Penalty point is least City deserve

And if City do finish the season in a promotion spot, they will recall this one as the giant of the lot.

Good teams are not judged on when they are playing well but how they react to adversity. The true test of character and determination is how you respond when the chips are down.

On the face of it, a draw away to the bottom side – albeit a team in a totally artificial position – is hardly cause for celebration. Even given Luton’s decent record against the top sides, City would have been eyeing a much-needed win before the game rather than a fifth draw in six.

But given what was thrown at them – as much by the officials as the opposition – this result should not be underestimated.

Stuart McCall’s squad may have its faults but a lack of bottle is not one of them. Anyone who witnessed their second-half display at Kenilworth Road will testify to that.

For the first 45 minutes, their world was caving in. Two down to two soft goals and a manager consigned to the stand; well, an empty hospitality box 11 anyway.

The recently impervious defence had been breached by two set-pieces; one to an unmarked header, the next from an uncharacteristic rush of blood by Rhys Evans.

It was bad enough to concede in the first five minutes for the second week running. Paul Arnison gave away a sloppy corner and nobody picked up Asa Hall as he glanced home.

Then City’s afternoon got a lot worse. Within minutes of Matt Clarke missing an identical chance to the one Hall had buried, Luton were breaking menacingly. As the last line of defence, Luke O’Brien had it all to do to halt Ian Henderson at full pelt. He did so with a well-judged slide tackle.

Assistant referee Mike George was right on top of the incident – and flagged for a foul. O’Brien was booked and McCall, in his fury, came on to the pitch to demand words with whistle-blower Trevor Kettle.

McCall was promptly banished from the dug-out and while he was clambering over the wall to find a new home, Sunday Waisu seized on Evans’ indecision to turn home Rossi Jarvis’ set-piece.

The Luton crowd went wild and the unprintable songs about the 30-point deduction boomed out. “You might as well go home” they taunted the stunned City fans.

Some of those travelling fans would have been there on City’s last visit in October 2004 – a 4-0 thrashing accompanied by the farcical refereeing of Joe Ross. This was turning into deja vu.

Peter Thorne, playing in a rejigged frontline alongside Steve Jones, was a foot wide with a flick from his partner’s cross but City were staring down the barrel at the break.

At least McCall was allowed into the dressing room at half-time to lay down the law. It was probably as big a speech as he has given all season.

He went round the room to talk individually to every player, reminding them of the comebacks against Accrington and Chesterfield. It could still be done.

McCall wanted to see that belief in their eyes.

He said: “It’s easy to go in and say the right things like ‘let’s have a go’ and that but I told them that words are cheap and you will be judged by your actions.

“They had to believe in each other and believe that we could come back. And I’m so proud of them for doing that.

“To come back from 2-0 down and then again in the last minute shows tremendous character. In terms of what this could do for the squad, this result could be a big turning point of the season.”

City’s recovery got the perfect spark within 90 seconds of the restart as Paul McLaren punished his first club from Clarke’s powerful header.

And unlike Accrington the game before, the fight back did not end there. With confidence surging, City were a side transformed from the downtrodden bunch just before the break.

Conrad Logan nervously pushed away a 35-yard belter from Graeme Lee, only to be beaten again before the hour mark.

Dean Furman, getting only his second start in three months, took Nicky Law’s pass and shifted it from right to left foot before smacking the bottom corner of the Luton net.

But City weren’t content with a point and continued to roar forward for fun.

Law, playing wide on the left, was instrumental in most things; Omar Daley, a bit-part figure for the first 45 minutes, suddenly switched into overdrive.

One electrifying burst saw the Jamaican nick possession near his own six-yard area and race from one box to the other. If the finish had matched the run, the goal of the season contest would have been done and dusted.

Chances came thick and fast; none better than the free header for substitute Barry Conlon which he somehow planted wide.

But a third goal wouldn’t come and you feared a sting in the tail a minute into the four added on when Clarke upended Sam Parkin to the right of the penalty area.

City thought Kevin Nicholls had overhit the free-kick but Hall came powering in beyond the far post to crash in his second of the game.

Surely it was the killer blow for City’s comeback. But as the time ticked on, Arnison pumped one last desperate ball towards the box. Conlon won the flick-on and Jones had his legs taken by Chris Martin amid a bundle of bodies.

Kettle whistled City’s way for seemingly the first occasion all afternoon. Mayhem ensued as players jostled around the box and Martin was red-carded.

It took over four minutes for order to be restored. Then Conlon, the coolest head in the house, sent Logan the wrong way and rolled home the equaliser as if it was a pre-season tap-in.

The lone figure in hospitality box 11 punched the air. The locals wanted to punch the referee.

His final whistle signalled scenes of chaos, with Luton still arguing bitterly that it was not a penalty.

Objects were thrown at Kettle as he dived for the players’ tunnel and livid home skipper Nicholls had to be restrained by police.

But both sides at least found common ground on one thing – the performance of the referee.

Not surprisingly, Luton boss Mick Harford was particularly scathing against an official he has history with.

Harford blasted: “He was despicable and I’m not bothered if they charge me because it’s the truth.

“I know that referee well. When I was Rotherham manager, he sent off three of my players at Barnsley as well as me, they scored with the last kick when the ball never crossed the line and two weeks later I got the sack.

“I feel sorry for the 6,000 people who’ve paid money to see an incompetent referee. I’m just voicing their opinions.”

Let’s hope that come May, City might have different reasons to look back on this eventful barny in Bedfordshire.