Gustavo Hamer scored a stunner as Coventry City came from behind twice to draw 2-2 at Luton Town and end a five-match losing run.

Hamer’s goal followed an electric opening 15 minutes which saw three goals through a series of poor defending, including two for Luton’s Carlton Morris.

Morris had the Hatters in front but Viktor Gyokeres equalised soon after, only for the former Barnsley man to slot his fifth goal in as many matches and restore Luton’s lead.

Hamer then produced some magic after a much improved second half performance from Coventry, who remain bottom of the division and are yet to win this season.

Pre-match

Luton boss Nathan Jones made three changes from the team that lost to Wigan Athletic 11 days ago. Captain Sonny Bradley and Harry Cornick both made their first starts since injury, replacing Tom Lockyer and Elijah Adebayo respectively.

Fred Onyedinma also came in for Amari’i Bell for his first start of the campaign, while Luke Freeman made his 200th Championship appearance.

Coventry meanwhile made two changes from their defeat at Norwich City, both in attack. Tyler Walker and Kacey Palmer dropped out with top scorer Matt Godden and Gyokeres returning to the starting XI.

After Saturday’s scheduled matches were postponed, a well-observed minute’s silence was held following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II last week. 

A rendition of the national anthem was also played around Kenilworth Road before the action commenced.

Story of the match

The visitors were keen to get off to a fast start and had a golden opportunity inside just 50 seconds. Gyokeres found himself one-on-with with Hatters goalkeeper Ethan Horvath, but somehow his effort went wide.

Within minutes, Coventry were made to pay for that mistake as Luton took the lead. Cornick hooked the ball into the area from the right and, after a knock-down from Onyedinma, Morris fired home a half-volley that gave Ben Wilson no chance.

Morris became the first Luton player to score in three consecutive Championship home matches since October 2006.

Gyokeres was lively, though. Not long after he had a close-range header saved, he restored parity for the Sky Blues.

A sublime cross-field pass from Ben Sheaf sent him on his way and the Swede duly slotted home after getting the better of Dan Potts for his second goal of the season.

The electric start to the game did not end there as more poor defending from Coventry allowed the hosts to retake the lead on just 15 minutes.

Cornick pounced on a misjudgement of the bounce from Kyle McFadzean, spinning his man and playing through Morris for his second of the game.

The first half remained open, with Gyokeres continuing to look the Sky Blues’ biggest threat while Luton looked to take advantage of a frail-looking Coventry defence, who had lost Michael Rose through injury.

The post was to deny a third goal for Luton in first half stoppage time. James Bree delivered a cross to the far post that was met by Potts, but his effort cannoned off the woodwork before Coventry cleared to go into the break just one goal behind after a frantic first 45 minutes.

Bree’s teasing free-kick resulted in the first chance of the second period, but substitute Adebayo fired over when he really should have hit the target. The offside flag was up in any case, however.

The Sky Blues were always in the game with star-man Gyokeres on the pitch. On 54 minutes, he turned Gabe Osho inside out and laid the ball off to Jamie Allen, whose effort was clawed away by Horvath.

Allen then had a shot blocked by Bradley following Jake Bidwell’s knockdown after good work down the right-hand side from Fankaty Dabo.

Then, out of very little, the visitors were level in some style. Hamer unleashed a stunner, in which the Brazilian-born midfielder curled in from 25 yards out to a roar from the travelling supporters and Coventry were on level terms once again.

With less than 10 minutes remaining, a succession of Luton corners led to the Hatters claiming for a handball in the area.

Referee Andy Davies was unmoved despite being surrounded by Luton bodies after they claimed the ball came off the arm of McFadzean following a Jordan Clark strike.

Both sides pushed for a winner late on but it ended a point apiece, with referee Davies booed off at the final whistle from the home support.

Luton will host Blackburn Rovers on Saturday with Coventry travelling to Birmingham City looking for their first win of the season.

Player of the Match

The game sparked into life early on and much of that is to do with Luton striker Carlton Morris.

He has taken like a duck to water in this Luton side with five goals now to his name following his summer move from Barnsley.

His goals were taken well. The first was a lethal strike from inside the area, while the second was another typical striker's finish as he slotted home underneath the goalkeeper.

Match Information

Luton Town (3-4-1-2): Horvath; Potts, Bradley (c), Osho; Onyedinma (Bell 72), Freeman (Lansbury 72), Clark, Bree; Campbell; Morris, Cornick (Adebayo 46). Subs: Macey, Lockyer, Woodrow, Jerome.

Booked: Onyedinma, Lansbury.

Coventry City (3-5-2): Wilson; Doyle, McFadzean (c), Rose (Panzo 27); Bidwell, Allen, Hamer, Sheaf, Dabo; Godden, Gyokeres. Subs: Moore, Waghorn, Walker, Eccles, Burroughs, Palmer.

Booked: Sheaf.

Referee: Andy Davies (Hampshire).

Attendance: 9,546