Bradley pounces late on to earn Luton a draw with Premier League West Ham

Luton skipper Sonny Bradley scored with the final kick as the Hatters ended their unbeaten pre-season campaign with an encouraging 1-1 draw against Premier League West Ham United at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

The hosts, who gave USA international Ethan Horvath the nod in goal, also starting Elijah Adebayo and Alfie Doughty, began the stronger against an opposition side containing England internationals Jarrod Bowen and Declan Rice, although failed to create any clear-cut chances.

Early on Luton found centre half Kurt Zouma a weak point in the Hammers defence, forcing him into multiple mistakes, while newly appointed United captain Declan Rice was a focal point of their pressing.

On 18 minutes, Doughty skillfully brought down a long ball from Gabe Osho and turned defender Vladimir Coufal, however his cross was well defended and Town couldn’t make the resulting corner count.

The deadlock was broken after 27 minutes by the visitors though, when Rice found Aaron Cresswell out wide, his cross met by Tomas Soucek on the penalty spot and he guided a header past Horvath into the top corner.

With the Hammers ahead, David Moyes’ side took control of the match, Luton reluctant to press, as both sides created a few attacking moves, but couldn’t turn them into goals.

After the break, Harry Cornick failed to make the most of Adebayo’s excellent through-ball, while Horvath twice saved the Town from going 2-0 down, the latter a brilliant stop from Michail Antonio after the Jamaican international found himself one-on-one.

The introduction of Carlton Morris, Dion Pereira, Carlos Mendes-Gomes and Cauley Woodrow provided the Hatters attack with a new spark, a move including all three seeing Adebayo unable to bring the ball down inside the box.

Former Hatters loanee Flynn Downes came on for the Premier League side with seven minutes to go, but with 90 minutes on the clock, Town deservedly levelled when a cross bounced around the box, eventually turned home by Bradley with what proved to be the last action.

Hatters: Ethan Horvath, James Bree, Sonny Bradley, Harry Cornick (Carlton Morris 67), Luke Berry (Cauley Woodrow 61), Elijah Adebayo (Dan Potts 80), Reece Burke, Jordan Clark, Allan Campbell (Carlos Mendes Gomes 75), Alfie Doughty (Dion Pereira 75), Gabe Osho.