Luton Town FC vs Everton (3rd May 2024)

Report | Adebayo on target as Hatters held at home

Elijah Adebayo scored on his return to the starting XI to earn the Hatters a point against Everton at Kenilworth Road.

The striker finished brilliantly to cancel out Dominic Calvert-Lewin's penalty, which was awarded after Teden Mengi was adjudged to have fouled Jarrad Branthwaite in the box.

Adebayo, on his first start since mid-February, took a raking pass from Sambi Lokonga on his chest, got the better of Ashley Young and fired a slick finish beyond England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford on 31 minutes.

After the break the Town were dominant, winning a string of set-pieces but could not force the ball home.

The Toffees, who secured their safety last weekend, almost re-took the lead midway through the second half only for Thomas Kaminski to produce a stunning save to turn Calvert-Lewin's close-range header over the crossbar.

But the Hatters continued to push in the frantic closing stages, and were unlucky not to grab a late winner from one of a number of chances in the dying minutes.

Substitute Luke Berry twice went close - the first with a glancing header that Pickford saved before the midfielder's acrobatic shot was cleared off the line with Pickford beaten.

Then, in the final act, in the 98th minute, Andros Townsend's low first-time shot seemed destined for the bottom corner only for Branthwaite to divert the ball to safety.

The point keeps the Town in the relegation zone with two games to play, level on points with Nottingham Forest who travel to Sheffield United on Saturday.

For the Hatters, who were applauded off the end of the pitch by their supporters who created an raucous atmosphere all evening, head to West Ham next Saturday.

We'll soon you there.

Town: Kaminski; Onyedinma (sub Woodrow 70), Doughty; Burke, Mengi, Osho; Lokonga, Barkley; Chong, Morris, Adebayo (sub Townsend 80).

Subs not used: Shea, Krul, Berry, Mpanzu, Clark, Hashioka, Johnson.

Attendance: 11,873 including 1,257 in the away end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOeqUXRRQCk – Rob Edwards interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBUjhWasnKU – match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAl7JixLZzc – extended match highlights

Adebayo back in the goals once more but Luton can't force crucial Everton winner

Premier League: Luton Town 1 Everton 1

Luton added another point to their tally as they bid to escape relegation from the Premier League this evening, but you got the feeling it wasn't quite enough for the Hatters' attempts to remain a top flight side beyond May.

Knowing victory would see Town climb out of the bottom three, leapfrogging Nottingham Forest who visit already down Sheffield United tomorrow, the home side gave their absolute all, dominating the second half, but try as they might, they just couldn't find that crucial winner. Rob Edwards' side were boosted by the return of Elijah Adebayo to the starting line-up for the first time since early February, Fred Onyedinma replacing Daiki Hashioka, as even with a first ever pre-match light show, the manager got the play-off type atmosphere he had craved, Kenilworth Road crackling with noise in the early stages.

Luton looked to get away with a penalty shout on 15 minutes, Dwight McNeil going over in the area under a challenge from Teden Mengi, as the Town defender appeared to tread on the foot of the Toffees attacker, but VAR official David Coote agreed with on-field official Tom Robinson's original decision. The Hatters were indebted to a brilliant save from Thomas Kaminski on 19 minutes when Mengi diverted McNeil's cross towards his own goal, the Luton centre half quickly redeeming himself by blocking the follow up shot which was careering into the net.

Still Everton attacked and this time Mengi landed on the wrong side of the judgement from the officials in Stockley Park as he needlessly wrestled Jarrad Branthwaite to the ground when a corner was sent in, despite the pair being nowhere near the action. Robinson was sent to the screen and he had little option but to signal for a spotkick that Dominic Calvert-Lewin kept his cool to plant down the middle and open the scoring on 24 minutes.

Luton though to their eternal credit just do not give in, as they levelled seven minutes later when Sambi Lokonga lofted a pass into the area and Adebayo got above Young in what was a complete mismatch of height, before simply bullying the former Watford man off the ball and then finishing with real quality on his left foot into the bottom corner.

Now level in the game, Town almost took a moment to get their breath and make sure they reached the break with parity, Jack Harrison going closest for the visitors, cutting on to his left and curling off target. With six minutes of stoppage time added, Alfie Doughty tried an ambitious volley that was straight at Pickford, as Luton still looked nervy every time the ball was played into the area, Mengi heading a clearance against his own team-mate that fortunately deflect narrowly behind.

Just before the break, good work by Onyedinma saw Morris cut in from the left and try to wrap a left footer into the bottom corner only to see it flash inti the hoardings. After the interval, Gabe Osho of all people had a go from outside the box, his attempt not testing Pickford, as centre half partner Mengi then rose highest to meet Doughty's well flighted free kick only to disappointingly get underneath his header.

Luton started to force the issue, particularly on the left hand side with Doughty getting more and more involved, Chong showing incredible reserves of energy too when scampering up and down the pitch almost every second he was on. One terrific driven Doughty cross saw Ross Barkley head a fine opportunity over against his former side, before Town were once more kept in the contest by the reactions of Kaminski, the keeper doing unbelievably to readjust his position and claw Harrison's deflected volley away from the top corner.

Knowing a draw probably wasn't enough, Edwards brought on Cauley Woodrow for Onyedinma as Kaminski ensured Luton were still level with 15 minutes left, acrobatically tipping Calvert-Lewin's close range header. Adebayo finally had to make way on 80 minutes, Andros Townsend on in his place, as Town tried to set up a grandstand finish.

They came oh so close too, Barkley's thunderous volley from range unfortunately curving straight into Pickford's gloves, with Woodrow also trying his luck, his shot not coming down in time. Mengi then was next to have a crack, not overly testing Pickford, as the England number one sprung to his left to parry substitute Luke Berry's innovative spinning attempt.

During six minutes of stoppage time, Town won a number of corners as they loaded the box, Kaminski waved forward, and it almost paid dividends. First, Berry's overhead volley looked in until it hit a covering defender, before Townsend let fly, his shot destined to bring the house down, only to take a nick off an Everton leg and fly behind.

The Hatters couldn't take the resulting corner this time, referee Robinson ruling time was up, as Town will now be watching on nervously to see if the two United's, Sheffield and Newcastle, can do them a favour when playing Forest and Burnley tomorrow.

Hatters: Thomas Kaminski, Fred Onyedinma (Cauley Woodrow 70), Reece Burke, Teden Mengi, Gabe Osho, Alfie Doughty, Sambi Lokonga, Ross Barkley, Tahith Chong (Luke Berry 88), Carlton Morris (C), Elijah Adebayo (Andros Townsend 80).

Subs not used: James Shea, Tim Krul, Joe Johnson, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Jordan Clark, Daiki Hashioka.

Toffees: Jordan Pickford, James Tarkowski (C), Dwight McNeil, Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Beto 80), Jack Harrison, Abdoulaye Doucoure (Andre Gomes 54), Ashley Young (Seamus Coleman 67) Ben Godfrey, Idrissa Gueye (Youssef Chermit 80), Jarrad Branthwaite, James Garner (Amadou Onana 54).

Subs not used: Joao Virginia, Michael Keane, Arnaut Danjuma, Lewis Dobbin.

Referee: Tim Robinson.

Booked: Garner, Chong, Gueye, Gomes.

Attendance: 11,873 (1,257 Toffees).

Edwards knows Toffees draw wasn't what Luton wanted to boost survival bid

Town can’t quite snatch late winner against Everton

Luton chief Rob Edwards couldn’t hide his disappointment that the Hatters were unable to secure the victory they so desperately needed to boost their hopes of staying in the Premier League this evening, held to a 1-1 draw by Everton at Kenilworth Road.

Town went into the contest knowing victory would lift them out of the bottom three and above fourth bottom Nottingham Forest ahead of their trip to Sheffield United tomorrow afternoon. Roared on by a partisan crowd, the hosts fell behind midway through the first half when Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted a penalty that was given by referee Tim Robinson after being sent to the screen by VAR to watch Teden Mengi’s foul on Jarrad Branthwaite once more.

The Hatters were quickly level though, Elijah Adebayo scoring his 10th of the season on his first start since early February, as he rolled Ashley Young in the area and slammed beyond Jordan Pickford. Edwards’ side then dominated large swathes of territory in the second period, but couldn’t force England’s number one into real meaningful saves, Mengi and Ross Barkley both heading good chances over the bar.

Discussing the result, Edwards said: “It wasn’t (what we needed), we wanted a win, we threw everything at it, we tried. I always say it, you can’t guarantee the wins or the draws, can’t guarantee the result, but you can guarantee how hard you work, the performance, trying to do the right things. We did all of that, we stood up to Everton’s physicality really well, their running power. I thought we did really well and then we were the team pushing right towards the end.

“We wanted to work Pickford, we got into good areas, didn’t put a lot of crosses in, but we got into a lot of good areas on a lot of occasions. We wanted to try to use the space on the outside a little bit more, that’s my initial impressions, I haven’t watched it back obviously. We still created good chances, had good pressure and good momentum that left us open to a couple of moments that they had, but in the end, a draw wasn’t what we wanted.”

As the game went into six minutes of stoppage time, Luton upped their pressure even more, substitute Luke Berry seeing an inventive header clawed away by Pickford, as Town threw keeper Thomas Kaminski up for a number of late corners. Berry’s acrobatic volley cannoned off a defender and flew behind, as fellow replacement Andros Townsend thought he had won it with the very last kick, a low drive appearing destined for the net but for a last-gasp deflection.

Edwards continued: “We could be having a different conversation now if the ball had gone a couple of inches we’re talking about. They made a couple of big blocks. I was right behind Andros’s one, Bezza’s one happened in a flash, just seeing that back, I don’t know who made the block for them, they didn’t look like they knew much about it, but it was a great block, very important. Branthwaite got a bit of a shin or something on Andros’s strike which I thought that might be our moment, but it wasn’t to be.”

The result means Luton will now watch on tomorrow, hoping Forest slip up at Bramall Lane and second bottom Burnley fail to beat Newcastle United on home soil as well, but on this evening’s efforts, Edwards added: “I’m proud of the players, the club, the supporters, who were with us to the very end as well. We went one-nil down in difficult circumstances on a huge occasion, but we came back, we showed real quality. We tried to do all the right things. We don’t know as we stand, as I’m talking to you right now, we’re still in the mix aren’t we, other things are out of our control now and that’s obvious, but we’ll keep going.”