Kodua rescues below-par Luton a late point with stoppage time header

Gideon Kodua was Luton’s saviour once more this evening as his stoppage time goal ensured the Hatters were able to rescue a point at Leyton Orient.

For the majority of the contest, Town’s performance has been nothing short of shambolic, unable to string more than a couple of passes together, as it looked like they were staring down the barrel at yet another woeful away defeat. However, the introduction of Jordan Clark from the bench with 20 minutes to go changed the course of proceedings, as the fit-again midfielder was quite simply magnificent during his cameo, taking the game by the scruff of the neck and showcasing the kind of quality that had been sorely lacking from either side beforehand, involved in the move that led to the corner from which Kodua was able to head home and stretch Town’s unbeaten league run to three games.

Hatters boss Jack Wilshere made eight changes from the FA Cup penalty shootout defeat at Fleetwood Town on Saturday, operating in a 4-2-3-1 formation, as Kal Naismith partnered Teden Mengi in the centre of a back four, Nigel Lonwijk playing right back and Cohen Bramall left back. That saw George Saville and Liam Walsh holding in midfield, with Lamine Fanne playing behind Jerry Yates, while Kodua was on the left and Jacob Brown taking up a position on the right.

Town had a glorious chance to take an early lead on five minutes when Saville’s quick free kick saw Brown beat his man, but his cross was just behind the unmarked Yates who wasn’t unable to adjust his body in time and could only end up prodding tamely wide. There was a significant stoppage soon afterwards, as Josh Koroma suffered what looked like a nasty head injury and after lengthy treatment, he was stretchered off, Theo Archibald on in his place, the winger able to reach a corner swung in from the right but it bounced through to former O’s keeper Josh Keeley.

In a game that was lacking any kind of excitement or quality, with both side’s passing bordering on appalling, Archibald did then try and enliven the gloom but his shot was always going wide. Bramall then did the same after what was an enterprising run out from the back, before Walsh spread the play for Kodua, who got away from his man and also tried his luck from distance, not testing home stopper Killian Cahill.

It was hoped that a football match would break out in the second period, as the O’s almost went ahead instantly, Dan Happe just unable to make any contact with a well flighted free kick. Town then fell behind on 50 minutes following a mistake by Naismith, who had been jeered by his own fans when giving the ball away in the first half and then sarcastically cheered when finding a team-mate.

To make his evening worse, he was caught in possession as the last man by Dom Ballard, who went two on one with Keeley and found Archibald to his right who had the simple chance of tapping into the empty net. Wilshere reacted quickly by bringing on Mads Andersen and Shayden Morris for Fanne and the disappointing Yates, while Clark made his comeback from injury with 20 minutes left in place of Saville.

With the midfielder back, he began to take control, almost making an immediate impact when Nigel Lonwijk slipped him in as he beat keeper Cahill but unfortunately clipped the outside of the post. Town made another change on 77 minutes as Naismith went off for Lasse Nordas, as the captain deliberately made his way past the away fans, holding up his hands in apology for his display and mistake, receiving a good ovation from the majority of the 1,264 in attendance, although there were still a handful of jeers too.

With both sides making a number of subs and the hosts also guilty of time-wasting, there was 10 minutes of injury time added, as Morris finally got away on the right and sent over a cross that an unmarked Clark headed wide of the target. The midfielder, who was without doubt the game-changer for the Hatters, then played a big part in the leveller, his shot was charged down, with Walsh’s goalbound volley deflected behind by an O’s defender.

From the corner, Walsh’s delivery was deep and completely missed by a flapping Cahill which saw Kodua stoop to head into the net and rescue a point with his fifth goal of the season, and yet another that came in the final knockings. Any thoughts that Luton might have snatched an even later winner quickly evaporated though, but at least they made sure they returned to Bedfordshire with something to show for their efforts.

O’s: Killian Cahill, Tayo Adaramola, Dan Happe, Ollie O’Neil (Alfie Lloyd 77), Michael Craig (Jack Simpson 70), Tyreeq Bakinson, Josh Koroma (Theo Archibald 18), Josh Koroma, Omar Beckles ©, Azeem Abdulai, Charlie Wellens (Sean Clare 70), Dom Ballard. Subs not used: Tommy Simkin, Jack Moorhouse, Zech Obiero.

Hatters: Josh Keeley, Teden Mengi, Nigel Lonwijk, Kal Naismith (C, Lasse Nordas 77), George Saville (Jordan Clark 70), Lamine Fanne (Mads Andersen 61), Liam Walsh, Gideon Kodua, Cohen Bramall, Jacob Brown (Zack Nelson 90), Jerry Yates (Shayden Morris 61). Subs not used: James Shea, Christ Makosso. Booked: Walsh 41, Happe 62, Andersen 86. Referee: Darren Drysdale. Attendance: 8,176 (1,246 Hatters).