Reading 1-1 Luton: Andy Carroll red card costs Royals as Hatters earn late point

Ten-man Reading's relegation worries increased when they could manage only a 1-1 Sky Bet Championship draw with promotion-chasing Luton, who secured their play-off place.

Neither side impressed in a drab first half, though Alfie Doughty struck a post for Luton with a long-range effort.

Reading went in front six minutes into the second period when Andy Carroll nodded in from close range.

But the former England striker was sent off five minutes later, when heading home again but having the effort ruled out for deliberate handball - and picking up his second yellow card in the process.

Luton rarely troubled their depleted opponents until equalising in the 81st minute, when top scorer Carlton Morris headed in after an error by home goalkeeper Joe Lumley.

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Reading were without a win in nine matches but had claimed four draws in their past five outings, including 0-0 at home to champions-elect Burnley on Saturday.

Luton, unbeaten in 10 matches going into the fixture, are likely to miss out on an automatic promotion slot but went into the game looking to book their play-off berth.

Reading began brightly as Femi Azeez escaped along the right flank.

Azeez's low cross was deflected into the path of Carroll but he blazed well over from only a few yards out.

Luton responded positively, with Cauley Woodrow driving wide and Allan Campbell forcing Lumley to gather his well-struck shot.

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Carroll then received a booking for hauling down Woodrow as he broke away - and Luton almost went in front from the resultant free-kick.

Doughty's skidding 20-yard effort comfortably beat Lumley but it thumped against the left-hand post.

Reading threatened going forward only through the lively runs of Azeez, though his end product was poor.

Luton continued to dominate until the interval, with Woodrow denied by Lumley and then a superb last-ditch block from defender Naby Sarr.

But the match turned twice in a chaotic five-minute spell early in the second half.

First, in the 51st minute, Carroll nodded Reading ahead from an Azeez corner to the near post - his eighth goal of the season.

Reading appeared to have increased their advantage soon after from a carbon-copy effort - Carroll nodding in an Azeez corner.

But as Reading celebrated, referee Tim Robinson took advice from an assistant, disallowed the goal for handball by Carroll - clearly proved by replays - booked him for the second time in the game and sent him off.

Luton huffed and puffed in reply but levelled nine minutes from the end when Lumley mis-punched a cross from Luke Berry.

Morris was in exactly the right position, almost on the goal-line, to nod in his 19th goal of the season.

The managers

Reading's Noel Hunt:

"I've seen the incident back and Andy didn't mean to handle it. If you go for the ball with your head, sometimes you do close your eyes and blink and lose the flight of the ball. There's got to be some kind of common sense here. It's just harsh. Where are you supposed to put your hands? Andy said it was accidental and he's gutted about it. He's hurting more than anyone.

"I suppose that we've got to be happy with a point at the end. We started the game really brightly and I thought that we controlled the game for the first 15 minutes. But then we gave away a few easy balls that caused us to drop off a bit but we addressed that at half-time. We went ahead with a great goal and we thought that we'd scored again. But then it got chalked off and we had a man sent off."

Luton's Rob Edwards:

"They're a bit flat in the dressing room after the draw. But after tonight, they should really be celebrating. It's an amazing achievement [to secure a spot in the play-offs]. Of course we wanted to win the game but Reading are fighting for their lives nd I've been really impressed with the response that Noel [Hunt] has got. They got a point against the best team in the league [Burnley] on Saturday and they set up really well tonight and made it extremely difficult for us.

"When they also went 1-0 up, that made it doubly difficult for us to get anything from the game. Overall, I've got no complaints and we're happy with it. For a minute, I thought that Carroll's 'goal' had been given. But you could see by our players' reactions [that it was handball] and the officials got the right decision."

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