Luton left stunned as Hatters hit the self-destruct button in Reading defeat

Luton Town hit the self-destruct button in quite maddening fashion as they let a 2-1 lead slip in the final 10 minutes as they somehow lost 3-2 against play-off chasing Reading this afternoon.

Having beaten Northampton Town on Wednesday night to reach the Vertu Trophy final at Wembley, the Hatters looked to be on the verge of sealing yet another morale-boosting victory as they moved into the closing stages with the advantage. However, they then committed two defensive howlers, with mistakes by Joe Johnson and Kal Naismith punished in the most clinical fashion by Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan, as the Royals striker completed his hat-trick to leave Kenilworth Road absolutely stunned.

Prior to kick-off, Hatters manager Jack Wilshere made seven changes to his side from midweek, with Devante Cole, Josh Keeley, Nigel Lonwijk, George Saville, Kasey Palmer, Izzy Jones and Johnson all coming in, with James Shea, Liam Walsh, Hakeem Odoffin, Nahki Wells and Gideon Kodua dropping to the bench, Davy van den Berg and Mads Andersen missing out completely.

With Reading’s 16-goal former Luton forward Jack Marriott out with a hamstring injury, it was hoped Town would be able to deal with the attacking threats on display, but they fell behind after just five minutes to a goal completely of their own doing. A drilled ball forward appeared easy for Jones to deal with, mystifyingly opting to try a back header to Keeley that flew across goal rather than to the stopper, and with Naismith not strong enough to deal with the miscue, Ehibhatiomhan somehow escaped his attentions to convert with ease.

Luton looked to respond as Johnson sent a terrific ball over the top on 10 minutes which saw Emilio Lawrence get away from Andy Yiadom, but with Cole up in support, went for goal himself on his right foot, shanking disappointingly across goal. The Hatters, with Palmer having a real influence on proceedings, didn't let the opener get to them, the Jamaican international hurling himself into a full-blooded sliding tackle that got the crowd off their seats, finding Cole in the box with an excellent sliderule pass, the striker unable to keep his footing as the ball dribbled through to Joel Pereira.

Palmer was at it again moments later, as sprinting away on the left after some good advantage was played, tried to pick out Jake Richards, who was just unable to get there ahead of a Royals defender. The visitors came to play as well though, Kamari Doyle having a go on his left foot that Keeley was equal to, while midway through the half, Johnson won the ball back high up the pitch and Clark rifled goalwards, the ball clipping the top of the bar on its way over.

Visiting keeper Pereira then had an odd few minutes, inviting needless pressure to concede a corner and from Saville’s delivery punched it towards his own goal, thankful to a team-mate from hacking it away before it crossed the line. Luton needed their own stopper on 32 minutes as a long throw was missed by Naismith and played out to Doyle who saw his effort destined for the net until the Irishman stuck out a vital hand to push round the post.

Reading then sliced through the hosts with far too much ease on 38 minutes, Lewis Whing battling away from two players and then finding Doyle whose curler was again on its way in, Keeley doing superbly to turn it behind. Referee Oliver Mackey, who was having a stinker, saw Paudie O’Connor head in from a corner, with Keeley fouled, but rather than give the free kick to the hosts weirdly allowed the visitors to retake the set-piece which was thankfully cleared away.

Luton then went up the other end, Saville’s pass finding Palmer on his way through, hauled down by O’Connor for a booking and a free kick that the midfielder sent narrowly off target. The half ended with the Hatters looking for a leveller, Clark and Lawrence seeing shots blocked but they got the goal they fully deserved in the last minute of stoppage time, Lawrence producing the most tantalising cross which saw Lonwijk of all people diving in to send the ball over the line from close range.

Needing to start the second half in the same manner as they did the first, Luton were able to do just that, as they dominated the ball and took the lead in such simple fashion on 53 minutes, Clark swinging in a corner that allowed an unmarked Saville to ghost in and power his downward header into the net.

Midway through the half, Luton brought on Wells and Walsh, as the pair were both involved in almost making it 3-1, as Wells was sent away by a wonderful no-look pass by Palmer and unleashed a fierce drive that crashed off Benn Ward and hit the top of the bar on its way behind. The corner then found its way to Walsh 20 yards from goal, who unleashed a first-time curler that looked goalbound until cannoning off a defender that took it into the stands.

With time starting to tick away, Luton began to try and hold on to what they had rather than press their advantage home, despite Wilshere stating in the week that they weren’t very good at doing so, unnecessarily delaying their goal kicks and inviting the pressure on them, as Reading flashed several balls across the box.

Inside the final 10 minutes and Luton gifted them an equaliser, as Johnson’s pass was cut out, and experienced winger Matt Ritchie delivered a brilliant outside of the boot cross for Ehibhatiomhan to rise and make it 2-2 at the far post. Matters then went from bad to worse as with Keeley winning a free kick, O’Connor somehow not sent off for yet another foul conceded, his short pass out led to Naismith’s attempt to locate a team-mate inside his own area go completely wrong, Ritchie deflecting into the path of Ehibhatiomhan to bag his hat-trick, all of them gift wrapped by the Hatters’ defence.

It sucked the life out of a Kenilworth Road, who had been merrily singing about their trip to Wembley during the second period, with boos returning once more, as Naismith in particular looked a broken man during the final stages, also coming in for a fair amount of criticism as he made his way down the tunnel too, as Town’s already withering play-off hopes appear to have finally come to an end now.

Hatters: Josh Keeley, Izzy Jones (Shayden Morris 88), Nigel Lonwijk, Kal Naismith, Joe Johnson, Emilio Lawrence (Cohen Bramall 78), George Saville, Kasey Palmer (Gideon Kodua 78), Jordan Clark, Jake Richards (Liam Walsh 66), Devante Cole (Nahki Wells 66). Subs not used: James Shea, Shayden Morris, Hakeem Odoffin.

Royals: Joel Pereira, Liam Fraser (Sean Patton 61), Charlie Savage, Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan (Finley Burns 90), Lewis Wing ©, Paudie O’Connor, Benn Ward, Andy Yiadom (Matt Ritchie 72), Randell Williams, Kamari Doyle (Paddy Lane 72), Derrick Williams. Subs not used: Jack Stevens, Kelvin Abrefa, Jeriel Dorsett. Booked: Fraser 21, O’Connor 44, Clark 70, Williams 80, Pereira 90. Referee: Oliver Mackey. Attendance: 11,375 (1,311 Royals).