Last-gasp Elijah Adebayo Equaliser Earns Luton Draw at Nottingham Forest

Elijah Adebayo’s dramatic late goal salvaged a point for Luton Town as they came from two goals down to salvage a point in a 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest.

Chris Wood opened the scoring just three minutes into the second half when he slotted beyond Town keeper Thomas Kaminsi, and Forest believed they had the win sewn up when Wood headed in his second goal of the afternoon with 14 minutes remaining. 

But Luton fought back when Chiedozie Ogbene pounced to volley in when Forest failed to clear a Ross Barkley free kick. Then Adebayo, who had come on as a second-half substitute, showed strength and composure to control the ball on his chest and fire beyond Forest keeper Matt Turner.

 

Forest threatened from the start at the City Ground, with Anthony Elanga giving Reece Burke a torrid time on the left flank. The Town defender, who usually operates as a centre-back, had been shifted out to the right to deal with the considerably quicker Elanga.

The hosts created their first scoring opportunity when Elanga raced down the touchline and fed overlapping full-back Harry Toffolo. His cross found Wood in front of goal, but the striker’s mishit volley was held by the grateful Kaminski. 

Orel Mangala showed exquisite skill moments later to turn in midfield, poke through the legs of Marvelous Nakamba and set Forest away on another attack. A passing combination resulted in Serge Aurier crossing from the right and Ibrahim Sangare heading over the bar. 

Luton responded when captain Tom Lockyer intercepted a loose ball and passed into Ogbene on the right flank. The Republic of Ireland international’s low cross narrowly evaded Carlton Morris, and Murillo’s touch diverted the ball away from the onrushing Jacob Brown at the back post. 

It wouldn’t be long before Brown had a sight of goal, connecting with another low Ogbene cross, but the Scotland international dragged wide with his right foot from 15 yards. 

Forest came mightily close to breaking the deadlock when Morgan Gibbs-White’s cross was inadvertently headed into the danger zone by a stooping Ogbene. Toffolo poked towards goal from close range and Kaminski showed excellent reflexes to block the ball with his right hand, as did Lockyer to lash the ball clear. 

Elanga continued to terrorise the Town defence when his cross found Wood whose sweeping left-footed effort was deflected over the bar by Teden Mengi. 

When Alfie Doughty and Mengi saw their deliveries into the box cleared by home defenders, Tahith Chong picked up the pieces on the edge of the area. The midfielder controlled the ball on his chest before firing a left foot volley towards goal, however the effort flew too close to Turner to trouble the Forest keeper, who grasped the ball with ease. 

Steve Cooper’s side spurned yet another opportunity to score on the cusp of half time. Gibbs-White fed Aurier on the right who comically slipped over as he tried to cross the ball, however the Luton defenders were so sluggish that the Ivorian could return to his feet and cross perfectly for Wood who inexplicably headed over at the back post. 

Forest even wasted one final chance before the break after Willy Boly’s excellent upfield pass released Gibbs-White down the right flank. The midfielder’s cross from the byline was booted back into the danger zone by Kaminski, only for Sangare to drag wide of the post with the goal at his mercy. 

The hosts finally found the goal their dominance deserved when Kaminsi’s kick upfield was cleared by Murillo, prodded forward by Sangare and collected by Gibbs-White who passed to Elanga. In one swift counterattack, the winger then played Wood through on goal who raced towards the Trent End and passed beyond Kaminski and into the net. 

Forest continued to create chances at will, and Wood should have scored again moments later when Gibbs-White swung in from the right. The New Zealand international had run free of Lockyer but couldn’t keep his header down. 

Despite the sustained pressure, Town might have levelled after 52 minutes. Chong and Morris passed the ball from left flank to right where Ogbene danced inside and chipped delicately towards goal with his left foot. From seven yards out, Brown could only head straight into the grateful arms of Turner. Having missed a similar header against Tottenham, pressure is mounting on the Scot to open his Premier League account. 

Midway through the second half, Gibbs-White began to see more of the ball by making intelligent runs between Luton’s midfield and defence. First, the 23-year-old popped up on the left and forced Kaminski into a low save. Then he raced into the box on the right and manipulated the ball onto his left foot before firing high and wide. 

The Wolves midfielder was once again at the centre of the action when he received Nicolas Dominguez’s short pass in midfield and drove out to Elanga on the left. After a couple of stepovers, the winger cut inside and crossed with his right foot, perfect for the arriving Wood to head into the bottom right corner and double Forest’s lead. 

Shortly before Forest’s second goal, Edwards introduced Adebayo, Barkley and Andros Townsend as substitutes, and those three players would inspire Luton to a dramatic late comeback. 

With seven minutes of normal time remaining, Gibbs-White was shown a yellow card for cynically hacking down Barkley who had brilliantly plucked Toffolo’s clearance out of the air. From the resulting free-kick, Townsend’s flat delivery was misjudged by Aurier who fell to his knees and watched the ball bounce over his head. Tofollo could only deflect into the path of Ogbene who swivelled on the spot and sliced into the top right corner. 

After a lengthy VAR check for a possible offside the goal was given, and from that moment Luton’s players began to feed off the nervous energy inside the City Ground. Barkley got back on the ball in midfield and exchanged a quick one-two with fellow substitute Cauley Woodrow before passing into Adebayo whos flick set up Woodrow. With the travelling fans willing the ball into the net, Woodrow’s shot was blocked brilliantly by Murillo. 

In the second of eight additional minutes, Lockyer lofted a long ball towards Adebayo who displayed excellent strength to fend off Forest substitute Joe Worrall, control the ball on his chest and set himself for a shot on goal in one graceful motion. 

As a split second of silent anticipation passed in the stadium, Adebayo proceeded to half-volley with the outside of his right foot onto Turner’s right knee and into the net, evoking ecstasy in the away end. 

Forest still had two major opportunities to re-establish their lead deep into stoppage time. Gibbs-White’s direct ball was flicked on by Ryan Yates into Worrall. Ogbene intervened to knock the ball away with his thigh, then heroically dive to block Cheikhou Kouyate’s route to goal and boot the ball clear. 

The offside flag came to the rescue for Luton when Barkley was dispossessed in midfield. Gibbs-White slotted the ball through for Wood who slammed across goal and into the bottom left corner. The City Ground erupted in celebration, but Lockyer had cleverly played Wood offside and the goal was disallowed.

As the full time whistle blew, Forest were left to reflect on their astonishing wastefulness in front of goal, and two points dropped against a Hatters team that is somehow still hovering above the Premier League relegation zone.