Matt Bloomfield hopes Millenic Alli’s late equaliser in Luton’s 1-1 draw against Stoke becomes a big point in their Championship survival hopes.
Lewis Baker’s free-kick put Stoke on course for three points at the bet365 Stadium, but Hatters substitute Alli dramatically struck in second-half stoppage-time to ensure the spoils were shared.
The point means Luton remain just two points from safety with five games remaining and Hatters boss Bloomfield felt the draw in Staffordshire was the very least his side deserved.
He said: “We hope it’s a big one. I think away from home you’ve always got to respect a point.
“Stoke have been in good form at home and a real tough opponent and you find yourself 1-0 down with not long left, we have to be really pleased with a point.
“It’s the least we deserved, so to find that moment late on, if you’re going to draw you’d rather come back and equalise late rather than concede, so hopefully that’s a big moment for us.
“I thought we were excellent. I think that’s the best away performance in my time as manager at Luton Town. The first half was very even, but second half, I thought we were the better team.
“It was a bit deflating to go behind to a deflected free-kick.
“I think (goalkeeper) Thomas (Kaminski) gets it if it doesn’t get deflected and then you’re thinking the worst. But it felt like we were in the ascendancy so to find that moment for Milly at the end, I’m really pleased.”
Stoke boss Mark Robins could not hide his disappointment at the late drama which means his side remain two points above the bottom three and how Millenic’s late leveller managed to go in.
He said: “It was really disappointing. It just flattens everything because we’ve dealt with everything really they’ve had to throw at us. They’ve thrown a lot today.
“They’ve made the game really difficult, as you’d expect, you’ve got to expect that, which we did.
“The last two games have been very similar – to be fair – in terms of the way they set up but the ball was in the air a lot more today, which isn’t ideal but you’ve got to deal with it and we did that pretty well until the last bit.
“He should never be able to get any space, it’s a slither of space and he should never be able to get it into the near post.
“I had to look twice, I couldn’t believe it was in the back of the net. I’m really disappointed but emotions out of it, we’ve got to take the point and make it into a better one on Saturday.”
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