Andros Townsend admitted he was “proud and devastated” as Luton ran Arsenal close but suffered a last-gasp 4-3 defeat last night.
The midfielder had to watch the finale from the dugout after he was substituted, having played his part in Ross Barkley’s goal that briefly made it 3-2 to Luton at Kenilworth Road.
In the seventh minute of six added at the end, Declan Rice rose highest to head a winner with virtually the last touch, snatching away a much-deserved point from the Hatters.
Reacting to the night of high drama, Townsend said: “(I’m) proud and devastated. Those are the two words, proud and devastated because it was an amazing performance against one of Europe’s best clubs.
“To score three goals, to press high, to not give them any time on the ball, to have chances, and to still lose it, devastating, but same again on Sunday, we’ve got Man City.
“So, we’ll sulk tonight and we’ll drown our sorrows but then we’ll have to take the positives and look forward to another tough game on Sunday.”
It was the second time in the last three home games that Luton have been rocked by a late goal, with Luis Diaz pinching a point last month when Liverpool almost suffered a famous defeat.
Against the Gunners, the whole of Kenilworth Road was calling for the whistle after the six minutes of added time had been played. Asked if he thought Luton had seen out the threat, Townsend said: “I’ve been in the game long enough to know that there’s always time on the clock.
“There was a foul so i knew there’d be more than 96, we just couldn’t hold out and that’s football. When you’re in the Premier League, you can’t give them any chances, unfortunately we’ve been undone in the last second of the game.
“We’ve been undone against Liverpool the last few minutes so we have to learn from it. We have to learn and be better as if we’re going to say in the league we need to start turning these ones into points and the Liverpool ones into wins if we’re going to get the required points we need.”
Despite defeat, the performance offered renewed hope that Town can beat the drop this term.
Townsend said: “If you look at all the top teams we’ve played this season, Spurs unlucky to lose, Liverpool unlikely not to win, United conceded a set-pieces. Here tonight, unlucky to not take a point, so each game we’re talking the positive, but eventually we need the points on the board instead.
“Teams in and around us are starting to win, so we need to start winning games and Sunday is one we’re going to look to try and win.”
