'That's why we love and hate it' - Luton Town boss' reaction as controversy helps Hatters beat Sheffield Wednesday

Luton Town boss Rob Edwards admitted the turning point in his side’s win over Sheffield Wednesday at Kenilworth Road arrived by way of the controversial decision to award a penalty and send off Di’Shon Bernard for hand ball with 15 minutes remaining.

Bernard had already blocked an effort from Teden Mengi and threw his body at the follow-up from former Owl Mark McGuinness. Referee Gavin Ward gave a penalty when replays showed that the ball hit the Wednesday defender on the shoulder. To compound the visitors’ frustration, Bernard was given a red card.

Substitute Carlton Morris fired home the spot kick to cancel out Barry Bannan’s opener and with two minutes left and Wednesday hanging on, Morris tapped in from close range to seal a comeback win for the Hatters.

“In the end the handball, the penalty, changes and shifted a football match”, said Edwards afterwards. “That's why we love it and hate it at the same time, the unpredictability of it. In the end I am just pleased to be standing here talking after winning another game.”

On the match he admitted that Luton had started poorly and had struggled to find a way through a disciplined Wednesday side, with the Owls eventually going ahead thanks to Bannan’s excellent finish on 52 minutes.

“In the last 15 minutes of the first half we started to get going a bit, he said. “Definitely the beginning of the game, it's now the way we wanted to start, it's not the message we have given them. We want to play wth the right intensity, we were a little bit slow in the press.

“When we did get the pressing right and played with more intenstity in the last 15 minutes we finished the half strongly. Then it knocked us, the way we conceded the goal, we are pushing, trying to do the right things, trying to speed the game up. [Sheffield Wednesday] are organised, they press well, so it's hard to get behind them. We have obviously turned the ball over cheaply and Barry Bannan scores a really good goal.”