Luton almost fight back to rescue a late point during Chelsea defeat

Luton came so, so close to snatching the most dramatic of points to bolster their efforts of staying in Premier League following what turned into a thrilling contest against Chelsea at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

It appeared the Hatters were going to be given another lesson in the clinical nature of the Premier League, as being a step off it for the majority of the contest, they trailed 3-0 with 10 minutes to go against a Blues side who had lost their last four matches away from Stamford Bridge. However, late goals from the superb Ross Barkley and then Elijah Adebayo's close range header in the closing stages set up a grandstand finish that hadn't looked likely, only for time to eventually run out.

Town boss Rob Edwards made one change for the contest, the fit-again Issa Kabore replacing Ryan Giles, meaning Alfie Doughty returned to his usual left wingback berth. Luton should really have been picking the ball out of the net on just six minutes, Connor Gallagher found by Noni Madueke's direct run just 10 yards from goal, only to see his low shot repelled by the legs of Thomas Kaminski.

The Belgian was by far the busier of the two keepers in the early stages, gathering a hopeful attempt from Cole Palmer and then denying Nicolas Jackson with his feet as Town's offside trap was broken on 12 minutes. Unfortunately for Kaminski, Kabore's pass out from the rebound was a terrible one, picked off easily by Palmer who this time gave him no chance at all, rifling into the bottom corner.

Former Chelsea midfielder Barkley tried to respond five minutes later, Town winning a free kick 20 yards from goal, his attempt whistling narrowly over the bar. The England international went on to tease the visiting defence with Amari'i Bell freed to win a free kick which didn't quite work out as Luton’s short routine had intended.

The Blues dealt what looked to be the killer blow on 37 minutes when once more a goal that was far too easy after the Hatters' recent defensive efforts, particularly at home, Madueke given too much time to settle himself in the area as he thrashed past Kaminski at his near post. Town tried to hit back just before the break, a corner finding the feet of Jacob Brown who spun and fired goalwards, Chelsea deflecting behind, a quick VAR check for a penalty not leading to a way back into the game for the Hatters.

The half time break saw Edwards make a double change and a formation alteration too, Tahith Chong and Chiedozie Ogbene on for Kabore and Brown, Luton going to a 4-1-3-2 formation, Teden Mengi as right back, Bell alongside Gabe Osho in the centre and Albert Sambi Lokonga holding in the middle.

It almost worked immediately, a counter led by Chong seeing Townsend's lofted cross met by Ogbene but the Blues were able to get bodies back. The visitors remained a threat though, Palmer's potshot wayward, while Jackson went it alone on the hour mark, his shot easy for Kaminski once more.Unfortunately for Luton they couldn't quite make the most of their set-pieces on this occasion, Blues keeper Petrovic more often than not dealing with them commandingly, blunting one of the hosts’ main weapons.

Edwards made another change to bring on Carlton Morris for Townsend and go with two recognised forwards, hoping the striker would have a similar impact to his cameo against Sheffield United a few days earlier. Chong almost created a way back, as sprung clear on the left, he delivered a wonderful low cross only to see that Adebayo hadn't gambled as it flashed across the six yard box.

Any slim hopes that Luton had looked to have completely evaporated in the 69th minute as their back-line was split by one pass straight through the centre, Palmer rounding the advancing Kaminski and then toying with the Town defenders looking to recover before finally tapping into the empty net.

Town thought they had pulled a goal back on 75 minutes when Doughty was released by Barkley and found Adebayo whose downward header finally beat Petrovic, but the wingback hadn't got back onside in time and after a VAR check, the goal was rightly chalked off. Despite the scoreline, the Hatters commendably upped the pressure in the closing stages and should have made it 3-1 when when Ogbene got away on the right, his cross met by Adebayo from a few yards out, the striker somehow getting underneath his header to nod against the bar.

Doughty went on to win a corner though and this time it did pay off, Barkley's glancing header from the wingback’s ball in finding the corner as Luton looked to have the consolation they were after with 10 minutes left. Trying to bag a second, the Hatters attacked again, Ogbene released by Chong and his cross was met by Doughty at the back post, Morris's header up and gathered by Petrovic.

One thing you won't be able to question this term is the Hatters' desire and they poured forward in the final moments, Doughty's corner met by a thumping diving header from Morris, Petrovic doing wonderfully to tip on to the underside of the bar. The keeper was called upon again on 87 minutes when parrying Doughty's back post header from Ogbene's cross, but this time, Adebayo pounced to volley the loose ball into the net and bring Luton to within one.

After a match in which the Blues constantly time wasted, and threw themselves on the floor at every opportunity, there were surprisingly only six minutes added on by referee Paul Tierney who fell for the questionable antics and failed to show keeper Petrovic a yellow card for his delaying tactics. Luton almost made the most of them though, Chong, who had been a real livewire after his introduction, racing away on the left, Adebayo just unable to get on the end of his cross, which hit Ogbene and flew wide.

Doughty's final attempt was cleared away too as Luton just ran out of time to score the latest of levellers, as they remain in the bottom three, but will have been left thinking what might have been.

Hatters: Thomas Kaminski, Issa Kabore (Chiedozie Ogbene 46), Teden Mengi, Gabe Osho, Amari'i Bell (C), Alfie Doughty, Albert Sambi Lokonga (Cauley Woodrow 90), Ross Barkley, Andros Townsend (Carlton Morris 62), Jacob Brown (Tahith Chong 46), Elijah Adebayo. Subs not used: Tim Krul, Mads Andersen, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Jordan Clark, Ryan Giles.

Blues: Djordje Petrovic, Axel Disasi, Thiago Silva, Noni Madueke (Enzo Fernandez 81), Nicolas Jackson, Armando Broja (Christopher Nkunku 62), Cole Palmer (Alfie Gilchrist 90), Conor Gallagher (C), Moises Caicedo, Levi Colwill, Malo Gusto. Subs not used: Marcus Bettinelli, Lucas Bergstrom, Mykhailo Mudryk, Ian Maatsen, Alex Matos.

Referee: Paul Tierney. Booked: Brown, Mengi, Gusto, Disasi. Attendance: 11,041 (1,151 Blues).