Jones bursting with pride after Hylton nets a first goal since March 2019 to earn Town a late point

Town boss Nathan Jones was positively bursting with pride after striker Danny Hylton scored his first ever goal in the Championship to earn the Hatters a much deserved point at Bristol City this evening.

With the game entering stoppage time and Luton trailing 1-0 after missing a plethora of chances, it looked like the visitors would somehow be leaving Ashton Gate empty-handed.

However, Hylton, on as a 63rd minute substitute for Harry Cornick was on hand to tap home from two yards out following Carlos Mendes Gomes’ cross to level the scores and net a first goal in the second tier, and his first for the club since March 2019.

Speaking afterwards, Jones said: “I’m so proud of him because he’s been through the mire.

“Danny’s a Championship striker, I remember performances against Newcastle away, when Danny was flying that we just happened in League Two to have a Championship striker.

“Now it’s been tough on Danny with injuries, but he's shown great commitment, great desire, great character to come back and I’m so pleased for him, so proud of him.

“I could not, honestly, if my own daughter scored, I wouldn’t be any more proud than Danny scoring, I’m so proud of him and so delighted for him.”

The goal was no more than Town deserved for their efforts throughout the night as they hit the woodwork twice through Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and Tom Lockyer, while Cameron Jerome missed two great chances, while Luke Berry also fluffed his lines when well placed.

Jones added: “It’s bittersweet really because you couldn’t have gone in and hammered them as they’ve been excellent, right up until finishing, we’ve been absolutely superb tonight.

“We gave one silly free kick away and they’ve punished us and they can do that as they score 65 per cent of their goals from set-plays and we know that.

“We defended them all night, a big thing for me was we were the only side with any flow.

“Any time they had a set-play or a throw-in, it takes them a minute to get the ball in, a minute to clean the ball, so it’s just playing off second balls, but we’re as the away side having to create the tempo.

“I was really proud with how we did that tonight as we should have been three or four up by half time, we should have been out of side by half time.

"I don’t mean to be disrespectful as I’m not, Bristol City are a good side, the manager is excellent but we should have been out of sight.

“Then they’ve scored with their only chance, their only chance and I’m just so pleased that once again we showed character to come back and to score late.

"Game-changers all contributed, Elijah, Carlos crosses it, Danny scores it, dream, great substitutions, what a great manager I am.”