Hatters 2-2 Potters

Referee Gary Sutton denied Stoke the chance to grab all three points at Kenilworth Road after turning down City’s concrete penalty appeal on 59 minutes.
Sutton waved away the strong protests after Vincent Pericard was bundled over in the box, and a minute later Sutton, who was officiating his first ever Championship game, did point to the spot, but for the home side after Michael Duberry felled Dean Morgan.
There was a dream start for City however, and they took the lead on 10 minutes when Peter Sweeney’s shot beat Hatters’ keeper Marlon Beresford.
Stoke did well to hold on for the rest of the half as Luton went all out for an equaliser.
Winger Lewis Emanuel was guilty of squandering their two best chances of the half with both is efforts sailing wide of Steve Simonsen’s post.
City survived the Luton attacks though and went in at the break ahead.
Luton begun the 2nd half where they ended the 1st, and there was no surprise when the equaliser arrived when Leon Barnett headed in Emanuel’s cross.
Then came the games main talking point. Pericard worked his way into a shooting position in the box and when goalscorer Barnett bundled the big striker down, the whole ground expected a penalty to be awarded. The referee had other ideas though, and waved play on, much to Tony Pulis’ dismay.
A minute later Luton were themselves awarded a penalty following Duberry’s foul, and former QPR man Richard Langley beat Simonsen from the spot.
City really digged dip into their energy reserves, and pulled themselves back into the game when Luke Chadwick slotted home the rebound after Beresford had parried Sweeney’s shot.
Stoke were looking for a repeat of last seasons 3-2 thriller in this same fixture. Mama Sidibe’s last gasp header from a Carl Hoefkens cross smashed against the crossbar and dashed Stoke’s hopes of 3 points.

Hatters: Beresford, Foley, Coyne, Barnett, Davis, Edwards, Langley, Holmes, Emanuel, Vine, Feeney (Morgan 42). Subs Not Used: Brkovic, Boyd, Keane, Brill.
Goals: Barnett 54, Langley 60 pen.

Potters: Simonsen, Hoefkens, Duberry, Hill, Dickinson, Chadwick (Whitley 84), Brammer, Russell, Sweeney, Sidibe, Pericard.
Subs Not Used: Sigurdsson, Harper, Pulis, Paterson.

Booked: Duberry, Pericard.