6 things we learned from Sunderland 1 Luton 1 – and yes, THAT penalty is one of them!

Luton were denied a perfect week ahead of the international break after a controversial 1-1 draw against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon. Here are our takeaways from the match:

Lockyer shines brightest at the Stadium of Light

The opening takeaway probably comes as no surprise. Tom Lockyer in absolutely bossing it shocker!

The Town defender was in his element at the Stadium of Light. Up against on loan Leeds forward Joe Gelhardt, the Wales international kept him to just one chance over the time he was on the pitch, while regularly throwing himself out of anything that came into the box.

If that wasn’t enough, on the rare occasions a Sunderland forward did get away from a Town defender, Lockyer raced back and expertly dispossessed Jack Clarke as he entered the box.

This was another in a lengthy line of top displays from a man who surely can’t possibly be left out of the Wales XI over the next week.

Delight for Doughty as he doubles goal tally

The Hatters took the lead for the fourth match in succession and the goal came via a bit of an unlikely source as left wing-back Alfie Doughty was the man on the scoresheet for just the second time this season.

Doughty might have scored a few minutes prior to when he did after Carlton Morris slipped him in inside the box, only for the defender to draw a good save from the home keeper.

Within five minutes the roles were reversed though when a training ground move saw Doughty let fly from a manufactured free-kick 20 yards out. The keeper won’t want to see his role in the goal again after allowing the shot to creep right through him, much to the former Stoke man’s delight.

The goal wasn’t all that was good about Doughty. He shut Sunderland star man Patrick Roberts out of the game completely and would have been hugely responsible for what should have been another wonderful 1-0 win.

Brilliant Bell dazzles at the heart of the defence

It might be that the primary role for Amari’I Bell at the Stadium of Light was to double up with Doughty to keep Roberts quiet but in and around doing that, the left-sided centre-back was still able to shine with the ball, as we are becoming accustomed to seeing over recent weeks.

The Jamaica international probably should have opened the scoring in the first period when he went on a run which took him past a number of home blockers, but when it came to applying the finishing touch on his weaker right foot, Bell lost his balance and sliced his effort wide.

Despite that, Bell was brilliant defensively, particularly in the second half when Sunderland made a quadruple change and threw the kitchen sink at the Luton back line.

Unfortunately for the versatile 28-year-old, one of his best pieces of defending was savagely punished by a horrendous piece of refereeing.

Magnificent Marvelous tames the Black Cats

In the final game of a three match week, with plenty of travelling and a lot of hard work put in prior to kick-off at the Stadium of Light, it was going to be an all-hands-on-deck performance from Luton to get anything out of this game.

That was duly recognised and actioned by a man who is quickly becoming the most important figure in the Town XI, in Marvelous Nakamba.

That he excelled once again will come as no surprise because his performances since getting in the team have continued to get better and the class and quality he has should be there for all to see.

Nakamba made a match high nine tackles at the Stadium of Light, more than double anyone else on the pitch and as well as breaking up home attacks was responsible for getting Luton on the front foot too.

If you ask Alexa for the definition of a defensive midfield masterclass she will show you a video of this match.

Ridiculous refereeing becoming a real problem

In college basketball over in the States there is a competition played each year called March Madness.

In England, Luton Town have encountered madness in March of their own, but unfortunately it has come via some absolutely horrendous refereeing decisions.

After a month of appalling refereeing displays in February, things have got even worse in March. It was bad enough when absolutely nothing came of Billy Sharp cuffing Tom Lockyer round the back of the head at Bramall Lane last week, but what Town suffered at the Stadium of Light was absolutely ridiculous.

Four minutes from time, with ideas long since disappeared from the home side, a hopeful pass was played into the box towards Manchester United loanee Amad Diallo, who had come from the Sunderland bench midway through the second period.

He was shielded from the ball in expert fashion from Amari’I Bell and in desperation threw himself to the ground with absolutely no contact at all from the Town defender.

Referee Scott Oldham, taking charge of his first match at this level, correctly saw the action for what it was and didn’t award the penalty, only for his assistant – who 20 minutes earlier failed to spot a ball out of play that was so far out he nearly tripped over it – to get involved and sway the man in the middle to award the spot kick.

Just when you think you’ve seen the worst that Championship officials have to offer, the next ones come along with a ‘hold my beer’ approach, much to the Hatters’ disgust.

Eight to go and all to play for!

So, for the second season in succession, Luton enter the final international break of the campaign in a wonderful position.

Last year they were third in the Championship table. This term, despite having a point more to their tally they are fourth. On both occasions they sat six points off second place, a team who are showing signs of succumbing to the pressure.

Twelve months ago, Luton ran out of bodies and, in turn, legs, but that doesn’t appear as though it is going to happen this time around, given the much deeper squad they have and the improved football they are playing.

Town sit six points off Sheffield United who still have to go to Burnley between now and the end of the season. Furthermore, it is the Hatters who play first in the next two rounds of matches so they have the chance to pile the pressure on the Blades in the race for second spot.

You just hope a referee doesn’t get in the way.