Luton 1-1 Sheffield United: Oli McBurnie’s second-half volley earns Blades a point

Oli McBurnie ended his long wait for a goal as the Championship’s pace-setters Sheffield United took a point from Luton.

The Scotland international hadn’t found the net since a Carabao Cup tie against Southampton last September and you had to go back to December 2020 for his last league goal.

But his second-half volley cancelled out an early header by Carlton Morris to ensure honours ended even in a very good advert for the division.

Carlton Morris fired Luton ahead with a header after 10 minutes, his second goal of the season

Ollie McBurnie (centre) grabbed his first goal since December 2020 to earn the Blades a point

Ollie McBurnie (centre) grabbed his first goal since December 2020 to earn the Blades a point

MATCH FACTS 

Luton Town (3-4-1-2): Horvath; Burke, Lockyer, Potts (c); Bree, Campbell, Clark, Bell; Freeman (Berry 86); Adebayo, Morris (Jerome 75)

Substitutes not used: Macey (GK); Woodrow, Muskwe, Onyedinma, Osho

Manager: Nathan Jones

Scorer: Morris 10

Sheffield United (3-5-2): Foderingham (Amissah 78); Basham, Egan (c), Norrington-Davies (Ahmedhodzic 84); Baldock, Berge, Norwood, McAtee (Doyle 46), Lowe; Ndiaye (Brewster 84), McBurnie

Substitutes not used: Arblaster, Osula, Jebbison

Manager: Paul Heckingbottom

Scorer: McBurnie 53

Booked: Baldock, McAtee, McBurnie, Ndiaye

Referee: David Webb

Attendance: 9,882 (1,032 away)

 

It was frantic, end-to-end stuff throughout and though United were much better after the break, Luton will feel disappointed not to have bloodied the nose of another far better-resourced opponent.

Nathan Jones’s team defied all expectations to achieve a top six finish last term and, on this evidence, they could well repeat that in spite of an uncertain opening few games.

Paul Heckingbottom’s side will expect to be in the shake-up and, in fairness to them, they found a way to get something from a game they’d been second best in, a very useful quality.

In this meeting of last season’s beaten play-off semi-finalists, Luton’s sheer intensity on and off the ball rattled the Blades.

In the opening minutes, Allan Campbell tore down the right and cut back into the box, where Morris took the ball off the toes of the better-placed Luke Freeman before shooting high and wide.

But he certainly atoned on 10 minutes. Amari’i Bell’s initial throw in was nodded back in his direction and he produced an inviting cross that Morris, getting in between two United defenders, flicked into the far corner with a well-guided header.

Jones was lauding the variety in his attack during the week, believing it to be arguably the best in the Championship, and Morris, a summer signing from Barnsley, and Elijah Adebayo certainly represent a formidable pairing.

That was the second goal Morris has scored since his move, backing up his strike in the 2-0 win at Swansea last weekend.

Luton didn’t take their foot off the gas for the remainder of the first-half and were clearly the superior side as the Blades struggled to gain a foothold.

They might easily have added to their lead. Adebayo cleared the bar with a header following James Bree’s ball in from the right before Freeman’s low effort following a neat one-two with Adebayo drew a save from Wes Foderingham.

Allan Campbell (left) battles with Tommy Doyle during Friday night's game at Kenilworth Road

Allan Campbell (left) battles with Tommy Doyle during Friday night’s game at Kenilworth Road

Just before the interval, Adebayo caught another Bree cross flush on the volley but only succeeded in clearing the target.

The Blades may have been early pace-setters but they looked anaemic during the first-half, which was summed up when Sander Berge tumbled sideways over the hoardings into the main stand after being crunched by Freeman.

Young Manchester City loanee James McAtee didn’t enjoy much time on the ball but one of his corners picked out Oliver Norwood, whose sweet volley ended up being blocked unwittingly by Berge.

McBurnie grew more and more agitated as he was starved of service and at one point he tried a wrestling move on Tom Lockyer which somehow didn’t draw a foul.

The Blades may have been early pace-setters but they looked anaemic during the first-half

The Blades may have been early pace-setters but they looked anaemic during the first-half

McAtee made way for Tommy Doyle, another on loan from the Etihad, at the break having failed to make much of an impression.

It was immediately obviously that United were a different proposition as they re-emerged for the second-half.

After a couple of scrambles inside the Luton box, McBurnie with a nicely-executed volley after Tommy Doyle nodded the ball back into the danger area and John Egan flicked it on.

After such a long wait, it was little wonder he wanted to celebrate with the travelling fans behind the goal he scored into, earning a booking for his exuberance.

Luton reacted strongly and Foderingham was called upon to divert a Morris strike that looked to be going wide to safety after Campbell’s shot was blocked.

Sheffield United debutant goalkeeper Wes Foderingham was taken off after suffering an injury

Sheffield United debutant goalkeeper Wes Foderingham was taken off after suffering an injury

Adebayo then slammed his hands together in frustration after narrowly missing the target with a header.

Down the other end, Norwood had whipped an effort agonisingly wide as both sides searched for the late winner.

Jones replaced Morris with Cameron Jerome and he forced a stoppage time save out of Jordan Amissah, the Blades’ debutant keeper after Foderingham was forced off injured.

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