Morris reaches 20 for the season as Luton produce impressive second half comeback to beat Boro

Carlton Morris's 20th goal of the season sealed a terrific second half fightback from the Hatters as they beat fellow promotion rivals Middlesbrough at Kenilworth Road this evening.

With both sides sitting third and fourth in the Championship ahead of the game, then as far as dress rehearsals go for a potential play-off final at Wembley, the first half was anything but what Luton, who made one change, Elijah Adebayo in for Cauley Woodrow, would have been hoping for.

In front of the Sky cameras, the visitors, who opted to leave the division's highest scorer in Chuba Akpom on the bench, settled quicker, knocking the ball around with some real class at times, leading to Marc Bola shooting over from 25 yards.

Town looked like they were starting to get a grip on proceedings, producing some attacking moments of their own, Marvelous Nakamba's crossfield pass picking out Alfie Doughty, the move eventually breaking down.

Doughty did then send over a terrific cross that saw Adebayo, who was fighting a losing battle with the offside flag in the early stages, bring it down and quickly fire a left-footer into keeper Zack Steffen's midriff.

Boro boss Michael Carrick's Premier League coaching credentials were clearly on display though, Isaiah Jones breaking away on the right with 20 minutes gone and picking out Matt Crooks, who fortunately for Town, skied wastefully over.

Defender Tom Lockyer almost added to Luton's defensive injury concerns when clashing heads with Crooks and needing treatment a few moments later, but after a change of shirts, he was thankfully back up and taking his place on the field once more to continue what was yet another stand-out showing this term.

Just when it looked like the hosts might get through to the break unscathed, those plans went up in smoke with a goal that was completely avoidable, a hopeful pass over the top from Crooks beating Sonny Bradley.

Keeper Ethan Horvath, came out to try and beat Cameron Archer to the ball, but rather than take man, ball, the lot, did neither, instead rather embarrassingly completely missing his kick.

Archer then showed great guile to ease past Bradley's attempted Hail Mary recovery sliding tackle and walk the ball into the net.

Town came out for the second half on the front foot, winning two quick corners and it was from the second that they levelled, Doughty's ball met by Lockyer, who fresh from his inclusion in the Championship Team of the Year, guided his header in off the inside of the post.

With the home supporters now awake and risen from the malaise that they had been under during the first period, Kenilworth Road was bouncing again, with Boro finally knowing they were in for a game, eventually being harried and hassled out of their stride by the Hatters.

They could have been back in front themselves on 55 minutes though, Luton cut open on the right and Ryan Giles' low cross slammed wide by Crooks from 10 yards out.

Boosted by the leveller, Doughty had an ambitious crack on the angle, hammering well over, as the game became a proper Championship encounter, crackling away in the Bedfordshire night sky.

Luton completed the turnaround on 66 minutes, as Jordan Clark, on for Allan Campbell, picked up a loose ball and sent Morris away.

Although his first touch was heavy, the forward was able to get to the ball ahead of Steffen who had come sliding out, appearing to have his right leg clipped in the process.

It looked like Adebayo was going to take the spotkick, but in fact Morris stepped up instead, as he coolly sent Steffen the wrong way to find the bottom corner and score his 20th league goal of the season, the first Luton player to do that in the second tier since Brian Stein back in the 1981-82 campaign.

Boro weren't going to take it lying down though , as the dangerous Giles was free on the left once more, his ball toe-poked wide by a stretching Bola.

Town then brought on 17-year-old Joe Johnson for his first team debut in place of Doughty, the wingback tasked with stopping Jones in full flight, which he managed to do with an encouraging first ever seven minutes of senior football.

With Boro dominating territory, Luton through Nakamba and sub Luke Berry to the fore, the already booked latter with one incredible sliding challenge inside the area, managed to quell any threat, as when Anfernee Dijksteel put a free header wide in stoppage time, the game was up.

Hatters: Ethan Horvath, Cody Drameh, Tom Lockyer, Sonny Bradley (C), Amari'i Bell, Alfie Doughty (Joe Johnson 83), Marvelous Nakamba, Allan Campbell (Jordan Clark 59), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (Luke Berry 75), Elijah Adebayo (Luke Freeman 83), Carlton Morris (Joe Taylor 75).

Subs not used: James Shea, Henri Lansbury.

Boro: Zack Steffen, Isaiah Jones, Ryan Giles, Alex Mowatt, Dan Barlaser, Cameron Archer (Rodrigo Muniz 78), Anfernee Dijksteel, Jonny Howson ©, Matt Crooks, Darragh Lenihan, Marc Bola.

Subs not used: Liam Roberts, Chuba Akpom, Hayden Hackney, Bryant Bilongo, Jack Scott, Cain Sykes.

Bookings: Berry 78, Bell 90.

Referee: Graham Scott.

Attendance: 10,063 (1,040 Boro).