Luton 1 (Morris pen 65) Wolves 1 (Neto 50)
Gary O’Neil will have left Kenilworth Road with mixed emotions, after 10-man Wolves took a point from their trip to Luton Town but could have had all three after Pedro Neto’s brilliant goal.
The Old Gold played more than half of the match a man light after Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s dismissal following an off the ball incident with Tom Lockyer, but still took the lead after Neto’s fine solo goal in front of the away end.
However, Joao Gomes was harshly penalised for handball and Carlton Morris rolled home from the penalty spot, and from there Wolves enjoyed little of the ball, but managed to see out the victory through their resolute defending.
Unsurprisingly at Kenilworth Road, Wolves were in for a challenging afternoon, and the first half was exactly that, and one O’Neil will have been glad to finish level from. The hosts began with an intensity and energy which saw them dominate the ball and chances, but Wolves weathered the storm, thankfully.
The best of the chances came on ten minutes when Nelson Semedo’s poor clearance fell to Morris on the edge of the box, and once the Luton number nine turned past Mario Lemina, he sized up his angle and curled a fine effort, which cannoned back off Jose Sa’s post.
The goalkeeper was also grateful to his defence, after Maximilian Kilman threw himself in the way of Jacob Brown’s shot, while the former Stoke City man headed over Alfie Doughty’s free-kick, after peeling into space.
Despite Luton’s domination, the main talking point belonged to Wolves, and it wasn’t one they’d want. Bellegarde had done well initially to rob Tom Lockyer of possession, but the defender showed his experience to lock legs with the Wolves newcomer, and once Bellegarde used too much force to wriggle free, and was deemed to have kicked out, and a red card was brandished.
Wolves have begun to get on top during the period before that red card, enjoying more of the ball, but the pendulum returned the way of the Hatters, and Ambert Sambi Lokonga fired the final shot straight at Sa as the half came to a close with a big task ahead of Wolves.
Half-time | Luton 0-0 Wolves
After weathering the storm, Wolves took just five second half minutes to take the lead with a moment of quality. Joao Gomes clipped a ball round the corner for Neto, who won the foot race with Lockyer, edged the defence with his quicky feet, and after coming inside, rifled into the roof of the net.
It felt a big moment in the contest, as did the chance Wolves squandered soon after. Neto’s free-kick found Lemina at the back post and his header was saved, before Kilman couldn’t forced the loose ball over the line.
However, Wolves’ luck was out once again soon after as Gomes was penalised for handball. VAR checked the incident, which saw the ball hit Gomes on the knee before his hand but went with the on-field decision and Morris stepped up to send Sa the wrong way from the spot.
Rather than igniting the contest, the equaliser almost slowed down proceedings, with few chances coming from that point, and Wolves having their backs against the wall, but keeping their opponents at bay and seeing out the draw fairly comfortably.
Full-time | Luton 1-1 Wolves
Wolves | Sa, Semedo (H Bueno 84), Dawson, Kilman, Ait-Nouri (Toti 45), Lemina, Gomes (Doyle 90), Bellegarde, Neto, Hwang (Doherty 45), Cunha (Traore 71).
Unused subs | Bentley, Sarabia, Silva, Kalajdzic.
Luton | Kaminski, Lockyer, Ogbene, Morris, Kabore (Adebayo 85), Nakamba, Burke, Brown (Woodrow 72), Lokonga (Mpanzu 57), Bell, Doughty (Giles 72).
Unused subs | Krul, Andersen, Berry, Chong, Mengi.
