full of purpose and maybe even a sense of injustice after midfielder Allan Campbell was forced off following a shocking challenge from Darragh Lenihan, which the Rovers player escaped with just a yellow, Berry, only introduced on the hour mark for his first action of the season, scored twice in the final 15 minute to salvage a share of the spoils.

Going into a thoroughly absorbing afternoon, the Hatters made three changes for the match, Amari'i Bell missing out on a return to his former club with injury, as Dan Potts came in for a first start of the season.

He was joined by Cameron Jerome and originally Ade Muskwe, but the latter pulled out before kick-off, meaning Carlos Mendes Gomes came in for for his full league debut for the Hatters.

Elijah Adebayo and Fred Onyedinma also missed out, while there was a return on the bench for club captain Sonny Bradley and that man Berry.

Town were hit by some further disruption after just 10 minutes when Campbell was the recipient of an awful lunging challenge from home skipper Lenihan who went over the ball and caught him on the shin.

Although the Rovers defender was able to continue, somehow only shown yellow by official Oliver Langford, a decision that incensed Town's bench and players, Campbell's afternoon was done, replaced by Henri Lansbury.

The substitute gave an early example of his terrific array of passing, spreading the ball wide for James Bree, whose fierce cross was deflected over by Harry Cornick.

Luton looked like they might be further hit when Potts collided heavily with the turf after landing badly following an aerial challenge, but he managed to shake off the nasty looking head injury.

However, the Hatters found themselves behind on 27 minutes when they were sliced open on their left hand side, with Mendes Gomes unable to prevent the low cross, seized upon by Tyrhys Dolan, who took a touch and fired into the roof of the net.

With not much going right for Town, Rovers took full advantage, with an easy second just four minutes later, as they simply strolled through the visitors' back-line, Harry Pickering given time and space to unleash an angled drive into the bottom corner.

Luton tried to regain a foothold as some persistence from Jerome saw a clearance sit up nicely for Gabe Osho whose well-hit 25-yard volley didn't miss by much.

The midfielder then made some space for himself following Mendes Gomes' efforts on the left, opting for placement this time, Thomas Kaminski gathering comfortably.

Town made their second change at the break, with Bradley on for Potts, who was clearly still feeling the effects of his head injury, Kal Naismith moving out to left back.

After the break, the action immediately got going, Dolan going over Lansbury's outstretched leg inside the area, the referee whistling for what appeared to be a penalty, only to book the Blackburn attacker for a blatant dive.

Brereton then took the ball away from Sluga, before throwing himself to the ground when the Croatian looked to retrieve it from him, as both were cautioned for their troubles.

Jerome was next to see yellow for an aerial challenge on Lenihan, before the striker thought he had pulled one back, looping a header into the net after Naismith's effort was originally blocked from Lansbury's corner, only to see the goal ruled out for offside.

An end-to-end game that was threatening to boil over saw Brereton almost add a third, his low attempt cannoning off the post, as Osho became the seventh player to see yellow, Lansbury soon making it eight, with Langford slowly losing control for his earlier failure to dismiss Lenihan.

Jones brought on Berry for his first action of the season with an hour gone and as the bookings continued to tot up, Sam Gallagher soon cautioned, he had an opening on 66 minutes, scuffing wide from a decent position.

The Town chief was left with his heads in hands on 70 minutes as Luton had a glorious chance to make a real game of it, Cornick taking advantage of a misplaced pass to race away and tee Jerome up perfectly.

The experienced forward was left with just Kaminski to beat, something he simply had to do, but frustratingly kept his shot on the ground, allowing the keeper to save with his feet.

Kaminski was soon picking the ball out of the net though on 73 minutes when Town fashioned a great opportunity on the right, Mpanzu reaching the byline and whipping over a dangerous cross that saw Berry slide in to make it 2-1.

It was the midfielder's first goal since November 21, 2020, when he netted at Kenilworth Road against the same opponents and gave Luton genuine hope of getting something tangible from the game.

Sluga ensured that hope remained with eight minutes to go, getting down well to his right to palm Ryan Nyambe's shot away, Burke completing the job at the expense of a corner.

Berry then fed Mpanzu whose blast from 22 yards was wayward, as Luton's hopes of a leveller looked like they were beginning to fade.

The match began to descend into a bit of a face in stoppage time though, with referee Langford having to be replaced after suffering cramp, Andy Haines taking his place.

Sluga kept the visitors in it, saving a one-on-one from Brereton, Osho crucially blocking Gallagher's rebound with a last-ditch challenge, allowing the visitors one last opportunity.

They took it too, Naismith finding Mpanzu who floated a ball into the area for Jerome to cushion back into the path of Berry who arrived on cue to show great composure and beat Kaminski to send the travelling faithful wild and earn a thoroughly deserved point.

Rovers: Thomas Kaminski, Ryan Nyambe, Darragh Lenihan, Daniel Ayala, Harry Pickering, Lewis Travis, Joe Rothwell (Tyler Magloire 80), Tyrhys Dolan, John Buckley (Jacob Davenport 74), Ben Brereton Diaz, Sam Gallagher.

Subs not used: Reda Khadra, Aynsley Pears, Daniel Butterworth, Leighton Clarkson, Lenni Rae Cirino,

Hatters: Simon Sluga, Bree, Dan Potts (Sonny Bradley 46), Kal Naismith (C), Reece Burke, Gabe Osho, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Allan Campbell (Henri Lansbury 10), Carlos Mendes Gomes (Luke Berry 58), Harry Cornick, Cameron Jerome.

Subs not used: James Shea, Tom Lockyer, Dion Pereira, Harry Isted.

Bookings: Lenihan 10, Nasmith Dolan 48, Sluga 49, Brereton 49, Jerome 50, Osho 59, Lansbury 61, Gallagher 67.

Referee: Oliver Langford (Andy Haines 90).

Attendance: 11,241 (810 away).

Jones labels Blackburn skipper Lenihan's tackle on Luton midfielder Campbell as a 'season-ending challenge'

Town boss can't believe Rovers captain wasn't dismissed

Luton boss Nathan Jones labelled the horror challenge on midfielder Allan Campbell at Blackburn Rovers this afternoon as a potentially season-ending one.

With just 10 minutes gone at Ewood Park, the summer signing from Motherwell was the victim of a terrible shin-high tackle from Rovers captain Darragh Lenihan, an offence that quite rightly enraged the Hatters dug-out and players, with replays showing the severity of it.

Lenihan was somehow only shown a yellow by referee Oliver Langford, but a distressed Campbell could clearly play no further part, immediately substituted for Henri Lansbury.

Speaking afterwards, Jones said: “Let’s clarify, I know Darragh, I’ve tried to sign Darragh, well my club tried to sign Darragh when I was at Brighton, so I know he’s not malicious in any way, but it’s a terrible challenge.

“It’s season ending, I’m not saying career ending, it’s a season ending challenge.

"If his ankle ligaments don’t go, his leg does, so praise the lord his ankle ligaments went and not his leg as it's a terrible challenge.

“I’ve been in to see the referee very calmly, as they have to see that, because it's a game changing challenge.

"Ten minutes later he (Lenihan) plays a ball inside, they break and score, so it’s an absolutely game changing challenge.

"We lost Jordan Clark the other day to the most horrific challenge at West Brom and then we’ve done it again today, so maybe we’re too nice.”

When asked how Campbell was following the game, Jones continued: “It’s his ankle ligaments, we don't know, we’ll have a scan and see, but he's in a boot.

"Instantly he can’t continue, so we haven't even tried it.

"Take personnell aside, it’s a horrific challenge, it’s over the top, it’s shin high, and all I can say is praise the lord his ankle ligaments went and not his leg because then you're looking at eight, nine months.”

Although Rovers boss Tony Mowbray accepted that last season the incident would have seen his captain sent off, he didn't think it was quite as bad as Jones was insisting, saying: "I’m sure Nathan has been in complaining about Lenihan’s tackle, he’s been moaning enough to me about it, but I was 10 yards away from it, I watched it live.

"Lenihan makes full contact with the ball and his foot goes over the top of it and he catches the lad.

"Last year 100 per cent it’s a red card, this year I don’t think the officials know what they’re doing, how lenient to be, how strong to be.

"They haven’t got the balance right and today it was always going to be that kind of game.”

Campbell’s injury was just the latest of a difficult time for the Hatters which saw Elijah Adebayo, Fred Onyedinma and Amari'i Bell all miss out with various injuries in the build-up to the game, while Admiral Muskwe was named in the starting line-up, only to pull out just before kick-off, Carlos Mendes Gomes starting his first league fixture for the Hatters.

Jones added: “It is tough, but that’s what we’re having at the minute.

"We’ve just had to dig deep today, really dig deep, there's nothing in the coaching manual, nothing in the technical Pep Guardiola school of our result today.

"We had to dig deep, come away from home and show character and endeavour and drive and belief and we did that.

"We showed very little quality in certain elements of our play and if we'd have done that, I think we might have won the game, because Blackburn showed better quality in and around the final third than we did.

"So that’s what we need, but they've been able to spend a hell of a lot of money on that quality, while we've had to develop that quality.

"I'm delighted and really proud of my group as whatever else we go on the bus tonight and at least I know I've got a group that wants to fight and graft and achieve something."