Luton 1-1 Wolves: Carlton Morris hands the hosts their first Premier League point of the season but it’s a missed opportunity after visitors were reduced to 10 men before the break

• Luton have their Premier League campaign up and running at Kenilworth Road
• The hosts came from behind against 10-men Wolves in the second-half
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Carlton Morris’ second-half penalty earned Luton their first Premier League point of the season but Hatters boss Rob Edwards will know it should have been three.

Playing against 10 men for all but the first 37 minutes after Jean-Ricner Bellegarde was sent off for Wolves, the home side were the better team but wasted numerous chances and even fell behind to a brilliant goal from Pedro Neto early in the second half.

Though Wolves were not happy with the penalty awarded for handball against Joao Gomes, Luton deserved to be level and duly were when Morris scored the kick. Morris had already hit the post in the first half and Chiedozie Ogbene later had the ball in the net but was offside.

While Luton will be relieved to have broken their duck, this was a very sketchy display from Wolves. E.Even before Bellegarde’s red card, Gary O’Neil’s men were second best and have only four points from their opening six fixtures. 

Luton had 18 shots to three from the visitors, who were trying to run down the clock from early in the game.

Carlton Morris struck from the penalty spot late on to rescue a point for the hosts

Luton clinched their first Premier League points of the season after coming from behind to snatch a 1-1 draw against 10-men Wolves at Kenilworth Road

Morris previously hit the crossbar in the first-half as Luton sought to capitalise on early dominance

Luton were on the front foot from the off, their wide men Jacob Brown and Alfie Doughty causing numerous problems. Craig Dawson did well to stop Brown heading in Doughty’s cross before Wolves had a huge escape in the 10th minute.

Nelson Semedo’s sloppy pass gave Morris the chance to take a touch, shift the ball on to his right foot and beat Jose Sa with a curling effort that slammed into the post.

Max Kilman then did well to block Morris’ effort from another Doughty burst. Wolves were struggling and when Sa needed treatment, Gary O’Neil summoned Hwang Hee-chan and Rayan Ait-Nouri to the bench to give instructions.

It did not work. Another Brown header from another Doughty cross was too close to Sa, and then Doughty’s fierce strike rebounded off team-mate Morris. The home crowd were right up for this one and berated Wolves coach Ian Burchnall as he walked around the perimeter of the pitch, having spent the first part of the game in the directors’ box.

After a promising debut against Liverpool last weekend, Bellegarde did not make an impact here and he lost his rag shortly before half-time.

Luton skipper Tom Lockyer obstructed Bellegarde as he tried to get up after a tumble, and the playmaker kicked out in frustration. Though Lockyer made a meal of the incident, it was hard to argue with referee Josh Smith’s decision to show a straight red card.

Wolves were edgy. A mix-up between Dawson and Sa would have let in Chiedozie Ogbene had Kilman not been alive to the danger. Dawson and Sa shouted at each other and Wolves were grateful when half-time came.

O’Neil removed Hwang and Ait-Nouri, sending on Toti and Matt Doherty and switching to a back five, but the pattern did not change initially. Ogbene tricked his way into the box and when Morris sneaked in front of Kilman at the near post, Sa made a sharp save.

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde was sent off in the first-half for stamping on Luton captain Tom Lockyer

That intervention looked vital at the time and it was made even more so when Wolves scored with their first shot, thanks to a masterpiece from Neto. Doughty misplaced his pass, allowing Joao Gomes to play a long ball into Luton territory.

Even though Lockyer had a substantial head start on Neto, he was still beaten to the ball and outmuscled by the Portuguese wide man, who powered into the box and found the roof of the net with his left foot.

Luton goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski could do little about that and his shaky handling almost gave Wolves a second as Mario Lemina and Kilman’s efforts from close range were just about kept out.

Pedro Neto (left) initially fired Wolves ahead against the run of play in the second-half

MATCH FACTS AND PLAYER RATINGS

Luton Town (4-4-2): Kaminski 6; Kabore 7 (Adebayo 85), Burke 7, Lockyer 5, Bell 7.5; Brown 7.5 (Woodrow 73, 6), Sambi Lokonga 7 (Ruddock-Mpanzu 57, 6), Nakamba 7.5, Doughty 8 (Giles 72, 6); Morris 7, Ogbene 7.5. Subs not used: Krul, Andersen, Berry, Chong, Mengi.

Scorers: Morris 66 (pen)

Manager: Rob Edwards 7.5

Wolverhampton Wanderers (4-2-3-1): Sa 6.5; Semedo 5.5 (Bueno 84), Dawson 6, Kilman 7, Ait-Nouri 4 (Toti 46, 6); Lemina 6.5, Gomes 5.5 (Doyle 90); Neto 7, Bellegarde 4, Hwang 4 (Doherty 46, 5); Cunha 4.5 (Traore 71, 6). Subs not used: Bentley, Silva, Kalajdzic, Sarabia.

Scorers: Neto 50

Sent off: Bellegarde 38

Booked: Gomes

Manager: Gary O’Neil 6

Referee: Josh Smith 6

Attendance: 10,893

Rob Edwards has got his first points in the English top-flight as Luton manager

The home side kept pushing, though, and won a penalty just after the hour mark. Issa Kabore’s shot hit Gomes’ foot and flew against his outstretched arm. After a VAR check, the decision was upheld and Morris shimmied before sending Sa the wrong way from the spot.

Then the Hatters should have taken the lead. Wolves made a mess of clearing Doughty’s corner and ball fell perfectly for Marvelous Nakamba, who mishit his shot and watched it bounce wide.

Matheus Cunha was taken off after an ineffective day for the visitors and when he hurled his bib in frustration, the Brazilian forward appeared to have a brief, bad-tempered exchange with some supporters behind the Wolves bench.

Luton demanded a second-penalty late on when the ball struck a Wolves hand inside the box yet the referee was unmoved. Ogbene steered in the loose ball only to be flagged for offside.

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