Millenic Alli rescues much-needed late Luton point in draw at Stoke

Millenic Alli netted a vital stoppage-time strike as Luton rescued a late point in their fight against the drop in a 1-1 Championship draw against relegation-rivals Stoke.

Lewis Baker’s free-kick put the hosts on course for three points at the bet365 Stadium, but Hatters substitute Alli struck in the first minute of second-half added time to ensure the spoils were shared.

The result ensures Stoke remain 20th and two points above the bottom three, while Luton stay second-bottom and maintain their two-point gap to safety.

Mark Robins kept faith with the same Stoke team which picked up a point away to Preston over the weekend, while Hatters boss Matt Bloomfield made one change from the draw against Leeds as Tahith Chong replaced the absent Elijah Adebayo.

Isaiah Jones’ early penalty appeal was ignored by referee Dean Whitestone, while Mark McGuinness was booked after bringing down a breaking Sam Gallagher inside four minutes.

Gallagher’s header from Baker’s corner was claimed by Thomas Kaminski before the referee later turned down Bae Junho’s penalty claim after going down under Jones’s challenge.

Luton had a half-chance to go ahead before 20 minutes from Jordan Clark’s corner but Christ Makosso’s header looped over Viktor Johansson’s goal.

Gallagher nodded Million Manhoef’s cross well off-target, while Thelo Aasgaard’s fierce dipping volley from the edge of Stoke’s box landed just wide of Johansson’s goal five minutes before the break, with the encounter goalless at half-time.

Within moments of the second half starting, the already-booked Carlton Morris charged down and appeared to catch Ashley Phillips who went to ground, but referee Dean Whitestone did not dismiss the striker, instead booking Stoke’s Junior Tchamadeu for his protestations.

Shortly after, Manhoef’s low effort was deflected just wide, while Luton substitute Alli’s shot was diverted away by Ben Wilmot’s intervention as McGuinness nodded off-target from the subsequent corner.

Johansson claimed Clark’s free-kick before the hour mark arrived, while Kaminski’s blushes were spared soon after – at the other end – as he slipped and watched Gallagher’s low effort trickle harmlessly wide.

Kaminski parried Baker’s well-struck 67th-minute effort to safety as Stoke survived a goalmouth scramble at the opposite end soon after, involving Phillips heading Alli’s goal-bound header clear of danger.

But Baker broke the deadlock with a 74th-minute free-kick which took a deflection off Reece Burke in Luton’s wall to wrongfoot Kaminski and put the Potters ahead.

Johansson was called on to deny Alli’s 83rd-minute effort to preserve Stoke’s lead after the Hatters man cut inside from the left wing, before fellow substitute Lasse Nordas stabbed wide from a low cross.

But substitute Alli struck at the death to clinch a late leveller after controlling the ball in the box and finishing calmly past Johansson to claim a point.