Woodrow the hero as Town sub comes off the bench to earn Edwards a first win as Luton boss against Norwich

Striker Cauley Woodrow came off the bench to score a terrific last minute winner as Hatters manager Rob Edwards picked up the first victory of his Town managerial career in thrilling style by beating Norwich City 2-1 this evening.

It had looked like the points were going to be shared, or the hosts would in fact have to cling on, having gone down to 10 men in the closing stages, following a second half in which they led through Allan Campbell's goal just after the hour.

City then equalised courtesy of the lethal Teemu Pukki on 69 minutes, before Luton had Gabe Osho controversially dismissed for his second booking with 10 to go.

Rather than hang on though, Edwards replaced Carlton Morris with Woodrow and he was to prove the star of the show, picking out the top corner with a quite wonderful finish to open his account for the club, as Town's new boss got up and running on home soil at the first attempt.

The Luton chief had made one change to his side from the 2-1 defeat at Middlesbrough a fortnight ago, with Dan Potts recovering from his fractured back to take the place of the suspended Amari'i Bell.

Town made a bright start to the contest, Alan Campbell turning to fire wide via a deflection, and then Jordan Clark spinning and shooting over the top after the set-piece dropped to him.

On 12 minutes, Elijah Adebayo, whose partnership with Morris impressed, should have opened the scoring after his powerful surge into the area won a corner.

James Bree's delivery was met by a firm connection from Potts, only to be glanced wide by Adebayo when he had to do better.

City showed they would feature as an attacking force as well, Pukki cutting in to drive narrowly wide from just outside the box.

Town were inches away from breaking the deadlock on 20 minutes, when Bree's 25-yard free kick was tipped on to the bar by a flying Angus Gunn, who just managed to bat the ball away from the lurking Morris.

Norwich also tested Horvath, Gabriel Sara letting fly from 30 yards, his swerving piledriver parried by an alert Horvath, but the remainder of the first period saw Luton, with Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu to the fire, doing all the pressing, as they searched for a opening home goal of Edwards' tenure.

After the break, Town were hit by yet another injury concern, as with 56 minutes gone Adebayo went down holding his hamstring and after it being apparent he couldn't continue, was replaced by former Norwich striker Cameron Jerome.

The forward had a bit-part to play in Luton then taking the lead on 61 minutes as Tom Lockyer stepped in to win the ball and with the City defence thinking the forward was offside, didn't deal with the situation properly, losing out to Campbell.

The Scotland international broke away and as he had done on more than one occasion last term, unleased a scorching low shot beyond the dive of Gunn and into the bottom corner for his second goal of the campaign.

Canaries defender Kenny McLean, sent off against Luton in Town's 1-0 win at Carrow Road earlier in the season, looked to equaliser, his deflected attempt nearly catching Horvath out, the USA international almost diving beyond the shot before shovelling it behind.

However, Norwich did restore parity on 69 minutes, an error from Potts leaving Pukki unmarked and the Finnish international doesn't miss those opportunities at this level, gleefully hammering into the net.

Norwich then almost moved in front themselves moments later, Dimitris Giannoulis nodding behind, but a to-and-fro finale saw Lockyer miss two glaring chances with 72 gone, unable to direct his diving header on target and then putting the follow-up cross into the crowd.

City sub Issaac Hayden sidefooted wastefully into the stands, before as they had done in Edwards' first game, Town had to see out the final stages with 10 men, Osho sent off for his second booking.

While there could be no complaints over his second caution for hauling back Pukki, his first, dished out by referee Tim Robinson for winning the ball perfectly in the 40th minute, was nothing short of a disgrace.

However, with Woodrow on for Morris, he made the most of Clark's never-say-die attitude to set himself and arrow a wonderful clipped shot into the top corner with a minute to go.

In six minutes of stoppage time, the Luton side to a man dug in to ensure Norwich couldn't find a way through, although they were indebted to a terrific goal-line clearance from Alfie Doughty, in just the right place to head Grant Hanley's blast away as Town could celebrate a first home victory since October 15.

Hatters: Ethan Horvath, James Bree, Gabe Osho, Tom Lockyer, Dan Potts (C), Alfie Doughty, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Allan Campbell (Luke Freeman 78), Jordan Clark, Elijah Adebayo (Cameron Jerome 58), Carlton Morris (Cauley Woodrow 86).

Subs not used: Harry Isted, Harry Cornick, Luke Berry, Casey Pettit.

Canaries: Angus Gunn, Max Aarons, Andrew Omobamidele, Grant Hanley (C), Ben Gibson, Gabriel Sara (Adam Idah 46), Teemu Pukki, Kenny McLean, Josh Sargent, Dimitris Giannoulis (Isaac Hayden 75), Liam Gibbs (Onen Hernandez 75).

Subs not used: Tim Krul, Sam Byram, Isaac Hayden, Kieran Dowell, Marcelino Nunez.

Referee: Tim Robinson.

Booked: Gibbs 27, Osho 40, Lockyer 48.

Sent off: Osho 80.

Attendance: 9,831 (Canaries 1,039).