Luton claimed their first-ever Premier League point but there will be a sense of what could have been after they came from behind with a Carlton Morris penalty against ten-man Wolves.
Jeanricner Bellegarde’s straight red on 39 minutes for kicking out at Tom Lockyer when the two tangled on the ground looked to be the boost that Town could punish after a wonderful first half led by the electric Chiedozie Ogbene on his full debut in the division. The Hatters just couldn’t score.
Manager Rob Edwards said: “I’m pleased. It should’ve been all three. But I’m really proud of the players. The performance was excellent. It’s a good day for the club. I thought the supporters were great and everything we asked of the players, to give the crowd something shout about, to get them involved, to engage them I thought we did it really well.
“We started the game so well. It’s probably the best we’ve ever played since we’ve been at the club. I think the level of the game and the fact that Wolves couldn’t really get out of their half, we completely dominated the game.
“We did really for the vast majority of it. There were one or two moments, Wolves are going to have that, they’ve got some quality players.
“So, overall, I’m really happy, really proud, but we should’ve won.”
They should because Wolves were second-best in virtually every metric, with the hosts even edging the possession stats for the first time this term.
But just when a big second half was the order, Pedro Neto, anonymous in the first half, outpaced the otherwise excellent Lockyer from a five-yard deficit, outmuscled the Luton skipper and blasted beyond Thomas Kaminski.
At 50 minutes, it was Wolves’ first shot on target and they only managed two more from the same corner, while Town racked up 20 shots, including a 25-yard woodwork-rattler from Morris, but only four found the target. That’s the difference in this division.
Cross after cross was repelled by Wolves until Issa Kaboré’s centre cannoned off João Gomes’ boot and onto his outstretched hand.
Just as he did with the sending-off, referee Josh Smith made an instant decision and, despite a VAR checks for both, the original call stood.
Morris settled nerves with a replica of the penalty he scored in the opening game against Brighton, but Town just could not find a second.
Ogbene thought he had won it late on, but he was comfortably offside when he stroked in for what would’ve capped off a fine performance for the Republic or Ireland winger.
Instead, the Hatters will celebrate finally getting off the mark for the season, but it will be tempered by the knowledge that a killer instinct, for now, still evades them.
