Luton salvaged a critical point in their bid for Premier League survival as substitute Luke Berry struck in the 89th minute to rescue a 1-1 draw against fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest at Kenilworth Road.

Rob Edwards’ side were facing slipping six points behind Forest, staring down defeat near the end of a cagey, nervous game that looked to have been settled by Chris Wood’s first-half goal for the visitors, brilliantly set up by Morgan Gibbs-White.

After capitulating when 3-0 up against Bournemouth on Wednesday, Luton were in dire need of a psychological uplift and it duly arrived in the final moments.

Reece Burke headed the ball goalwards from a corner and there responding quickest to lash it home from inside the six-yard box was Berry to keep Forest looking nervously over their shoulder in the table.

Luton had made by far the stronger start. Three times in the opening 15 minutes Ross Barkley tried his luck from range, the first two efforts requiring saves from goalkeeper Matz Sels before a third whistled by his left-hand post.

After the pain of defeat at the Vitality Stadium, it was a dominant start during which Luton rarely allowed Forest to advance out of their own half.

The visitors did eventually get a grip and carve out two chances of their own. Divock Origi dashed through and attempted a chipped finish over Thomas Kaminski but failed to apply the requisite power, before Willy Boly glanced a header wide from a free-kick when firmer contact was needed.

Forest were increasingly a threat. They should have led on the half-hour mark but for a sensational sliding clearance off the line from Burke to deny Origi. It would be a momentary reprieve.

They took a deserved lead soon after and it owed much to the vision and delivery of Gibbs-White. Neco Williams – quiet until this point – picked him out after finding space with the ball on the right, but there was much work still to do.

Gibbs-White did it with aplomb, taking a touch with his right foot, turning and chipping it up for Wood to meet with a long, hanging right leg to nudge Forest in front.

Williams might have undone his team-mates’ fine work had his clearance from Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu’s cross not cleared the crossbar by a fraction. From the corner, Teden Mengi muscled the ball into the net but was rightly denied an equaliser by a handball decision.

Defeat for freefalling Luton would be their sixth in seven in the league. They had not won since beating Brighton late in January and things threatened to get worse for them after the break.

Anthony Elanga linked with Origi and rocketed through on goal, dinking the ball just beyond Kaminski, who got the faintest yet critical touch. There to deny him with a heroic clearance from the goal line was Mengi, a stunning intervention to keep Luton fighting.

Edwards needed a strong finish from his side, but as the second half rolled on there seemed little sign it would come. Forest were comfortable, the early harrying with which Luton had tormented them doused by tired legs and tired minds.

There were the odd signs of life. Jordan Clark never gave up down the right, running hard with and without the ball, determined not let his team go down easy. Barkley, quieter after some early creative energy, always looked like he could reignite at any moment.

Then with time almost up and all hope with it, Burke headed on at a corner and Berry whacked the ball in to salvage a point.

Rob Edwards says his Luton players must quickly pick themselves after becoming the first Premier League side in over 20 years to lose after being three goals up.

Antoine Semenyo scored twice as Bournemouth produced a remarkable second-half showing to win 4-3 after trailing 3-0 at half-time.

Defeat dented Luton’s survival hopes and the Hatters face a huge relegation clash with Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Edwards insists he will not allow them to feel sorry for themselves after a torrid night on the south coast.

“We put ourselves in such a good position to win a Premier League game of football and to be sat here talking about a defeat is tough,” he said.

“Huge game on Saturday. Losing is difficult anyway but in that manner it does hurt but if we can’t pick ourselves up for a huge Premier League game then there’s something wrong.”

It was an emotional night for Edwards even before kick-off, with captain Tom Lockyer returning to thank the medical staff who helped to save his life 88 days earlier when this fixture was abandoned after the Luton captain suffered a cardiac arrest.

“Seeing Tom speaking to the paramedics, the people who saved his life was a bit emotional. He’s able to hold his new-born baby because of them,” Edwards added.

“Sometimes it’s important to have a bit of realism and that maybe brings home a little bit of what’s important.”

Luton were rampant in the first half and their opening goal came as early as the ninth minute after Jordan Clark stood up a sumptuous cross for Tahith Chong to head in at the far post.

They scored a brilliant second after 31 minutes as an incisive one-two between Chong and Alfie Doughty saw the latter cross low to Chiedozie Ogbene, who rounded off a superb team move.

Edwards must surely have thought his team had sealed their third away win of the season when Issa Kabore drove upfield to pick out the excellent Ross Barkley, who powerfully fired the ball high into the net to give the Hatters a considerable cushion going into the break.

But after making two substitutions during the interval, Bournemouth hit back dramatically, scoring three times in 14 minutes at the start of the second half.

The first was a stunning piece of individual brilliance from top scorer Dominic Solanke . The Cherries striker back-heeled the ball between the legs of Daiki Hashioka before chipping it beyond Thomas Kaminski.

The second came after Luton were unable to clear Lewis Cook’s corner to safety and Illia Zabarnyi headed in from close range despite Doughty’s desperate attempts to prevent it crossing the line.

Two minutes later the Vitality Stadium erupted when Semenyo cut in from the right and fired his shot powerfully into the near post to level the scores.

Bournemouth claimed all three points when Semenyo scored his second goal of the game seven minutes from time, collecting the ball from Enes Unal before shooting powerfully across Kaminski to give the Cherries their first home win since Boxing Day.

“The important thing is that the players showed a strong personality because it is easy to hide when you are losing 3-0 at home,” said Andoni Iraola, who became only the fifth Premier League side – and first since 2003 – to win a game in which they trailed by three goals.

“It was important to have the precedent of the last game (when Bournemouth came back from two goals down against Sheffield United).

“The key was to score early. I think Dom’s goal made us believe and the players showed a lot of character.”

Tom Lockyer met medics who helped save his life as he returned to the scene of his on-pitch cardiac arrest for Luton’s re-arranged meeting with Bournemouth.

Lockyer, 29, was hospitalised for five days after his heart stopped for two minutes and 40 seconds in the Hatters’ abandoned Premier League game at the Vitality Stadium on December 16.

The Wales defender, subsequently fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, has since conceded it is “out of his hands” if he will ever play again.

But, 88 days on from the incident which rocked the game, Lockyer met with the medical team who saved his life and was due to be presented to the crowd at half-time of Wednesday’s game.

“It will be emotional going back and reliving that experience but we know we have to do it,” said Luton manager Rob Edwards on Tuesday.

“It was a really difficult experience that we all went through. The main thing now is that Locks is OK and the silver lining is that some good will have come from it, with more awareness on CPR and the importance of knowing what to do in those emergency situations.”

A Bournemouth supporters’ trust has raised more than £2,000 to put on four coaches for Luton fans to make the 240-mile round-trip from Bedfordshire to the south coast.

There are also plans for a minute’s applause in tribute to the medics who saved Lockyer.

“They are the true heroes,” added Edwards. “It is only football and there are more important things.

“What those guys did in the most pressurised moment was incredible and they deserve all the attention and affection that they are going to get.”

Lockyer – whose girlfriend gave birth to their first child, a daughter, at the end of last month – also suffered a collapse during May’s Championship play-off victory against Coventry and it remains uncertain if he will return to the pitch.

“It is day-by-day at the moment,” said Edwards. “He will enter into a period of rehabilitation but that can take a long time, months, so it is one step at a time at the moment.

“He will be coming down (Wednesday), which is great. He has got bigger things on his mind with a new baby and he is in a position where that is his main focus right now.

“We would love to have him here on a weekly basis and for him to be around more and lean on his experiences and he will help us.

“It will be really nice for him to meet those heroes and the supporters and he will get a brilliant reception. That will be really nice for him but it will be emotional, too.”

Rob Edwards wants his Luton side to use Cauley Woodrow’s dramatic late leveller as a “springboard” after the substitute scored in the final minute of stoppage time to rescue a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace.

The relegation-threatened Hatters were seconds away from a fifth-straight Premier League defeat when Woodrow nodded ex-Eagle Andros Townsend’s delivery past Sam Johnstone’s left post to draw Luton within three points of 17th-placed Nottingham Forest.

It seemed an unlikely result on an afternoon at Selhurst Park in which the hosts managed 21 shots to the visitors’ eight, but instead conceded in the final 15 minutes for a Premier-League leading  21st time.

Edwards said: “I wouldn’t say (that goal) was a turning point, that wouldn’t be the word I’d use.

“We’ve been performing well, obviously results have been against us lately, but that can happen against Manchester United, Liverpool, Villa.

“We played well in those games in big spells, but I wouldn’t say turning point, but hopefully springboard. I’d use that.

“Hopefully it garners a lot of belief. We’re up against it at the moment.

“I know there’s a lot of clubs suffering with injuries, but it’s hard for us with so many players missing, and then to lose two centre-backs during the game as well.

“We’ve got a lot of square pegs in round holes out there towards the end, and to find a way when we’re not our best away from home, to drag a result out, is huge.”

Woodrow had been an 81st-minute replacement for Gabriel Osho, who Edwards revealed had taken a knock to his knee, while Teden Mengi was replaced by Daiki Hashioka.

Luton remain in the relegation zone with 21 points, three fewer than 17th-placed Forest, who play Brighton on Sunday.

Palace were eight points clear of Saturday’s opponents ahead of Oliver Glasner’s third game in charge, and had plenty of chances to extend the distance between them and other relegation-threatened sides – including a late Odsonne Edouard chance that clipped the crossbar.

Austrian Glasner encouragingly found plenty of his own fingerprints across Palace’s performance until the final 30 seconds of the contest.

He said: “In this one situation we didn’t do it. We have to accept the result.

“It hurts. It really hurts today but sometimes you have to feel this hurt then you develop and learn from it, and we will learn from it to be active and keep the opposite team out of our box until the referee ends the game.”

Glasner will not be paying too much attention to Palace’s record of conceding late when the team travel to Spain for a warm-weather camp in the international break, believing dwelling on it to be detrimental to improvement.

He added: “We won’t talk too much about it.

“Sometimes it’s like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

“If you always drive a car, you’re afraid of having an accident. If you go down the stairs and you are always afraid to fall down, it will happen.”

Aston Villa maintained their push for a top-four finish in the Premier League as substitute Lucas Digne headed an 89th-minute winner to defeat Luton 3-2 at Kenilworth Road.

Unai Emery’s side looked to have thrown away two points, allowing Luton to fight back from two goals down in the second half, until Digne arrived at the far post to turn Moussa Diaby’s deep cross past Thomas Kaminski and into the net, in front of ecstatic away fans.

The hosts had fought back bravely to level the game at 2-2, Tahith Chong and Carlton Morris scoring after a brace from Ollie Watkins had seemingly put Villa in control at the break.

Defeat for Rob Edwards’ side was their fourth in a row, whilst Villa maintained their five-point lead over Tottenham in the race for the Champions League.

Kaminski had been the home side’s hero in the opening quarter, first diving full stretch to turn away a right-footer from Jacob Ramsey, then yet more acrobatically when Watkins got in down the right and lashed one towards the near post, beaten behind brilliantly by the goalkeeper.

Yet his endeavours were rendered in vain a minute later when from the resulting corner Watkins headed Villa in front. Leon Bailey’s ball arched invitingly into the six-yard box where the Villa striker had got free, and he used the space afford by slack Luton marking to rise up and direct the ball coolly past Kaminski into the top corner for his 20th goal of the season.

Villa lost the influential Ramsey to injury on the half-hour mark, but it did little to break their confident stride. Watkins almost made it two 10 minutes before the break, standing up Teden Mengi on the right before knocking it round the defender and cracking a low shot off Kaminski’s far post.

Luton had been warned about Watkins’ pace in behind but their high line continued to allow him space, and soon he had made good on his threat of a second.

The defence had pushed up towards near the centre circle when Douglas Luiz lumped one over the top for Villa’s top scorer to stride on to. With no one in orange near him, he made light work of clipping Villa’s second goal in off the post. VAR checked for offside, but Watkins had timed his run perfectly.

Edwards’ side emerged with renewed urgency after the break and the home support responded in kind, roaring their team on as they began to find success attacking down the right with the lively Issa Kabore.

A goal to give them hope arrived after 66 minutes. Villa failed to deal with a corner, forcing Matt Cash into a desperate headed clearance off the line. Still the defence dithered, and as the ball ricocheted back into the six-yard box, Chong pounced to thump it home.

Suddenly Villa were tottering. Six minutes later, their lead was gone and it was the simplest Luton goal.

Alfie Doughty hit a huge, raking free-kick from near the touchline which sailed over everyone to the back post. Arriving unmarked with time to pick his spot was Morris, who timed his run expertly and with barely an upwards glance swept it beyond Martinez.

Luton were now rampant and an almost identical move gave Morris the chance to win it, fractionally failing to make the required contact as the ball was flashed across goal from Doughty’s free-kick.

They looked at least to have done enough for a point, but then came Digne’s dramatic intervention at the death to break Luton hearts and keep Villa in the Champions League driving seat.

Following Jayden Danns’ brief debut appearance for Liverpool in their home win against Luton, visiting boss Rob Edwards, in conversation with Jurgen Klopp, was seen mouthing: “I played against his dad!”

Striker Danns, 18, is the son of former Crystal Palace, Bolton and Bury midfielder Neil Danns and is not the only offspring of a once-famous footballer to have made a breakthrough this season.

Here, the PA news agency looks at five more young talents with dads you may remember.

Bobby Clark

Liverpool’s academy has more teenagers with famous fathers, including Bobby Clark, son of former Newcastle and Fulham midfielder Lee. Bobby, 19, made his Premier League debut against Bournemouth at Anfield last season, coming on as an 83rd-minute substitute with the Reds leading 9-0. He repeated that feat this season in a 4-0 win on the south coast and has come off the bench three more times in the league this term, including late on against the Hatters on Wednesday night. Bobby moved to Liverpool from Newcastle – the club where dad Lee started his playing career – in August 2021. Lee went on to join the Magpies’ arch-rivals Sunderland before returning to the Premier League with Fulham in 2001 after helping the Cottagers to promotion. He later moved into management, most notably with Huddersfield and Birmingham. Lewis Koumas, son of former Tranmere and West Brom midfielder Jason, and Keyrol Figueroa, whose dad Maynor made 214 Premier League appearances for Wigan and Hull, are also part of the Reds’ youth set-up.

Gio Reyna

He may only be 21, but Sunderland-born Gio Reyna moved to Nottingham Forest with almost 100 senior appearances at German giants Borussia Dortmund under his belt. Gio is the son of former Rangers, Sunderland and Manchester City midfielder Claudio Reyna and is a United States international, just like his dad. Midfielder Gio joined Forest in January on a loan deal until the end of the season and has made two substitute appearances so far.

Jack Hinshelwood

Adam Hinshelwood may not be a household name to many football fans outside of Brighton, but son Jack is following in his footsteps. Adam made his Seagulls debut under the management of his uncle, Martin, in 2002, when the club were playing in the second tier. A central defender, Adam spent seven years as a player at Brighton and has managed Worthing since 2017. Midfielder Jack, 18, made his Premier League debut on the last day of last season, coming on as an 89th-minute substitute. He started his first league game in September – a 6-1 defeat at Aston Villa – and scored the first of his three goals this term against Brentford in December to secure a 2-1 win.

Bailey Cadamarteri

Danny Cadamarteri hit the headlines when he scored a stunning second goal for Everton in a 2-0 Merseyside derby victory against Liverpool in 1997. Unfortunately his career failed to ignite after that, as he left the Toffees in 2002 having scored just 13 goals in almost 100 appearances. Danny’s son Bailey, also a striker, has made an impact at Sheffield Wednesday this season aged just 18. He made his Championship debut in November and scored his first senior goal in a 3-1 win against Blackburn at the start of December. He was named the EFL’s Young Player of the Month after two more goals that month and now has four to his name for the season. Danny’s younger son Caelan-Kole is also making a name for himself in the Owls’ youth teams.

Tommy Doyle

Tommy Doyle comes from fine stock. Although his father Scott was not a professional footballer, the 22-year-old’s grandparents made over 750 appearances between them for Manchester City, with Mike Doyle and Glyn Pardoe winning the First Division title, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup with the club in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Midfielder Tommy is also a Manchester City player but is currently on a season-long loan at Wolves, who have the option to buy him this summer. The England Under-21 international has played 20 times in all competitions for Gary O’Neil’s side so far this term.

Rob Edwards predicted striker Elijah Adebayo has a “high ceiling” to what he can achieve after Luton’s hat-trick hero helped his side to a 4-0 win against Brighton at Kenilworth Road.

The 26-year-old has now scored eight goals in the Premier League this season, with Luton moving out of the bottom three for the first time in nearly two months following the victory.

Adebayo scored his first after just 19 seconds, getting there ahead of goalkeeper Jason Steele to reach Carlton Morris’s header back across goal to nod home.

Chiedozie Ogbene added a second less than two minutes later, beating Steele to the ball as both raced to meet Albert Sambi Lokonga’s ball over the top and sliding it in to cap a sensational opening.

Brighton fell further behind before the break when Adebayo grabbed his second, staying onside to receive Ross Barkley’s pass and lashing the ball inside the near post.

And Adebayo completed his hat-trick after 56 minutes, heading in from Alfie Doughty’s corner as Brighton’s defence did little more than stand and watch.

It was comfortably the Hatters’ best win since returning to the top flight, with Adebayo’s goals the difference.

“He’s become more reliable without the ball,” said Edwards.

“His work-rate has always been great but he’s seeing how important it is to press hard, press the goalkeeper, press his man. He does that tirelessly.

“He’s going to be really difficult to play against. He can defend set-pieces, he’s a threat in the six-yard box, because of his hold-up play and pressing and he’s scoring some goal goals.

“He’s progressing really well.

“He’s got a really high ceiling. If he stays focused and keeps working hard, he can go a long way and have a really good career.”

It was Luton’s third win in five league matches as their bid to survive in the top flight picked up more momentum ahead of Saturday’s trip to Newcastle.

“It’s still only three points,” said Edwards. “It’s good for our confidence and belief. Tonight will get more headlines because of who it was against.

“We were ruthless, and maybe we could have been more ruthless. I was still jumping around at 4-0 because we got a bit sloppy at times.

“We’ve got to keep our foot down. We’ve got to be at full-tilt every day, otherwise we’ve got no chance.”

Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi reflected on a defeat for which his side must take collective responsibility.

“It’s difficult to explain,” he said. “We are all responsible for this defeat. It’s very tough to accept, to understand. But I think we can learn a lot from this day, this game.

“We have to remember very well this defeat. But in the same way we have to forget. They are all responsible, me first of all.

“We have to remember from where we started. We are Brighton, we are a good team, we have good players. But to show our qualities, we have to push every day.”

Luton scored twice in the opening two minutes and 17 seconds en route to a stunning 4-0 win against Brighton at Kenilworth Road.

Aided by a superb hat-trick from striker Elijah Adebayo, this was comfortably the hosts’ biggest Premier League win and their most commanding performance.

It was earned in swashbuckling style as they dismissed an insipid Brighton to move out of the relegation zone for the first time in nearly two months.

Chiedozie Ogbene also netted during a first half in which Roberto De Zerbi’s side simply could not cope with what came their way, a shadow of the team that won the corresponding fixture 4-1 on the opening weekend.

Luton made a start beyond manager Rob Edwards’ most rose-tinted expectations.

Adebayo headed his first after 19 seconds. Ogbene received the ball on the edge of the box and crossed to the far post towards Carlton Morris.

The Hatters captain, leaping determinedly above his marker, nodded back across goal to Adebayo, who got there before goalkeeper Jason Steele to convert.

Brighton barely had time to draw breath before it was two.

Albert Sambi Lokonga’s pinpoint pass dropped in behind the visitors’ defence, which had pushed up, leaving a straight race to the ball between Ogbene and Steele.

It was won comfortably by the fleet-footed Luton winger who toed it beyond the keeper and, with 137 seconds on the clock, poked into an empty goal to cap a breathtaking start.

Rarely, if ever, have Brighton under De Zerbi been so blown away as they were in the opening 25 minutes.

Jordan Clark came close to inflicting further damage when he cut in on his left foot and had a shot blocked by the legs of Steele.

By then, De Zerbi had already lost James Milner to injury, with any pre-game ploy to stymie Luton sinking into disarray.

The stats said Brighton had enjoyed 60 per cent possession but almost all of it had been in their own half, passing themselves in circles in a bid to navigate Luton’s ravenous high pressing.

Pascal Gross scooped a shot more in hope than expectation from outside the box as the Seagulls struggled to come to terms with their predicament.

Lewis Dunk stopped Adebayo with a finely-timed last-ditch slide inside the six-yard box as the striker bore down threatening to wrap the game up after 35 minutes, before Clark had his second good try of the night deflect inches wide.

It was a momentary reprieve.

Adebayo’s second and Luton’s third was a gem and owed everything to the timing of the striker’s run, hanging just behind Brighton’s defensive line until Ross Barkley released his pass.

The finish ripped past Steele at his near post.

Brighton had won three of their previous 15 league games, success this season season being propped up by progress in Europe and in the FA Cup.

Here, they showed nothing of the form that saw them start the campaign with five wins out of six.

Luton’s goals were getting easier to come by.

In the 55th minute Adebayo completed his hat-trick, heading in Alfie Doughty’s corner from amongst a static Brighton defence, the only movement towards the ball coming from striker Joao Pedro who inadvertently flicked it into his opposite number’s path.

Thomas Kaminski made a late save from Danny Welbeck which was worthy of his outfield team-mates’ efforts.

For Brighton, it had been a chastening night.

Luton boss Rob Edwards believes his side will benefit from facing Premier League opponents in the next round of the FA Cup after making life difficult for themselves before overcoming League One Bolton 2-1 in Tuesday night’s third round replay.

Having been held to a goalless draw at Kenilworth Road nine days ago, Luton fell behind to Dion Charles’ 11th minute strike at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

But Tahith Chong swiftly equalised before Chiedozie Ogbene’s second-half goal set up a tie against the winners of Wednesday’s replay between Everton and Crystal Palace.

Luton avoided the upset but Edwards admitted his side had let their standards drop when facing lower league opposition.

“Tonight was all about winning,” Edwards said. “We weren’t at our best. We were a little bit sloppy in too many moments and probably allowed them to build and grow in the game a little bit.

“Credit to them, there was a little bit of sloppiness but overall I’m very, very pleased that we’re through.”

“I think in a way it’s better for us to play a Premier League team in the next round, we know we’re going to have to be full tilt. We dropped in the last two games and we can’t do that, we’ll get punished.

“Bolton are a big, big football club. But when we’re favourites I think we’ve taken our foot off the gas in certain moments and we can’t do that. We’re not good enough to do that.”

Bolton, two points off the top of League One with three games in hand, played with confidence and had chances to retake the lead before Ogbene struck, while also having a second-half strike from Charles ruled out for offside.

“It was a difficult night,” Edwards added. “It’s cup football and it was never going to be easy. They’re playing very well, they’re used to winning.

“It’s a cold night, snowing, the recipe is there for an upset, or for us to go out. I’m really pleased we found a way to equalise quickly.”

Before kick-off there was a minute’s silence in memory of Iain Purslow, the 71-year-old Bolton supporter who died after being taken ill during Saturday’s League One match against Cheltenham, which was abandoned midway through the first half.

“I’m proud of the club and I’m proud of my team,” Bolton manager Ian Evatt said. “We wanted to pay him respect and to pay the family respect.

“It’s not about how we feel. It’s all about the family and their feelings. Hopefully now they get the time to mourn. We’ve paid our respects and I think they just need peace and quiet to come to terms with a really sad loss.

“I thought we started the game very fast and very well and got ourselves in front. Against Premier League opposition if you make mistakes you get punished and we made a couple tonight and they were punished. We would have liked to be in the lead a little bit longer and to stabilise it.

“In the second half I thought the team were outstanding for large spells and dominated against a very good team. I’ve watched a lot of Luton, they cause teams problems and tonight we caused them problems.

“It’s about trying to replicate that for the rest of the season and if we do that we’ll achieve our ambitions.”

Luton had to come from behind to see off League One Bolton at the second attempt as Rob Edwards’ side just about came through their FA Cup third round replay with a 2-1 win at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

Having held their Premier League opponents goalless nine days ago, Bolton stunned the Hatters when Dion Charles put them ahead 11 minutes in.

But Tahith Chong swiftly equalised before Chiedozie Ogbene’s second-half goal set up a tie against the winners of Wednesday’s replay between Everton and Crystal Palace.

Before kick-off there was a minute’s silence in memory of Iain Purslow, the 71-year-old Bolton supporter who died after being taken ill during Saturday’s League One match against Cheltenham, which was abandoned midway through the first half.

The hosts then snatched an early lead as they hit Luton on the counter-attack.

Will Forrester’s pass forward found the run of Victor Adeboyejo, who skipped away from Teden Mengi before cutting the ball back for Charles, too easily getting goal-side of Reece Burke, to sweep the ball home.

But Luton needed only four minutes to equalise. Ross Barkley, taking his place in a strong Hatters XI which showed five changes from Friday’s 1-1 draw just up the road at Burnley, dispossessed Josh Dacres-Cogley just outside the Bolton box and Luton swiftly moved the ball left.

Jordan Clark played it through to Chong and the former Manchester United player tucked it through the legs of Forrester and into the far corner.

Luton remained on the front foot. Chong saw a shot deflected wide before Carlton Morris, Friday’s goalscorer, blazed wastefully over.

Four-time FA Cup winners Bolton, only two points from the top of League One with three games in hand, came into this replay unbeaten in six and looked confident any time they had a chance to attack.

Adeboyejo went for the audacious just before half-time, spotting Luton’s cup goalkeeper Tim Krul off his line and taking aim from the edge of the centre circle. Krul desperately back-pedalled, doing just enough to stop the ball under his crossbar before gathering at the second attempt.

Both sides went close in a frantic start to the second half. Paris Maghoma stung the palms of Krul before Luton went to the other end. Clark’s bouncing strike struck the post and both Chong and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu were denied by smart saves from Baxter before the danger was cleared.

Bolton responded immediately, and Barkley made a superb block to deny Charles from close range as he tried to turn in Adeboyejo’s cross.

It was Bolton’s best spell of the match but it came to an abrupt end in the 57th minute when Morris fired in a precise low cross from the left and Ogbene could hardly miss as he slammed home his first FA Cup goal.

Bolton thought they had levelled in the 74th minute when Barkley was caught in possession and Charles turned in a low cross from the right, but after a moment’s pause the offside flag went up and Luton safely saw the game out.

Rob Edwards believes Luton should have been awarded a late penalty at Kenilworth Road as they were made to settle for a goalless draw against League One Bolton in the FA Cup third round.

Alfie Doughty went down in the closing moments under a challenge from defender Will Forrester, seconds after he had been denied a likely winner when his shot came back off a post.

Edwards fielded a near full-strength side but it was not enough to find a way past the team currently second in the third tier.

Substitutes Andros Townsend and Jordan Clark both saw second-half efforts deflected wide as Luton laboured in vain to avoid a replay.

Chances for Ian Evatt’s side were at a premium, Josh Sheehan briefly worrying stand-in goalkeeper Tim Krul in the first half with a rasping drive that cleared the crossbar, but by and large this was a result earned via a determined, organised defensive effort.

Yet Edwards felt his team had been unfairly denied the chance to win the tie from the penalty spot after referee Andrew Madley was advised by VAR that Forrester had not committed an infringement in challenging Doughty for the ball.

“The big decision was a penalty on Alfie Doughty,” he said. “I never moan about decisions going against us but I’m not sure what VAR was thinking there with that one.

“I think Andrew Madley should have been told to go to the screen. I think that was a big mistake.

“Credit to Bolton. They’ve got a result and we go and do it again.”

The result means a replay which in turn will force a rearrangement of Luton’s upcoming Premier League visit to Burnley, now brought forward three days to January 12.

Edwards had hoped to take his players away on a warm-weather training camp after the game at Turf Moor, but that will now have to wait until after the rematch against Bolton.

“I’m disappointed that we’ve not managed to get the job done today,” he said. “The reality is we haven’t, and we have to go again.

“We’re on a different schedule now, we were going to be off (Monday), have a bit more time to plan for Burnley, but now we play them away on Friday night. That’s just the reality and we’ve got to deal with it.

“I respect the (FA Cup) hugely, it’s one I love and have grown up watching. I want us to progress in it. I respect Bolton Wanderers and everything (Ian Evatt) has done there.

“I genuinely feel whatever team I would have picked would be strong and be capable of winning the game.”

Bolton boss Evatt reflected that the decision not to award Luton a late penalty was fair.

“The referee made the decision and there were two experienced officials in the VAR hub who looked at it as well and both of them thought it wasn’t a penalty, so it wasn’t a penalty,” he said.

“There were enough guys looking at the incident to know whether it is or isn’t.”

Luton were frustrated by League One high-flyers Bolton as the teams played out a drab goalless draw in the FA Cup third round at Kenilworth Road.

Rob Edwards fielded a near-full strength side in spite of the hosts’ ongoing fight to survive in their debut Premier League campaign, but they were unable to break down the side currently sitting second in the third tier.

Alfie Doughty struck a post in the final moments, the nearest Luton came to finally picking Bolton off, that after substitutes Andros Townsend and Jordan Clarke had both gone close in the second half.

Bolton began well and looked a worthy match for Luton, limiting the hosts to a single long-range effort from Ross Barkley which was easily saved by Nathan Baxter in the opening 15 minutes.

At the other end, Josh Sheehan briefly had Tim Krul worried with a 25-yard piledriver that whistled over the crossbar.

Elijah Adebayo glanced a header across goal from Amari’i Bell’s outswinging cross on the half-hour mark that was watched safely behind by Baxter, as Luton struggled to match the kind of attacking intensity that had seen them cause such hardship here for Premier League opponents in recent months.

Barkley tried again from distance and found only the goalkeeper’s gloves.

Tahith Chong teed up Albert Sambi Lokonga late in the half to drive perhaps Luton’s best opening wide of the post from just outside the box.

Certainly it was as close as either side came to breaking the deadlock ahead of a welcome half-time interval.

Carlton Morris had the best chance of the game so far when he headed towards the top corner from Chiedozie Ogbene’s cross from right, a fine reflex save by Baxter beating it clear, before Doughty, unusually subdued by his own recent standards, saw a low effort aimed towards the far post deflected wide.

The longer it stayed goalless, the more the League One side seemed to grow in confidence.

Paris Maghoma and Victor Adeboyejo combined well in a central position high inside the Luton half, but the move was scrubbed out before either player could get a shot away.

Bolton had won four in a row in the league and 10 of their last 13, putting pressure on leaders Portsmouth in the race to reach the Championship.

Yet there was little sign here of Ian Evatt’s side keeping anything back for the promotion run-in. As the tie entered its final 20 minutes, they continued to match Luton’s organisation and work-rate beat for beat.

The hosts gamely kept at it without ever truly showing signs of top-flight class.

Townsend emerged from the bench and tested Baxter’s reach with a fine curling effort low towards the corner, that after fellow substitute Clarke had seen a rasping effort deflected wide.

Their growing frustrations were summed up when Doughty miscued horribly with a cross that sailed harmlessly into the rafters of the stand to the delight of the away supporters.

There was almost late drama when Doughty struck a post with a blistering drive, then Bolton survived a penalty scare when VAR was called on to check a Will Forrester challenge on the same player.

A draw and a replay were no more than Bolton deserved.

Luton boss Rob Edwards has revealed captain Tom Lockyer is already getting bored during his rehabilitation at home, but insists their upturn in results has nothing to do with his recent cardiac arrest.

Lockyer collapsed after he suffered a cardiac arrest during the Hatters’ clash at Bournemouth on December 16, which was subsequently abandoned.

Captain Lockyer has since been discharged from hospital after an implantable cardioverter defibrillator was fitted and watched on from afar as his team-mates beat Newcastle and Sheffield United before Chelsea’s visit on Saturday.

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“I speak to him every day. He is progressing. He seems bored already, but in generally good spirits, which is really good,” Edwards told a press conference.

“He was taking the mick out of my Christmas trainers against Sheff United, so yeah he is doing well.

“I think we were tight already, I don’t think it is because of what has happened that we’ve won two games of football.

“Performances have been good before that but they’re an incredibly tight group these lads and they’re like a family.

“And obviously one of the family had a really tough time a couple of weeks ago, so we all have to rally round each other, support each other and help. If that has brought us tighter, then good but the main thing is Tom in all of this.”

Luton’s Boxing Day victory at Sheffield United was marred by Carlton Morris being subjected to alleged racism by a spectator in the home crowd at Bramall Lane, which was reported to South Yorkshire Police.

Edwards said: “Carlton is OK, I texted him the day after.

“Obviously it is hard for me to really have that empathy for him because I’ve never been in that situation.

“Most of the times I am able to empathise with a player if it is injuries or being out of the team, whatever it is.

“This I can’t and I said to him the day after, ‘I can’t imagine how it feels,’ and he got more stuff on social media that night after the game.

“And the sad thing is when he texted me back, he said ‘it’s OK, I know the protocols, we know what to do,’ and I think that’s pretty sad.

“It happens so regularly he just said, ‘it’s like water off a ducks back’. So, I just think that’s really sad. I can’t put myself into his position on this situation, but he’s dealt with it very well.”

Luton lost 3-0 to Chelsea in August but Mauricio Pochettino’s young team have struggled for consistency, while Edwards’ team have won two of their last four fixtures at Kenilworth Road.

“I have got the utmost respect for Mauricio Pochettino, he is one of the best managers in the world,” Edwards added.

“Look, we’ll expect the best Chelsea as we expect the best of every team.

“We’ll try to perform as well as we can and try to play to our strengths.

“We know at home we can be a match for anyone.”

Anyone found guilty of racially abusing Luton’s Carlton Morris must face “the strongest possible consequences”, Kick It Out has said.

The 28-year-old striker complained about a comment made by the home crowd late on in the Hatters’ Premier League match against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Luton boss Rob Edwards confirmed after his side’s 3-2 win that the matter had been reported to the police.

Kick It Out issued a statement on Wednesday morning which read: “We send our full support to Carlton Morris. It’s shameful that once again a player should be subjected to alleged racism while doing their job.

“Morris should be praised for how he handled the situation, and we commend the clubs, police and officials for their swift approach. But it should never have to come to this.

“Those who think this vile behaviour towards players is acceptable need to face the strongest possible consequences.”

Luton boss Rob Edwards said South Yorkshire Police are investigating an alleged racist comment towards Carlton Morris in his side’s Boxing Day win at Sheffield United.

The striker complained of a comment made from the home crowd late in the second half, which left him “pretty angry”, and the police have spoken to him.

It soured what was a great day for Morris as he came off the bench to create two own goals in four minutes which earned the Hatters a vital 3-2 victory in the crunch basement Premier League battle at Bramall Lane.

Edwards said: “There was an alleged racist comment, the police are dealing with that, they have spoken to Carlton and got his take on it, so it is with them now; I have no more comment on it.

“He is alright – he was, at the time, pretty angry but he seems fine now.”

United boss Chris Wilder added: “There was a comment that was made and the referee came over to speak to me and Rob from a racial point of view, which is obviously not great if found to be the case.”

The Blades were on course for an important victory as second-half goals from Oli McBurnie and Anel Ahmedhodzic overturned Alfie Doughty’s first-half opener for the Hatters.

But substitute Morris was the orchestrator as Jack Robinson and Anis Slimane put through their own net to give Luton back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time.

They will now believe survival is a real possibility going into the second half of the campaign.

Edwards, who celebrated his birthday on Christmas Day, said: “It brings us closer to where we want to be. Back-to-back and within four days we have two thirds of the points we already had, it’s big for us.

“We all know it was a big game, they all are, it was important and it was very, very special to do it in the end, one that we will remember for a long time.

“We have won these two games in a row, the performances are going the right way, we have been consistent for a long time and we are getting rewards for our performances.”

Wilder claimed his side “chucked it away” as their chances of beating the drop continue to get slimmer, having amassed just nine points at the halfway stage.

He said: “We chucked it away. Don’t take this as a dig against our opponents but there will be a lot of talk about character and getting themselves back into the game with a never-say-die attitude and all that, it’s nothing to do with that.

“It’s to do with our attitude to defending. It cost us on Friday night (at Aston Villa) and it has cost us tonight.

“It’s an attitude to defending and I’d be saying the same thing if I was a manager at any other club in the pyramid.

“They haven’t had to do anything to get back in the game, we have basically handed them the game. We should be talking about a home win, not them getting two to take the points.

“I don’t think it was earned by them, it was given by us.”