Oxford United picked up their first away point of the season at Kenilworth Road this evening after overturning a two-goal deficit. Captain Jordan Clark opened the scoring for Luton Town in the 10th minute, and Tom Krauß extended Luton's advantage after 37 minutes. Tyler Goodrham pulled a goal back for United just before half time and in the 54th minute Rúben Rodrigues got the goal that earned the point. With 13 to go, Luton were reduced to ten men following a straight red card for Liam Walsh.
Oxford made just one change to the starting line-up, with Owen Dale following up his recent substitute appearances by coming into the team in place of Siriki Dembélé. There was more interesting news on the bench, where both Will Goodwin and Hidde ter Avest made their first squad appearances of the season.
The game started at a rapid pace, with both sides making strong challenges. Luton created the first chance in the 7th minute but Clark shot wide of the far post with the home crowd already cheering the goal. Fast forward 30 seconds and Tyler Goodrham's cross for Mark Harris was cleared just as United's leading scorer was about to pull the trigger.
In the 10th minute, Clark made no mistake as he was free in the area to bury the ball past Jamie Cumming and give the home side the lead.
Two minutes later and United came close to an instant reply. Idris El Mizouni brought out a great one-handed save from Thomas Kaminski and Rodrigues's follow-up shot was cleared off the line. A long-range shot from the Portuguese midfielder then forced Kaminski to tip the ball over the bar.
Clark was Luton's main threat and he volleyed wide when in a good position. Oxford, playing on the counter, came close to finding the leveller when Peter Kioso's driven cross was met by El Mizouni, but he couldn't keep his shot down. Nor could Kioso with a shot from distance.
United looked to have worked their way back into the game, but with 37 minutes on the clock a long ball over the top allowed Jacob Brown to face up to Cumming. With the goalkeeper committed, Brown rolled the ball across the area for Krauß to have a simple finish.
Just when it looked like Oxford would be heading into the break with a two goal deficit, up popped Goodrham to fire home following a good move that ended with El Mizouni's pass to his left for Goodrham to apply a first-time finish and maintain United's record of scoring in every away game.
United made the early running in the second half, with Kioso sending in a fierce drive and Rodrigues trying an outrageous flick. It was just desserts, therefore, when he fired Oxford level, shooting low past Kaminski from Kyle Edward's cross ten minutes into the half
It was all Oxford now and from one break Kaminski did well to save from Mark Harris, with the ball falling for Edwards, whose cross was almost forced home by El Mizouni.
Luton's task was made tougher in the 77th minute when substitute Liam Walsh was shown a straight red card for a two-footed tackle on the recently introduced Dembélé.
It wasn't all plain sailing thereafter for the U's, though, and they had to weather a flurry of Luton corners as the hosts reacted to the frustrations of their vociferous supporters. United's supporters were equally vociferous in their claims for a penalty after it looked like Edwards was upended in the area, but referee James Bell was quick to wave away Oxford's appeals.
United will be ruing not taking advantage of some good chances to pick up their first away win of the season, but after being two down they'll nevertheless be happy with a hard-earned point at a side that was in the Premier League last season.
United: Cumming, Brown, Vaulks, Moore (Long 90+2), Harris (Scarlett 84), El Mizouni, Nelson, Dale (Edwards 46), Goodrham, Rodrigues (Dembélé 74), Kioso
Unused subs: Ingram, Ebiowei, Sibley, ter Avest, Goodwin
Attendance: 11,397 including 1,322 in the away end
Report: Martin Brodetsky; Photography: JasonPix, Steve Edmunds
