Late Berry strike secures 1-1 draw for Luton against Forest

Updated: Mar 16, 2024, 06:46 pm
Luton celebrate Luke Berry's late equaliser that earned them a point at home to Nottingham Forest.
Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Luton Town held Nottingham Forest to a 1-1 draw in the Premier League on Saturday as a late strike from Luke Berry cancelled out Chris Wood's first-half goal.

Forest looked set to move up to 15th with three valuable points but Berry equalised four minutes after coming on to secure Luton's first point at Kenilworth Road since January, sparking wild celebrations from the home fans.

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Visitors Forest remained 17th in the standings with 25 points from 29 matches. Luton, 18th, are three points behind.

Forest's Divock Origi came close to scoring in the 17th minute when he beat Luton keeper Thomas Kaminski with a flick but could not finish, and his shot in the 32nd minute was blocked by a sprinting Reece Burke.

Wood, who scored a double against Luton in October's 2-2 draw, put Forest ahead just two minutes later when he volleyed Morgan Gibbs-White's perfectly lobbed cross into the net.

Teden Mengi thought he had equalised for Luton from a corner eight minutes later but referee Darren England spotted the former Manchester United defender controlling the ball with his arm and disallowed the goal.

Luton built pressure on the visitors with back to back corners towards the end of regulation time and it finally paid off when Ross Barkley's corner was headed down in the box by Reece Burke for Berry to score.

"The manager told me to get forward, get a goal. Get off the strikers and sniffing on the knockdown from the corner," Berry said.

"We needed to not lose... we're still three [points] off them with nine games to go so still a lot to play for."

"The players have shown quality and bravery as well as that fighting spirit," Luton manager Rob Edwards told the BBC.

"We will never give up. We will always keep going. They're a special, special group."