Pearson thought Sky Blues draw felt like a defeat

Matty Pearson is left frustrated after Sunday's 1-1 draw with Coventry

With Barnsley holding Portsmouth to a goalless draw the previous day, a win for Luton would have seen them go seven clear at the top.

They looked well on the way to achieving that when Pearson nodded home a 17th minute opener, but Coventry hit back to level and then hold on for a point in the second period.

Although it extended the Hatters’ unbeaten record to 21 games, Pearson said: “I’m disappointed, it feels like a loss, but probably all in all it’s a good point.

“If it had been different circumstances we’d have been happy, we’ve got to be happy.

“You want to be winning games though, you want to be making the gap even bigger.

“It’s good to have unbeaten records, but we are disappointed with how it finished, as we wanted to win.”

Third placed Sunderland had made it back-to-back wins by beating Bristol Rover son Saturday, and are now just seven points adrift with a game in hand.

The Black Cats were on a run of three successive draws at one stage, but Pearson always felt they would come good.

He said: “We know they’re going to get wins, we know Barnsley are going to get wins, so it’s down to us. We can’t rely on other teams, so we’ll just keep going.”

Town had chances in the second period to triumph, with Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu wide, Andrew Shinnie seeing a shot deflected off target and then Alan McCormack shooting straight at keeper Lee Burge from close range.

The centre half continued: “Second half, I can’t even remember them having a shot or anything at our goal.

“We’ve got to be clinical and we’ve got to take our chances, but we had pressure in their half all the time and just couldn’t find that clinical edge. We were desperate for the win, unfortunately it didn’t happen, but we move on and keep going.”

Pearson’s goal was his sixth of the season, as centre half partner Sonny Bradley came desperate close to breaking his duck again

He added: “It’s frustrating for him isn’t it, but that’s the way it goes.

“He’ll probably score a couple in quick succession once he does get that goal, so hopefully next week it’s his turn.”