For Luton, the miracle is still going on. It was a threadbare, rough but fascinating draw that ended with Wembley in sight, although Huddersfield will have its own perspective when it hosts the second leg on Monday. A draw was the right result, which meant that Nathan Jones’ players are two games away from confusing all expectations and returning the Hatters, who have not been in the big leagues for a long time for 30 years, to the heights that, in their opinion, few could reach again.
Perhaps few, except Jones. The Welshman’s infectious optimism and infectious optimism are duly reflected by his team, which could have crashed on its momentous evening after Danel Sinani opened the scoring, but recovered and equalized captain Sonny Bradley. Luton, meanwhile, could be ahead; similarly, they could finish the match late and Jones, as usual, saw enough to breathe a new chapter into their fairytale.
“If we weren’t confident, we might as well save on the hotel bill and stay here,” he said. “We didn’t lose the match, and that’s really important. It’s a great draw to go to Huddersfield now.”
This was also a special case. Kenilworth Road is a wonderful creaking, crumbling anachronism, which has not hosted a single high-level match since April 1992. Since then, it seems to have frozen in time; on the pitch, Luton, having got into non-league with three administrative spells, did anything, and the sight of their orange-clad fans roaring at them in search of the promised land must have made those who did it dizzy. been on board the whole time.
The raucous, hostile atmosphere was like another setback, creating a tempo that trembled and throbbed from the very beginning. He was seriously tested after 12 minutes when, in the midst of the turmoil, Sinani from Huddersfield kept his cool. There was a place in the Norwich loan that could have been used when, trying to sue, Kai Naismith stumbled. Harry Toffolo found the gap with a rule-by-rule pass, and since Bradley couldn’t stop the opportunity for a throw despite the draw, Sinani shot at Matt Ingram’s post.
Bradley was worried before the game that at 30 this might be his first and last chance to succeed at the highest level. He didn’t help matters by giving Sinani too much space, but redemption came within half an hour, as in the case of his compatriot Naismith. Luton put Huddersfield under attack by a succession of centremen, and when Tom Lees brought down Cameron Jerome, he had a free kick from the left. Naismith delivered admirably and Bradley met him with a volley from close range that Lee Nicholls could not prevent.
”I thought we were on top in the first half,” Jones said, and Luton’s brutality could certainly have borne great fruit before the break. Jerome, the Handful he’s always been, hides a little higher and gives Henry Lansbury a chance that Nabi Sarr blocks. The veteran also burst into the goal only to fall into a tangle of legs with the same defender. Jones thought it was a “Stonewall penalty and a red card”, but Sarr stayed, a corner was given and Huddersfield were able to play their own strong serve when James Brie sent Toffolo into the box after just 12 seconds.seconds.
Danny Ward also approached Huddersfield. The striker turned around and shot higher, through a deflection, after the rebound, but the game didn’t quite return to its former madness. Nicholls angered the crowd by postponing shots on goal, reflecting the visitors’ desire for increased control rather than their particular desire to see a draw.
Carlos Corberan’s team, relegated from the top tier just three years ago but still losing in the ascent at the start of the season, were able to recapture the ball from something approaching their own conditions as the Luton fire died down, but were unable to create a chance whoever set foot in the national stadium.
”It’s probably a fair result,” Corberan said, taking the two-half game reasonably. Jones, who could host his top scorer Elijah Adebayo on Monday, was more optimistic about the decision. “This is a direct shootout, the winner gets everything,” he said. A staggering price is at your fingertips.
