Terrible second half sees Town let a 2-0 lead slip to lose at Coventry

An awful second half performance saw Luton concede a stoppage time winner as they let a 2-0 interval lead slip to suffer an incredibly frustrating 3-2 defeat at Coventry City this afternoon.

Although they had to rely on a last-gasp goal, there was no doubting the Sky Blues deserved to triumph, as they were on top for the entire second 45, and most of the first period too, sending in a mammoth 26 shots in total, the Hatters unable to repeat anywhere near the same level of performance that had raised hopes of a corner being turned against Watford or Sunderland previously.

The unchanged visitors had to keep their wits about them from an early corner as a clever routine saw the ball teed up to Tatsuhiro Sakamoto who had a crack inside the area, Elijah Adebayo out bravely to make a critical sliding challenge. Thomas Kaminski was called into action shortly afterwards as City made a promising start, Milan van Ewijk unleashing a fierce drive on eight minutes, the keeper fisting behind before another clever set-piece went awry.

Town couldn't get out though, City with all the pressure and chances, as van Ewijk got the better of a fortunate bounce to beat Alfie Doughty and find the arriving Ben Sheaf, but the midfielder, a reported target for Luton ahead of their Premier League campaign, didn’t open the scoring, diverting into the side-netting.

Another free kick saw Ellis Simms volley wide as the Hatters just couldn't get going, but the first piece of quality from Rob Edwards' side saw them win a penalty on 14 minutes. A good combination on the left saw Tom Krauß feed Tahith Chong who was tripped by Sakamoto, referee Robert Madley, who was clearly eager to be the centre of the attention, with a number of needless bookings, including one that sees Doughty suspended after he took a free kick too early, pointing to the spot.

Carlton Morris stepped up and maintained his terrific record from 12 yards, as although Oliver Dovin went the right way, he sidefooted powerfully into the bottom corner. Dovin did make a decent stop with 20 minutes gone, Adebayo barrelling forward to find Chong who spun and tried to double the lead, the keeper fingertipping behind.

Unbowed by the opener, Coventry remained a constant danger and looked like they were going to pull level, Kaminski easily collecting Sakamoto's header and another attempt glancing narrowly wide. Despite being nowhere near their best, you couldn't doubt the Hatters' heart as they made three terrific last-ditch blocks when Coventry were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box, making sure City's attempts didn't get through to Kaminski.

It carried on, Daiki Hashioka, who was showing some great positional play to head away a number of threats, with Kaminski able to prevent Simms levelling. You thought that it was only a matter of time before the Sky Blues would score, such was their dominance, and although the ball was in the net again on 37 minutes, somehow it was at the other end.

A long ball to Morris was well controlled by the forward his chest, quickly finding Krauß, the German sliding a terrific ball through to Adebayo, who with his confidence boosted from opening his account in midweek, used his left foot to dink over Dovin and put the visitors into a 2-0 lead they scarcely deserved. City were amazingly kept out with five minutes of the first half to go, indebted to a marvellous block from Holmes who was able to stretch and keep the ball from crossing the line with Kaminski beaten.

Chong then took the ball out from his own area and set off on a quite brilliant mazy run that saw him jink past two with some audacious skill and win a corner, Mark McGuinness's header palmed away by Dovin. After the break, Sheaf tried his luck from range as it flew miles over, before he did get one on target 10 minutes in, Kaminski down smartly to his left to gather.

The Sky Blues just kept on coming, and this time Luton couldn't keep them out as when Wright's drive was deflected behind, Jack Rudoni's first flag kick was tipped over by Kaminski, the second seeing Simms angle his header into the net to halve the deficit with 59 minutes gone. Wright threatened again, turning away from both Doughty and Holmes only to shoot straight at Kaminski, as Edwards looked to freshen and shore things up, bringing on Jacob Brown and then Marvelous Nakamba for Morris and Chong.

Still the waves of Coventry attacks were flooding in on Town’s back-line, Josh Eccles swerving one inches the wrong side of the post, as the visiting defence was just about standing firm in the onslaught. Wright's attempts to beat Kaminski from range weren't coming off, dragging wide with 20 minutes to go, as Eccles won another corner, but his looping header landed safely over.

Town's fortune couldn't last though, as they were breached once more with 76 gone, unable to get out quickly enough with the ball broke on the edge of the box, sub Victor Torp curling beautifully into the top corner. Cauley Woodrow and Liam Walsh came on for the final 12 minutes, as if any side looked like grabbing a winner it was the Sky Blues, although that almost changed when Brown found the unmarked Woodrow, but with Dovin out to meet him, he was unable to force his shot past the Swedish international.

City weren't to be denied though and the red card that had looked to be brandished since the early stages finally was, Holmes dismissed for pulling back Wright for a second yellow, which set off the sequence of events for Mark Robins' side to win it. The free kick was put behind for a corner and from another cross, Simms outjumped McGuinness to nod the ball down for Wright to to turn home from close range, any hopes that Joel Latibeaudiere was offside in the centre of the goal dashed as Doughty appeared to just about be keeping him on.

Kaminski prevented Wright from making it an even bigger defeat, but for the second time in five games, Luton couldn’t emerge victorious despite being 2-0 to the good as the pressure is now firmly back on the shoulders of manager Edwards once more.

Sky Blues: Oliver Dovin, Luis Binks, Bobby Thomas, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto (Victor Thorp 66), Ellis Simms, Haji Wright, Ben Sheaf ©, Liam Kitching (Jack Rudoni 46), Joel Latibeaudiere, Milan van Ewijk, Josh Eccles. Subs not used: Brad Collins, Jay Dasilva, Ephron Mason-Clark, Brandon Thomas-Asante, Fabio Tavares, Norman Bassette, Kai Andrews.

Hatters: Thomas Kaminski, Victor Moses, Daiki Hashioka, Mark McGuinness, Tom Holmes, Alfie Doughty, Tom Krauß (Liam Walsh 78), Jordan Clark, Tahith Chong (Marvelous Nakamba 68), Carlton Morris (C, Jacob Brown 60), Elijah Adebayo (Cauley Woodrow 78). Subs not used: Tim Krul, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Joe Johnson, Joe Taylor, Zack Nelson. Referee: Robert Madley. Booked: Kitching 13, Doughty 17, Morris 18, McGuinness 23, Holmes 53, Sheaf 80. Sent off: Holmes 90. Attendance: 26,409.