Martin Ling was afraid Luton Town had put the game beyond United when they made it 2-0 with ten minutes remaining, but substitute Danny Crow rewarded the manager's faith with a quick reply and despite Chris Holroyd's first penalty miss of the season Crow stepped up to take a second spot kick in stoppage time to claim a point.

United had worked hard and defended stoutly against a strong home side to go in level at half-time, but when Claude Gnakpa scored on the hour the home side were firmly in the driving seat. Further pressure paid off when Tom Craddock doubled the lead with a thunderbolt from long range in the 80th minute, but then the game really sparked into life.

Danny Crow seized on the rebound a minute later when Robbie Willmott's stop was parried and made it 2-1, but when Holroyd failed to convert a penalty after Jai Reason was brought down it appeared it would be Luton's day until Crow won and scored a stoppage time penalty to earn a point.

"We'd talked at half-time about set plays and they got one and scored, but not a lot of complaints about their second goal - it was a great goal from Craddock. Nine times out of ten those are going to go wide but it went into the top corner and you think it's all over," said Ling afterwards.

"We got one straight back with Danny (Crow) scoring but when Chrissy misses a penalty you think it's not going to be your day, then Danny is brought down and puts it away. It's a very valuable point and nice to see Crowy getting two goals as well.

Ling spoke highly of Luton before the game and felt that his side had worked hard to restrict their chances for most of the game: "I don't remember them getting to Danny (Potter) very often. He wasn't flying across his goal and that's good defending, but there were times when they had players free and they picked the wrong options.

"I said to our lads at half-time that I thought we didn't pass the ball well enough in their half and we needed to pass it better to have any chance, and when we did that, when we were 2-0 down and the shackles were off, we looked like a proper side.

"There is a good side in there somewhere but sometimes confidence is a strange thing and getting the goal back quickly was important for us."

The key to the turnaround was Crow, left out of the side for the first time since September after a barren spell in front of goal but sent on to replace Lee Phillips with 15 minutes remaining.

Ling commented, "I left Danny and Courtney out today and Danny came on and scored two goals, which takes him to five, but he's missed some good opportunities lately. I talked to him yesterday and said he was absolutely working his socks off for us but I thought it was time he maybe came off the bench and he'd probably get a goal. I'm no magician but that's how it works sometimes.

"Chrissy has got all the plaudits for his goals and I think people understand what Danny Crow has done for us this season - and Lee Phillips is the same sort of player - but Chris missed his chances today and Danny took his two really well; it was a high pressure situation there for that second penalty after Chrissy had missed one.

"I thought today was going to be another of those days when we would say our luck wasn't with us. We've had last-minute goals go against us a few times this season, but today it went for us, which is a good turn of fortune and about time."

Three United players were booked today; Paul Carden's first half card brings his tally for the season to four but the bookings for Robbie Willmott and Anthony Tonkin were their fifth and they will be suspended for Tuesday's match at home to Rushden & Diamonds.

"We'll be missing those two players, but every time our young boys have come in they've done well, Courtney was sitting on the bench today and Rory McAuley was fine today in place of Gleeson, so let's look at the positives," said Ling.

"This is a pleasing point because I still think that anyone who finishes above Luton will win the league. They'll definitely be top five and they've still got a chance of the title with their resources."

United are next in action on Tuesday at home to Rushden & Diamonds (7.45pm).

[Match report] [Fixture list] [League Table]

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