Luke Berry Scores First Premier League Goal as Luton Earn Late Draw With Relegation Rivals Nottingham Forest

Luke Berry became the first player in Luton Town history to score in each of the top four divisions on Saturday when he netted an 89th-minute equaliser in the 1-1 home draw with Nottingham Forest. 

Nuno Espirito Santo’s men took the lead on 34 minutes when Chris Wood hooked a volley high into the net from Morgan Gibbs-White’s cross, and could have doubled their lead in the second half when Anthony Elanga’s shot was cleared off the line by Teden Mengi. 

But Berry added another goal to Luton’s selection of late strikes this season, salvaging an invaluable point when he swivelled and volleyed following Ross Barkley’s corner. 

Rob Edwards’ side, which has been ravaged by injury in recent weeks, made a positive start against Forest when Barkley unleashed a trio of long-range shots, one of which hit the outside of the post. 

First Barkley shot low towards the bottom right corner, but he saw his shot saved and held by Matz Sels. Then the midfielder seized onto a loose pass by Murillo and fired a shot straight at the Forest keeper. On 11 minutes Barkley showed his class by weaving past Ibrahim Sangaré and shooting with his weaker left foot from 25 yards, grazing the woodwork.

Forest regained composure and might have taken the lead when Gibbs-White threaded a pass through the Luton defence to Divock Origi. The former Liverpool striker beat Thomas Kaminski to the ball and delicately chipped the ball over the diving Town keeper, but Issa Kaboré had retreated to the goalline to clear the danger. 

Gibbs-White was at the centre of the action again when his deep delivery from the right was headed wide by the imposing Willy Boly who could have done better with the opportunity. 

Forest began to take control against the depleted hosts, but Origi was frustrated by yet another goal-line clearance when Reece Burke dived heroically across goalmouth to block the Belgian’s powerful shot which had whizzed past Kaminski.

Luton had relinquished a three-goal lead on Wednesday night when they fell to a 4-3 defeat at Bournemouth, and the makeshift defence was breached once again as Gibbs-White crossed for Wood following Kaminski’s poor clearance. The New Zealand international showed poise and athleticism to stretch and volley into the roof of the net with his right foot. 

The Hatters responded immediately when Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu flicked the ball over Murillo on the right flank and crossed dangerously across the face of goal, forcing Neco Williams to clear behind wildly and concede a corner. 

Town thought they had equalised when Mengi stabbed in from Alfie Doughty’s corner. However, as the defender wheeled away in celebration, referee Darren England disallowed the goal, ruling that the recently-selected England under-21 international had handled the ball. The replays of the incident were inconclusive, but Town’s players did not complain after the goal was cancelled out.

Forest might have doubled their advantage at the beginning of the second half when Kaminski showed indecision as Origi chipped a ball over the top, but the keeper stood tall to block Gibbs-White’s effort. 

Town’s injury crisis and lack of energy began to tell midway through the second half Elanga exchanged passes with Wood and outmuscled Chiedozie Ogbene. The Swedish winger rolled a shot past Kaminski but Mengi, who played alongside Elanga in the Manchester United academy, scurried back to sweep off the line. 

Kaminski was almost caught out minutes later when Murillo launched a free kick towards goal from 15 yards inside his own half. The Town stopper watched the ball carefully as he backpedalled, taking the safe option to tip the ball over the bar and behind for a corner. 

Luton had posed minimal threat to the Forest goal in the second half but grabbed a potentially invaluable equaliser in the penultimate minute of normal time. Barkley wedged a deep corner to the back post at the Kenilworth Road End where Burke was waiting. He headed down to substitute Berry who spun and volleyed through Sels’ legs. On the line, Williams made a last-ditch attempt to boot away, but the ball rocketed into the roof of the net. 

The home crowd went wild and attempted to roar their team on to a famous and unlikely victory during the seven minutes of stoppage time, but it was Forest who came closest to grabbing all three points after Ryan Yates volleyed narrowly wide from the edge of the box. 

Having suffered no fewer than 14 injuries in recent weeks, the draw felt like a victory for Luton in such challenging circumstances. Two days after the game, Berry’s equaliser took on added significance when Forest were deducted four points for breaching financial fair play regulations, pushing the Trentside club down into the relegation zone, one point and one place below Luton who rose to 17th as a result.