Late Woodrow strike earns draw for Luton at Palace

Updated: Mar 9, 2024, 06:16 pm

Cauley Woodrow's last-gasp goal salvaged a 1-1 draw for Luton Town at Crystal Palace on Saturday and earned them a lifeline in their Premier League survival bid.

Palace remained 14th in the table on 29 points with Luton still 18th on 21, three behind Nottingham Forest in the safety zone.

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Palace struck in the 11th minute when Jean-Philippe Mateta back-heeled into the net and the hosts should have been further ahead at the break and were made to pay for their missed chances.

With Selhurst Park already celebrating a win Luton launched a late attack and Woodrow's goal in the 96th minute stunned the home fans and gave Luton an unlikely draw.

"It's frustrating, gutting to concede like that at the end of the game when we could have had three points," Palace goalkeeper Sam Johnstone told the BBC.

The opening goal came from a poor back pass by Alfie Doughty which set up Daniel Munoz to round the keeper and although he was forced wide, he cut the ball back for Mateta to give Palace the lead.

Mateta's quick thinking brought his fifth goal of the season and allowed him to replicate the matchday programme cover with his corner flag celebration.

Luton failed to get a shot on target in the opening half and Palace should have doubled their lead when another dreadful back pass, from Jordan Clark, put Mateta through and after taking it past the keeper he chipped his shot just wide.

Luton improved slightly after the break but their only real chance before the goal came when Carlton Morris volleyed into Johnstone's hands.

Thomas Kaminski saved Mateta's header with his foot and Eberechi Eze almost found the second goal when he spotted Kaminski off his line and shot just over from distance.

Odsonne Edouard hit the crossbar for Palace in the 94th minute, but the home fans, who have seen their side lose many leads this season, looked set to celebrate back-to back home wins under new manager Oliver Glasner until Woodrow's late intervention.

Former Palace player Andros Townsend, a late Luton substitute, floated a ball into the area and Woodrow directed his header into the far corner of the net to silence Selhurst Park.

"We had some good chances and their goalie made a couple of great saves. At 1-0 there's always a risk of a goal at the end," Johnstone added.