Hats off to hero Berry
NATHAN JONES praised the spirit of his Luton players after launching a comeback to claim a point against Blackburn.
A disrupted contest, with six yellow cards in 14 minutes, was reignited by substitute Luke Berry (above, with Jones) on 73 minutes when he converted Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu’s cross from close range.
And with 98 minutes on the clock, up popped substitute Berry once more to seal an impressive comeback for Jones’ outfit.
The nature of the contest could have altered dramatically after eight minutes as Darragh Lenihan escaped with a yellow card for a studs-up challenge, forcing Hatters’ Allan Campbell off injured.
His departure coincided with injury blows to Amari’i Bell, Admiral Muskwe and Elijah Adebayo which left Luton light on numbers heading into the contest. “Nothing prepares you for our last 24 hours,” said Jones. “We lost players through the night, lost one in the warm-up and lost one to an atrocious challenge.
“We thoroughly deserved a point from the match. What we’d been through, we showed real character. We showed very little quality, but we showed great drive, energy and endeavour.
“I’m really proud of my group because I know this team is willing to fight.”
Blackburn took the lead with Ryan Nyambe squaring to Tyrhys Dolan for his first league goal of the campaign.
The hosts doubled their advantage four minutes later, Ben Brereton feeding
Harry Pickering whose low drive chalked up his first goal in Blackburn colours.
Rovers manager Tony Mowbray said: “I thought we did more than enough to win the football match. Unfortunately, the officials made a farce of the game – but let’s give Luton some credit.”
BLACKBURN: Kaminski 6, Nyambe 6, Lenihan 6, Ayala 7, Pickering 8, Travis 7, Rothwell 6 (Magloire 80, 6), Buckley 7 (Davenport 73,6), Dolan 8, Brereton Diaz 7, Gallagher 6.
Unused subs: Khadra, Butterworth, Pears, Clarkson, Cirino.
LUTON: Sluga 5, Bree 6, Burke 6, Naismith 7, Potts 5 (Bradley 45, 6), Osho 6, Campbell 6 (Lansbury 10, 6), Cornick 6, Mpanzu 7, Mendes Gomes 6 (Berry 59, 8), Jerome 6.
Unused subs: Shea, Lockyer, Pereira (Admiral Muskwe was injured in the warm-up).
MAN OF THE MATCH: Luke Berry. The substitute produced two clinical moments to salvage a valiant point for Luton.
REFEREE: Oliver Langford 4.