Blackburn 2 Luton 2: Berry to the rescue as Jones hails super sub’s late show – Report and reaction

Nathan Jones hailed Luke Berry’s return from injury with a brace off the bench including a last-gasp leveller at Blackburn Rovers to seal a comeback draw that felt like a win. 

Town were 2-0 down at Ewood Park after the hosts scored with their two first half chances, through Tyrhys Dolan and Harry Pickering.

But the Hatters midfielder came on as a replacement for full debutant Carlos Mendes-Gomes, for his first appearance of the season, and pulled one back in the 73rd minute before equalising in the 98th minute.  

“I’m proud of him because he’s been through a lot with injuries,” boss Jones said of his goalscoring super sub. 

“He came back (to pre-season) super fit, and ironically had a calf injury which curtailed him a bit. Then, to bring him on today, was the right decision. We felt he could nick a goal, he always does. Training-wise, he’s been outstanding. 

“And, to do what he did today, (in the) last-gasp, is fantastic. Sometimes, it feels like a win, but I think it would’ve been really harsh today if we’d have gone away with a defeat. 

“He’s a wonderful attacking midfield player in that position and I’m delighted for him.”

And there were jubilant scenes after the final whistle in front of the travelling Town fans. 

Jones said: “If we walked over and just clapped and walked off it wouldn’t be real life. Those are the moments that you can’t recreate, those you can’t work for. Those are the things that surprise and something happens and you love those. They’ve travelled so much and it will feel like a win to them. 

“It doesn’t feel quite like a win because we’ve only gone to eight points instead of ten, but it’s important that we got something from the game. 

“It’s a tough run of fixtures and we want to get points. I’m so proud of them because they kept going and they showed versatility.” 

That was because Luton suffered illness overnight and injuries in the week, in the warm-up and during the match when Allan Campbell was chopped down. 

Admiral Muskwe was named in the starting 11 but had to be replaced before kick-off, while Amari’i Bell picked up an injury and striker Elijah Adebayo took ill last night. 

But talking of Campbell’s 11th minute blow, Jones said: “It’s a terrible challenge. I know Darragh (Lenihan), I know of him. We tried to sign him when I was at Brighton, so it’s not malicious, but we keep saying that. 

“There was Sam Johnstone (on Jordan Clark at West Brom) as well, so there was no maliciousness and he probably didn’t mean it, but it’s a bad challenge and he has to be dealt with. 

“It’s over the ball, studs high and it’s a leg breaking challenge. Praise the lord, his ankle ligaments went and not his leg because otherwise we’re looking at a bad, bad injury, and that’s the frustrating thing.” 

Both sides had chances to take all three points as Town’s Cameron Jerome had a goal ruled out for a foul in the build-up. But Simon Sluga was required to pull off a big save to keep it at 2-1 before Berry’s late heroics. Rovers’ Ben Brereton also hit the post and Gabriel Osho cleared a Sam Gallagher effort off the line.  

Jones said: “We had a goal disallowed, which we thought was extremely harsh, for a finger brush on the centre half, so we’re disappointed with that, but then Simon Sluga makes a glorious save and then we go down the other end and it’s a glorious save. 

“I think we deserved it today after everything we had to go through. We should’ve been better in the first half. The injury seemed to rock us a little bit. It was a wonderful point in the end.”