The Hatters had to settle for a point after letting a two-goal lead slip at home to Oxford.

It took the Hatters seven minutes to create their first chance of the game. Jordan Clark picked up the ball inside the area, shifted the ball onto his right foot, taking the ball away from four defenders, but his shot was hit wide of the post.

At the other end, the visitors nearly took the lead. Oxford worked the ball out to the left-hand side after a well-worked counter, with the ball was played across the face of the goal by Owen Dale but Teden Mengi made a last-ditch challenge to prevent a tap in.

But after 10 minutes, the Town led. Tom Krauß won the ball back inside the Oxford box and the ball fell kindly to Clark in front of goal. The skipper composed himself to finish smartly with his right foot for his first goal of the season.

Thomas Kaminski was called into action for the first time two minutes later. Idris El Mizouni’s shot from the edge of the area deflected off of Mark McGuinness, but Kaminski was equal to it, making a great save. El Mizouni then had a shot on the rebound which was superbly cleared off the line by Mengi.

Kaminski was involved again moments later, tipping a fierce drive from Ruben Rodrigues’ 25-yard effort over the bar as the visitors pressed.

Back came the Town. Doughty found space on the left-hand side, his whipped cross into the box was volleyed goalwards by Clark on his left foot but he was unable to get his effort on target.

However, the Town didn’t need long to score again to double their lead through Krauß. Oxford keeper Jamie Cumming failed to collect Reece Burke’s long ball and Jacob Brown, making his first start since December last year, picked up the ball. He checked his right shoulder to lay the ball off to Krauß who slotted the ball into the bottom right corner for the German’s first goal in Luton colours.

Just before the break, Oxford pulled a goal back. Tyler Goodrham, who had already sent a shot onto the roof of the Kenilworth Road end, made no mistake with this finish, his first-time effort curling beautifully into the top right corner beyond the reach of Thomas Kaminski.

The visitors then equalised 10 minutes after the restart through Rodrigues. Substitute Kyle Edwards sped down the right to cross for the unmarked Rodrigues to fire home.

The Hatters then had heroics from Kaminski to thank for keeping it level as Mark Harris, Goodrham and Edwards all fired consecutive shots at goal only for the Town stopper to make three incredible saves to keep the Hatters in the game.

The Town’s task then became tougher with 13 minutes left on the clock when Liam Walsh was red-carded within a minute of his introduction from the bench after a lunging tackle on Siriki Dembele.

After the red card the Town re-organised and ended the better side with Elijah Adebayo denied a tap-in by Cumming’s save in the closing stages.

In the seventh minute of added time the final action of the game saw Dembele fire over the bar from a free-kick on the edge of the area before the referee called time on a breathless 90 minutes.

The Hatters head to Sheffield United on Saturday. We’ll see you there.

Town: Kaminski; Moses, Doughty, Burke, McGuinness, Mengi; Nakamba (sub Walsh 76), Krauß (sub Mpanzu 51), Clark (sub Woodrow 76); Brown (sub Walters 61) Adebayo.

Subs not used: Shea, Taylor, Holmes, Nelson, Johnson.

Attendance: 11,397 including 1,322 in the away end.

Report by Owen Williams.