Nathan Jones was left counting the cost of a “grave error” by the linesman to deny Admiral Muskwe a late winner against Blackpool in a move that saw top scorer Elijah Adebayo damage his hamstring.
Luton are absolutely ravaged by injuries, so it’s remarkable that securing a play-off place is still in their hands, but the sight of their talisman stricken at the end after busting a gut to win the ball and set up Muskwe, is a real concern.
So, to is an injury to captain Sonny Bradley who pulled up in the first half after heading back to goalkeeper Harry Isted, himself making his full Championship debut after James Shea suffered a cruciate ligament injury on Monday at Cardiff.
That will keep the number one out for up to a year, but the focus will be on the next nine days before Town travel to promoted Fulham, and how many walking wounded the Hatters can science back into fitness.
The cruel thing is that Town should’ve travelled to west London on the May Bank Holiday all but assured of a play-off place.
Adebayo – who gave Luton a third minute lead with a strike that ricocheted in off Richard Keogh – muscled the former Derby man off the ball in the 90th minute, squared to Muskwe who battered into the net for what he thought was his first league goal for the club. Then the enraged Hatters saw the linesman’s flag, raised for a push in the back that never was.
“We should’ve had a goal and we should’ve won the game,” said boss Jones adding: “It’s a clear, clear goal.
“There’s no foul in any part of it, he’s just flagged early. He’s recognised he’s flagged early and if he’d have just let it play, they’d have talked about it and they’d have given the goal.
“But he didn’t, he flagged early. It’s a grave error, a catastrophic error for us. It could’ve won us the game and then we’d be having a totally different conversation.”
Gary Madine had slotted a 55th minute penalty to level, after Dan Potts naively went to ground, but hardly did enough to topple CJ Hamilton.
Jones said: “It’s not a penalty but it looks like a penalty, so I can understand why he gives it. Dan has to stay on his feet and not give him something, then it’s fine.”
Then Luton were denied a stonewaller when the impressive Robert Snodgrass – who should’ve had two assists but for the wayward heading of Harry Cornick and Cameron Jerome – had his legs swept away by Keshi Anderson.
The draw still left Luton with a seven-point cushion with Millwall and Middlesbrough Town to slip up while themselves needing to win all their games, but every game regardless of the outcome seems to have devastating consequences for the Hatters.
If Adebayo is forced into an absence it may be the most keenly felt injury.
Jones said of the build-up to the disallowed goal, which has left their goalscoring hero needing a scan: “He’s put in big shifts, big 90s all the time. It’s impossible for him to keep doing it. He put his body on the line and the linesman kind of sells him down the river.
“We’d rather, in the end, he didn’t go for that and then he wouldn’t get injured and we wouldn’t be talking about it.
“He’ll be assessed and scanned, but he needs a rest anyway.”
It’s a strange tale to say that Town should’ve had all three points, particularly when the better side was Blackpool, but this won’t affect their season. It may still not have much of an effect of Luton’s, but the could’ve, should’ve, would’ve debate will rage for longer than normal, now that the Fulham game has been moved for the television cameras.
But on this latest slog of endurance, Jones said: “We were very, very hard done by not to have got three points. We didn’t play well, we weren’t ourselves, but we did enough to win the game.
“We’ve had some glorious chances. Harry Cornick had two in the first half, Cameron Jerome, Admiral Muskwe’s had one, Allan Campbell’s had a chance, we’ve had a penalty shout.
“That’s (Muskwe’s) a clear goal, no issue whatsoever and then suddenly we don’t get that and end up drawing the game.
“Blackpool were front-footed today, caused us a few problems, but Harry hasn’t had many saves to make, but they’re playing with freedom with four up top. It’s easy to do that when you’re 16th and haven’t got anything to play for, whereas we’re right at it.
“To do what we’re doing with the injuries we’ve had is quite phenomenal. We can’t freshen up the team at all. They’re having to give big, big shifts and it’s taken it’s toll on us, it really has.
“That’s watered it down a little bit but we’ve got to make sure we patch everyone up and be ready for the final two games.”
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