Luton remain in the play-off hunt after hitting back from 2-0 down to draw at Mansfield

The race for the League One play-offs took yet another twist this afternoon as Luton showed wonderful powers of recovery to hit back from 2-0 down and gain a point at Mansfield Town, although the Hatters will be ultimately gutted they hadn’t claimed what was a much-needed triumph.

It looked Town’s bid to break into the top six places were dead in the water after half an hour, trailing 2-0, with pretty much everyone else in the battle to finish above the dotted line winning. However, they hit back with goals either side of half time from Kasey Palmer and Shayden Morris to restore parity, laying siege to the Stags goal for the final 40 minutes, but try as they might, couldn’t find a winner.

The result saw Town drop a place to eighth in the table, leapfrogged by Plymouth Argyle, who won 3-1 at AFC Wimbledon, but having led for large parts of their contest, Stevenage, in sixth, were also pegged back by leaders Lincoln City, held to a 2-2 draw, meaning it was as you were, Luton still three points adrift, now with just three games to go

Morris had been one of four changes made by boss Jack Wilshere from Wednesday night’s 2-1 victory over Northampton Town, joining Davy van den Berg, Ali Al-Hamadi and Hakeem Odoffin in returning, Nahki Wells, Joe Johnson and Jake Richards dropping to the bench, Jordan Clark missing out with a calf strain.

The Hatters looked far from a side who had three league games in a row and six from eight in all competitions early on, indebted to a fine stop by Josh Keeley on eight minutes when the ball ricocheted through the centre of Town’s defence, off his line in a flash to block at the legs of top scorer Will Evans. Moments later and the hosts were almost in again, Tyler Roberts finding centre half Ryan Sweeney who was in an advanced position, his sidefoot destined for the bottom corner, skipper Kal Naismith retreating in the nick of time to make an important goal-line clearance.

Bar a few corners, the Hatters didn’t really get much going in the final third and it was no real surprise when they fell behind on 21 minutes, Odoffin having done superbly to make a sliding intervention, but Town didn’t funnel back in time, Roberts’ dinked cross nodded against the woodwork and Jon Russell able to prod the rebound into the net. Odoffin ensured Luton didn’t concede a quickfire double, throwing himself in the way of Evans’ shot that looped into the grateful gloves of Keeley,

Town did have a brief moment in the final third, Walsh’s chipped ball into the area seeing Al-Hamadi peel off his marker, but stretching couldn’t divert his header on target. Luton were never secure though and their fragility cost them again on 28 minutes as they stood off Russell in the area, virtually inviting him to shoot and needing no second invitation to do so, easily beat the dive of Keeley and made it 2-0 to the Stags.

The visitors’ opening half hour was summed up when they did get the ball in an advanced area only for Emilio Lawrence to cut in on his right foot, hammering way over the bar. With 36 gone, Luton finally worked Liam Roberts, as Kasey Palmer, who was starting to get more and more involved, found the run of Al-Hamadi who waited for Morris to join him, playing in the winger whose shot was parried by the Mansfield stopper.

Hatters gave themselves a lifeline on 40 minutes as Naismith found Lawrence to his left, the winger getting on the outside of his man and delivering a low cross that Palmer stabbed under the dive of Roberts. That led to Town’s best passage of play by far as they should have been level 60 seconds later, Lawrence’s cross not properly cleared and dropping at the feet of van den Berg whose attempt was brilliantly saved by Roberts, although he shouldn’t have been given a chance by the on-loan midfielder.

With Palmer pulling the strings, he slid a wonderful pass through to Morris who burst clear, but this time Roberts was off his line quickly to get his body in the way and keep his side in front. Palmer tried his luck from almost the halfway line, knocking wide of the target, as the break saw Johnson on for Andersen. Luton desperately hoped to carry on their ascendancy and they did just that, as after Roberts drilled over from range, they drew level on 50 minutes

A wonderful ball out wide by Palmer was controlled brilliantly on his chest by Morris who skipped away from his maker and advanced into the box, sending a cross-shot that deceived Roberts and might have taken a nick, but was off celebrating as if it was his goal, making it 2-2. Town almost led moments later, Walsh’s corner beating Roberts and appeared to be prodded against the post from a yard out by Naismith.

Still Mansfield were a threat as well, Louis Reed firing over the top, while a good burst by van den Berg saw Lawrence curl for goal, shooting into the away fans. On the hour, Russell sniffed his hat-trick, his drive taking a nasty bobble and shovelled behind by Keeley, while another fine spin by Palmer saw Walsh find Lawrence, his penetrating low cross flashing through the six yard box with no takers.

Wilshere brought on Wells with 68 minutes gone and he almost had an immediate impact, picked out by Palmer's brilliant burst and pass, deflecting into the gloves of Roberts. The hosts then gave the ball away trying to clear, van den Berg’s shot deflected over the bar, as the resulting corner saw Naismith and Roberts collide, Odoffin heading against the bar as you got the feeling it wasn’t going to be Town’s day.

With 14 minutes left, they had their best opportunity, Palmer picked out in the box by Wells’ pass, but unfortunately put his shot too close to Roberts who was able to make yet another big stop, although once more, he should have been picking the ball out of the net. The excellent Lawrence made way for Gideon Kodua as Lucas Akins shot over, as you worried Luton’s chance had gone after that Palmer miss

Cole joined the fray late on, sending over a wonderful cross from the right that Wells hadn't quite anticipated, as Kodua could only scuff at Roberts from a few yards out. Walsh did superbly to keep pace with his man and stop a breakaway goal, as Luton’s final chance saw Kodua put it far too close to Roberts, as although Town remain in the play-off picture, their destiny remains out of their hands.

Stags: Liam Roberts, Elliott Hewitt, Deji Oshilaja, Ryan Sweeney (C), Lucas Akins, Louis Reed (Nathan Moriah-Welsh 58), Jon Russell (Oliver Irow 79), Stephen McLaughlin (Dom Dwyer 79), Regan Hendry (Frazer Blake-Tracy 90), Tyler Roberts (Rhys Oates 58), Will Evans. Subs not used: Kyle Knoyle, Joe Gardner.

Hatters: Josh Keeley, Nigel Lonwijk, Hakeem Odoffin, Mads Andersen (Joe Johnson 46), Kal Naismith (C), Emilio Lawrence (Gideon Kodua 80), Liam Walsh, Davy van den Berg (Devante Cole 89) Kasey Palmer, Shayden Morris (Jake Richards 90), Ali Al-Hamadi (Nahki Wells 69). Subs not used: James Shea, George Saville. Booked: Hewitt 66, Naismith 66, Dwyer 84. Referee: Edward Duckworth. Attendance: 8,781 (1,350 Hatters).