An entertaining draw between two automatic promotion contenders held the attention from beginning to end and both sides should tuck their point into their pockets and reflect upon a very promising opening third of the season.
It is possibly a tad hyperbolic and definitely premature to suggest that the game resembled a competitive Championship encounter, but there was a flow to proceedings which elevated it some way above standard League One fare.
It wasn’t a surprise that Drury rewarded Saturday’s derby hero Low with a demotion to the bench, however unjust it appeared on the surface. Town needed Bowat’s superior qualities on the ball against far more sophisticated opponents than the bludgeoning Bantams, and his selection was largely justified on a night of slimmer margins than the norm.
Harness came in for Fletcher, likely more a reflection of the latter’s capacity to play two games in a few days and a slightly concerning lack of like-for-like alternatives with Radulovic still sidelined.
The change in shape, with Taylor having a lone role up front, somewhat blunted Town’s usual potency, though Luton’s organisation and tactical quality played the larger part.
After the Hatters nearly took an early lead with a lovely move which left Jordan Clark free to advance before hitting a shot that was too easy for Young to save, Harness, who was finding good positions, curled an effort towards the bottom right corner which Shea competently pushed away.
Town applied pressure down the flanks to force corners, with Sanches Fernandes, inevitably, catching the eye with his mesmerising runs, possession retention and bursts of pace.
Hitting the bar with one delivery and causing consternation with another, the hosts began to get on top of their stubborn opponents. The woodwork was struck again when Sanches Fernandes hit the post from a free kick he had won after yet another masterclass of close control, before Kasey Palmer upended him.
Despite coming closest, Town fell behind on 40 minutes when they failed to take several opportunities to clear their lines, some head tennis eventually falling to the feet of Clark, who made up for his earlier miss with a sharp turn and shot which gave Young no chance.
Though somewhat undeserved, Luton had contributed to a vibrant first half, offering the stiffest challenge of the season to date in terms of quality and potency.
Shea had to make another sharp save from the impressive Collins before the end of the half, following more excellence on the right from the ubiquitous Sanches Fernandes, who continues to bestride a league he is clearly far too good for.
A rare half-time deficit in a season of mainly dominant performances is not necessarily a bad thing in a long campaign. Reaction to adversity is a useful barometer for a club with ambitions of automatic promotion, and, satisfyingly, the Terriers soon redressed the balance in the second half.
With metronomic certainty, the combination of Derensili Sanches Fernandes and a previously rather quiet Joe Taylor delivered a smashing goal, in all senses of the word, as the Dutchman fed the ex-Hatter to volley into the roof of the net, registering yet another goal contribution from the pair.
A contest for dominance was easy on the eye for the remainder of the half as both teams sought a winner, but it became clear quite soon after Town’s equaliser that neither side was going to give an inch. Chances were at a premium, to say the least, with the final ball of otherwise good build-up play lacking the necessary quality or penetration.
With neither side willing to risk too much exposure, the game wound down long before the end and the shared spoils were accepted.
By some distance, Luton were the best side faced in an increasingly exciting season and, after the highs of thrashing a local rival, another victory was just a bridge too far.
With cup commitments and, possibly, an international break disruption ahead, Town can reflect on a fantastic start to the season and prepare for a winter in which they will look to maintain their achievements and compete for the elusive third-tier title.
