Shea praises Luton defence after unexpected chance

James Shea has played 91 league games for Luton since arriving from AFC Wimbledon seven years ago

Replacement goalkeeper James Shea thanked his Luton Town teammates for making his life easy after only his third appearance since April 2022.

Shea was sent on after 31 minutes in the 0-0 draw at Portsmouth after Thomas Kaminski was sent off following two yellow cards - the first for time wasting.

The 33-year-old, signed from AFC Wimbledon in 2017, only had one notable save to make during the remainder of the game as the Hatters picked up their first point of the season.

"It was a bit bizarre. Sitting on the bench, you know there's a slim chance you might be called upon. I wasn't expecting it - and going into my eighth season, this is probably the first time it's happened," Shea told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"I didn't have much to do. I thought we kept our shape brilliantly and defended really well as a group. The back four - back five at times - was unbelievable."

Shea's previous appearance was also as a substitute, given a 76th-minute Premier League debut against Fulham in May - a game which ended in a 4-2 defeat and confirmed Luton's relegation.

Now, with Kaminski facing the prospect of suspension, he is in line to start a match for the first time since a 0-0 home draw with Hull City in May 2023 in Saturday's trip to Preston North End - but is taking nothing for granted.

"I'm not going to tell the gaffer who to pick in the team. Hopefully I can play next week, but we'll wait and see," he said.

Kaminski was sent off following a foul - but both Luton's games this season have seen a keeper booked for time wasting, following the yellow card shown to Burnley's James Trafford in their season opener.

"They weren't time wasting at all," said Shea, who suffered a serious knee injury in 2022. "They were just taking their time, being calm."

Boss Rob Edwards took striker Carlton Morris, the Hatters captain, off to allow Shea onto the field following the sending off.

On Kaminski's initial booking, Edwards said: "I don't know the full ruling, but it's crazy.

"I'm the one telling them (goalkeepers) in training to just wait and assess because we're looking to try and build, try and assess which pass to make, if we can find a spare man we can break the line and try and speed the game up that way, and not just go big into all the bodies."

He added: "It's my fault but we're not trying to waste time.

"That was the first one and he was trying to do the right thing. He sees it in that moment, came out to try and sweep it and the ref deemed it a foul, a booking, and he's gone.

"That one I'm not complaining about, the initial one I am."