Luton claimed a wonderful point at Elland Road as they saw a Harry Cornick cracker cancelled out but dug in under fierce Leeds pressure to move within two points of safety.
The substitute’s 50th minute top corner curler came against the run of play as Ryan Tunnicliffe – one of five changes to the starting line up, with Glen Rea getting injured in the warm-up – threaded a wonderful ball through to the pace ace.
Cornick still had a lot to do, but after questions about his finishing at the weekend, he lifted the ball over Illan Meslier’s outstretched glove to find the top corner and, for 13 minutes at least, let Luton dream of a famous victory.
Indeed, that feeling could’ve come sooner in the first half when Callum McManaman appeared to be hauled down by Gaetano Berardi, but referee John Brooks waved away the appeals.
But top-of-the-table United were relentlessness and they got themselves back into it, having predictably racked up the possession stats, without truly worrying Town’s five-man defence in a resolute first period.
Stuart Dallas levelled after the impressive Ezgjan Alioski threaded a ball through to the unmarked midfielder to stroke into the bottom corner.
With Luton on the back foot there seemed an eternity to try and stymie the hosts – and they lived by the seat of their pants and survived.
Stopper Simon Sluga won’t be getting his wedding paid for by boss Nathan Jones after conceding but the Croatian pulled off a wonderful double save to deny Luke Ayling’s free-kick and then Alioski’s rebound, before Helder Costa fired into the side-netting.
And Sluga’s goal avoided further punishment when Patrick Bamford squandered a golden chance to punish Town and then, deep into six minutes of time added on, Costa fluffed his lines even more. The United man misjudged a header when it looked easier to cause the Hatters heartbreak, from Alioski’s glorious cross.
But there appears to be something going for Luton with boss Nathan Jones back at the helm, a rub of the green, that has seldom surfaced this season.
When they hosted Leeds at Kenilworth Road under former boss Graeme Jones, they succumbed to late heartbreak, but there’s something steelier and more determined about them now.
They’re now undefeated since football’s restart and though they unfortunately dropped to the foot of the table after tonight, it should not be cause for concern.
With five points from three games against promotion-chasing sides, slashing the six-point deficit they’d faced a fortnight ago, make no mistake, the great escape is on.
