Luton survival hopes on rise
NO matter what happens tomorrow, these two points lost may prove to be the most decisive for Nottingham Forest.
At full-time, the home fans taunted their rivals singing: “It’s coming for you, a points deduction it’s coming for you”.
Just moments before, Forest were heading to a first away win since Boxing Day thanks to Chris Wood’s first-half volley.
That would have given them a much-needed six-point cushion above the Hatters and the drop zone.
Instead they remain 17th, but possibly only for 24 more hours with the outcome of their hearing into charges of breaking spending rules set to be announced tomorrow.
That may well be a gut-shot to their survival chances, but nothing like sub Luke Berry’s last-minute strike.
What a lift this may prove to be for Rob Edwards’ injury-hit squad going into the international break on the back of their horrific 4-3 defeat at Bournemouth in midweek.
On the pitch, the players were allowed to decide the fate of the game with Ross Barkley and Morgan Gibbs-white taking centre stage.
It was Luton midfielder Barkley who dominated the opening 15 minutes. He had already tested Matz Sels twice before hitting the post from the edge of the box. Gibbs-white was more of a creator for Forest, sending Divock Origi clear on 17 minutes but his dink lacked the legs to cross the line.
There was more conviction in Origi’s shot moments later but Reece Burke raced back to brilliantly clear off the line.
But there was to be no let-off for Luton, though, when Gibbswhite floated the ball into the six-yard box for Wood to volley the visitors into the lead on 34 minutes.
Luton pressed hard for an equaliser before half-time and thought they had levelled when Teden Mengi bundled the ball into the net from a corner but only after he had controlled the ball with his hand.
The second half started brightly for Forest, with Mengi hooking Anthony Elanga’s goalbound flick off the line after he was played in by Wood.
Forest’s misses proved costly at the death and Burke rose to meet Andros Townsend’s corner and Berry swivelled to gleefully turn in what may be the biggest goal of Luton’s season.