Luton Town 1-1 Blackpool: Visitors fight back to deny play-off chasers victory

Blackpool's Keshi Anderson has a shot at Kenilworth RoadImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Blackpool's Keshi Anderson has a shot at Kenilworth Road

Luton missed the chance to strengthen their grip on fourth place in the Championship with a 1-1 draw against Blackpool.

Elijah Adebayo gave the hosts the lead inside two minutes before Gary Madine equalised from the penalty spot in the second half at Kenilworth Road.

Luton were denied a penalty when Keshi Anderson cleaned out Robert Snodgrass in the area, before Blackpool had a second shout waved away for Kal Naismith's challenge on substitute Josh Bowler.

Luton had the ball in the net in added time but Adebayo was adjudged to have fouled Richard Keogh before squaring for Admiral Muskwe to tap home.

Adebayo got the Hatters off to a flying start inside two minutes when he received the ball down the right before cutting in and sending a left-foot shot into the net via a big deflection off Blackpool defender Keogh.

The Seasiders did not shrink following that early blow and could have been level after 10 minutes when Luton's defence failed to deal with a long Callum Connolly throw into the box, but Madine sliced his effort wide.

Keeper Chris Maxwell needed strong hands to keep out a powerful Harry Cornick strike, before Cornick missed a glorious chance to double the lead, heading over from Robert Snodgrass' tantalising whipped cross into the box.

Blackpool were level 10 minutes into the second half after Dan Potts brought down CJ Hamilton for a penalty that Madine drilled into the bottom-left corner.

Muskwe was sent on for the injured Sonny Bradley and the striker was involved straight away, forcing a smart save from Maxwell.

Anderson brought down Snodgrass in the aftermath for what looked like a clear penalty but referee John Brooks waved play on.

Blackpool were then calling for a second penalty when Naismith appeared to bring down Bowler in the box but Brooks was again unmoved.

Luton thought they were in for the winner as Adebayo powered through Keogh, but the whistle blew for a foul with Keogh going down after the shoulder-to-shoulder tussle, before Muskwe finished.

Adebayo left the field injured in added time as the game finished 1-1, with Luton needing four points from their last two games to guarantee a play-off spot.

Luton boss Nathan Jones told PA Media: "We're very, very hard done by not to have got three points.

"We didn't play well today, we weren't ourselves but we did enough to win the game.

"We had some glorious chances - Harry Cornick had two in the first half, Cameron Jerome's had one, Admiral Muskwe's had one, Allan Campbell's had a chance, we had a penalty shout and that's a clear goal, no issue whatsoever.

"Suddenly we don't get that and we end up drawing the game.

"Blackpool were front-footed today, caused us a few problems. Harry [Isted] hasn't had many saves to make, but they're playing with freedom, four up top - it's easy to do that when you're 16th and haven't really got anything to play for and were really at it."

Blackpool boss Neil Critchley said: "We'd spoken about their start and highlighted it - they play with high intensity and they get the ball forward quickly.

"They play a very simple but effective game. We spoke about the first 20 minutes, about how to manage it and then we didn't do that.

"After they scored I thought we were good for the next 20 minutes, grew into the game, looked really threatening and dangerous.

"They had a good chance, but we had a good chance as well. Then in the second half, again I thought we were the team in the ascendancy.

"We got a penalty, could have had another penalty when Josh Bowler went down, but I thought we stayed strong.

"We finished strong and if one team looked most likely to create a chance near the end of the game and win it, I felt it was us."

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