IRELAND’S JASON KNIGHT was on target and provided an assist as Derby stretched their unbeaten run to four games, but Luton twice fought back to earn a 2-2 draw on a rainy night at Pride Park.
Tom Lawrence fired Derby ahead before Fred Onyedinma equalised, only for Knight to drive a shot under Simon Sluga to restore the home side’s lead.
But Luton had the final word when Elijah Adebayo beat Ryan Allsop to a cross to head home seven minutes from the end.
Derby had kept three consecutive clean sheets but they were opened up in the seventh minute when Adebayo got in on the left only for his low cross to be cleared.
Max Bird hit a low shot from 20 yards that zipped just wide before a mistake by Sonny Bradley led to Derby taking the lead in the 20th minute.
The Luton skipper lost the ball just outside the area to Knight who set up Lawrence to find the bottom right corner from 15 yards.
Luton responded but wasted two promising openings much to the frustration of manager Nathan Jones who reacted by making a double substitution on the half-hour.
But it was Derby who went close in the final minute of the first half when a corner bounced up for Kamil Jozwiak whose snap shot went straight at Sluga.
Luton forced a corner in stoppage time but it came to nothing and Derby ended the half without being seriously tested at the back.
That changed three minutes into the second half when a long throw from Harry Cornick was flicked on at the near post and Onyedinma dived to bundle the ball past Ryan Allsop.
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Derby responded through Ravel Morrison who surged forward to play in Knight but he shot over under pressure from Sluga.
Luton replied with a swift counter in the 57th minute and Cornick’s low cross reached Adebayo but his shot was deflected into the gloves of Allsop.
Sluga was beaten for a second time in the 60th minute when Lawrence played in Knight who turned to drive the ball through the Croatian goalkeeper and inside the far post.
Knight struck the ball firmly but Sluga should have done better and he was relieved when a Lawrence drive from distance flashed narrowly wide.
It was Allsop’s turn to be questioned in the 83rd minute when he came for a cross but didn’t get there and Adebayo headed into the empty net.
Allsop was beaten again three minutes later when Onyedinma lobbed him from a tight angle but the ball came back off the bar to leave both teams reflecting on what might have been.
Ex-Ireland U21 international Glen Rea started for Luton and played over an hour, with Festy Ebosele sprung from the Derby bench, where Louie Watson was an unused sub.
Elsewhere in the Championship tonight, Jake Cooper’s late goal handed Millwall victory at 10-man Sheffield United. Jed Wallace had put the visitors ahead early on at Bramall Lane, before Billy Sharp equalised from the penalty spot at the end of the first half.
The home side played for more than half-an-hour with only 10 men after Morgan Gibbs-White was dismissed following a second bookable offence. David McGoldrick, John Egan, Conor Hourihane and Enda Stevens all started for the Blades; McGoldrick scuffing a great opportunity to equalise shortly before the half-hour mark. He came off on 66 minutes, while Hourihane was withdrawn after just 37. Alex Pearce was on the Millwall bench.
Meanwhile, Bournemouth went six points clear at the summit after a battling 1-0 away win over fellow promotion-chasing Stoke.
Dominic Solanke’s 51st-minute goal did the damage and the former Chelsea man also hit the crossbar as the Cherries inflicted a first home league defeat of the season on the Potters. Gavin Kilkenny impressed for Bournemouth, as Mark Travers kept a clean sheet.
Substitute Lyle Taylor struck twice in stoppage time as Nottingham Forest extended Bristol City’s Ashton Gate misery with a 2-1 Championship win.
The hosts took a 39th minute lead when Nahki Wells saw his low shot from just outside the box saved at full stretch by Brice Samba, only for the ball to break for Alex Scott to fire into an unguarded net.
City were still ahead on 90 minutes, but Nathan Baker fouled Djed Spence and Taylor equalised from the resulting penalty.
Seconds later Taylor had visiting fans behind the goal in raptures when netting the winner from close range after Dan Bentley had parried a shot from another substitute, Joe Lolley.
The result extended City’s winless home run to 17 games, 14 of them since Nigel Pearson was appointed manager. Callum O’Dowda came on as a late substitute, with Max O’Leary on the bench.
And Ilias Chair’s late strike gave QPR a 1-0 victory at home to out-of-form Blackburn. Jimmy Dunne played for QPR, with Darragh Lenihan in action for Blackburn.
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Goal and an assist for Jason Knight, but Luton hit back twice to secure draw at Derby
IRELAND’S JASON KNIGHT was on target and provided an assist as Derby stretched their unbeaten run to four games, but Luton twice fought back to earn a 2-2 draw on a rainy night at Pride Park.
Tom Lawrence fired Derby ahead before Fred Onyedinma equalised, only for Knight to drive a shot under Simon Sluga to restore the home side’s lead.
But Luton had the final word when Elijah Adebayo beat Ryan Allsop to a cross to head home seven minutes from the end.
Derby had kept three consecutive clean sheets but they were opened up in the seventh minute when Adebayo got in on the left only for his low cross to be cleared.
Max Bird hit a low shot from 20 yards that zipped just wide before a mistake by Sonny Bradley led to Derby taking the lead in the 20th minute.
The Luton skipper lost the ball just outside the area to Knight who set up Lawrence to find the bottom right corner from 15 yards.
Luton responded but wasted two promising openings much to the frustration of manager Nathan Jones who reacted by making a double substitution on the half-hour.
But it was Derby who went close in the final minute of the first half when a corner bounced up for Kamil Jozwiak whose snap shot went straight at Sluga.
Luton forced a corner in stoppage time but it came to nothing and Derby ended the half without being seriously tested at the back.
That changed three minutes into the second half when a long throw from Harry Cornick was flicked on at the near post and Onyedinma dived to bundle the ball past Ryan Allsop.
Derby responded through Ravel Morrison who surged forward to play in Knight but he shot over under pressure from Sluga.
Luton replied with a swift counter in the 57th minute and Cornick’s low cross reached Adebayo but his shot was deflected into the gloves of Allsop.
Sluga was beaten for a second time in the 60th minute when Lawrence played in Knight who turned to drive the ball through the Croatian goalkeeper and inside the far post.
Knight struck the ball firmly but Sluga should have done better and he was relieved when a Lawrence drive from distance flashed narrowly wide.
It was Allsop’s turn to be questioned in the 83rd minute when he came for a cross but didn’t get there and Adebayo headed into the empty net.
Allsop was beaten again three minutes later when Onyedinma lobbed him from a tight angle but the ball came back off the bar to leave both teams reflecting on what might have been.
Ex-Ireland U21 international Glen Rea started for Luton and played over an hour, with Festy Ebosele sprung from the Derby bench, where Louie Watson was an unused sub.
Elsewhere in the Championship tonight, Jake Cooper’s late goal handed Millwall victory at 10-man Sheffield United. Jed Wallace had put the visitors ahead early on at Bramall Lane, before Billy Sharp equalised from the penalty spot at the end of the first half.
The home side played for more than half-an-hour with only 10 men after Morgan Gibbs-White was dismissed following a second bookable offence. David McGoldrick, John Egan, Conor Hourihane and Enda Stevens all started for the Blades; McGoldrick scuffing a great opportunity to equalise shortly before the half-hour mark. He came off on 66 minutes, while Hourihane was withdrawn after just 37. Alex Pearce was on the Millwall bench.
Meanwhile, Bournemouth went six points clear at the summit after a battling 1-0 away win over fellow promotion-chasing Stoke.
Dominic Solanke’s 51st-minute goal did the damage and the former Chelsea man also hit the crossbar as the Cherries inflicted a first home league defeat of the season on the Potters. Gavin Kilkenny impressed for Bournemouth, as Mark Travers kept a clean sheet.
Substitute Lyle Taylor struck twice in stoppage time as Nottingham Forest extended Bristol City’s Ashton Gate misery with a 2-1 Championship win.
The hosts took a 39th minute lead when Nahki Wells saw his low shot from just outside the box saved at full stretch by Brice Samba, only for the ball to break for Alex Scott to fire into an unguarded net.
City were still ahead on 90 minutes, but Nathan Baker fouled Djed Spence and Taylor equalised from the resulting penalty.
Seconds later Taylor had visiting fans behind the goal in raptures when netting the winner from close range after Dan Bentley had parried a shot from another substitute, Joe Lolley.
The result extended City’s winless home run to 17 games, 14 of them since Nigel Pearson was appointed manager. Callum O’Dowda came on as a late substitute, with Max O’Leary on the bench.
And Ilias Chair’s late strike gave QPR a 1-0 victory at home to out-of-form Blackburn. Jimmy Dunne played for QPR, with Darragh Lenihan in action for Blackburn.
Tonight’s Championship results
- Additional reporting by Emma Duffy
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