Luton Town picked up a point as they drew 1-1 with West Bromwich Albion at Kenilworth Road.
Josh Maja had put the visitors in front in first half stoppage time, before Tahith Chong grabbed an equaliser for Rob Edwards’ side during the second half.
The point saw West Brom draw their fifth straight league game, while for Luton, the result temporarily takes them out of the Championship relegation zone, though they would fall back in if Plymouth and Cardiff draw or win later today.
Back-to-back defeats including one from being 2-0 up against Coventry had dunked Luton into the second tier’s relegation zone, with the Hatters seeking an improved result against the Baggies.
The first half would however be a largely eventless affair, with very few opportunities created by the two sides in front of the TV cameras in the Friday night game.
The best chances would come Luton’s way, with Alex Palmer make a routine stop to deny Carlton Morris and the one-time Luton loanee would then make a further stop to deny Elijah Adebayo.
West Brom had struggled to create opportunities until stoppage time at the end of the first half, but their first real chance of the half would see a breakthrough go the Baggies’ way.
The visitors worked the ball out wide to Karlan Grant, whose cross was flicked by Maja beyond Thomas Kaminski and into the back of the net.
Luton made reshuffles at half-time and just after the break, and the changes would yield an equaliser just before the hour mark.
Chong was able to make the goal single-handedly, as the former Birmingham City player intercepted a scruffy pass by Alex Mowatt, charge forward and fire a long-range effort into the back of the net.
The game began to open up, with Luton having a penalty appeal turned down before Shandon Baptiste fired an effort wide, while the best chance saw Chong’s effort tipped wide by Palmer after a deflection.
Daiki Hashioka then hit the bar with a header from a corner, but after they missed chances, Luton nearly got hit by a sucker punch when Kaminski had to make a fine stop to keep out visiting sub Devante Cole.
But the game ran out of momentum in stoppage time, with a point shared by the two sides.
Luton now turn their attention to Wednesday night, when they welcome Cardiff to Kenilworth Road.
Leah Williamson marked her 50th cap for England with a goal as England beat South Africa in a friendly.
The Milton Keynes-born football star scored England’s first goal in a 2-1 win at the Coventry Building Society Arena on Tuesday (29/10), with the strike being the Arsenal player’s first England goal since scoring a brace against Belgium in February 2023.
Williamson scored in the 12th minute of the game, as she received Jess Naz’s pass from a half-cleared corner and swept a first-time strike into the back of the net.
It would be a mixed night for Williamson, however, with a pass to Georgia Stanway inadvertently releasing Thembi Kgatlana and leading to the South African player scoring just after half-time.
England would however take the victory as they continue their preparations to defend their European championship crown at next year’s Euros in Switzerland.
The goal and victory comes amid a mixed time for Williamson, whose form has been under scrutiny after a slow start to the season for Arsenal and mistakes during a 4-3 defeat by Germany in England’s previous international a few days earlier.
The Lionesses have two more games to conclude their 2024 fixture programme, with England taking on the USA at Wembley on November 30th before a meeting with Switzerland at Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane stadium on December 3rd.
Voters in Newport Pagnell have approved a neighbourhood plan for the town on the edge of Milton Keynes following a referendum.
After a vote that took place in Newport Pagnell on 17 October, almost 90% of local voters were in favour adopting the neighbourhood plan.
Milton Keynes City Council have said that their Cabinet will now give the go ahead to the new neighbourhood plan for Newport Pagnell, which is designed to give greater local influence to residents over future development.
The City Council’s Cabinet is meeting on 5 November where councillors are expected to make a decision to recommend the plan for approval.
A draft Newport Pagnell Neighbourhood Plan was drawn up by local people and the Town Council before the community was given the opportunity to share their thoughts and help shape the proposals.
Neighbourhood plans are designed to give residents more say on how land is used in their area in the future. There are 23 neighbourhood plans within Milton Keynes, with the city council currently working alongside other local communities to bring proposals forward.
Leader of Milton Keynes City Council, Cllr Pete Marland, said, “Newport Pagnell is a significant place in our city with a historical high street, ambitious people and great community assets. This Neighbourhood Plan will give local people more influence about the future of their town. We’re continuously exploring ways to give residents a seat at the decision-making table and we’ll carry on supporting local communities to bring proposals forward.”
MK Dons have confirmed striker Matt Dennis has joined National League side Rochdale on loan until January.
The 22-year-old will join a Dale side currently sat 6th in the 5th tier table, with Dennis potentially available for Saturday’s FA Cup tie against Bromley.
Dennis moves to Spotland for an initial two month loan, which is possible with the National League loan window still open.
The striker had joined MK Dons in 2022 from Norwich City, but has slipped down the pecking order this season, making just two appearances for the Dons’ first team and none since the departure of Mike Williamson in September.
In a brief statement, MK Dons said, “Everyone at MK Dons wishes Matt the best of luck for his time at Spotland Stadium.”
Milton Keynes City Council and Thames Valley Police (TVP) have issued warnings to those engaging in dangerous car cruising events in the city.
In recent weeks, the City Council and TVP have collaborated to curb anti-social and dangerous drivers in the city, which has resulted in multiple arrests and tickets issued for vehicle offences.
As part of their announcement, MK City Council have said that in addition to increased police presence, specialised CCTV cameras are being operated in various locations across the city to deter dangerous car cruising.
This approach means that if offenders are not given a ticket immediately, they can expect enforcement action in the post. The action led by TVP and the city council is designed to catch those that engage in reckless driving, speeding and other activities which contravene the Public Space Protection Order relating to driver behaviour which is both dangerous and disrupts residents.
Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Cllr Amber McQuillan, said, “We’re not out there to catch people out, we’re here to stop people using their cars dangerously. For too long our residents have suffered sleepless nights from excessively loud exhausts, blaring music and the risks associated with reckless driving. We’ll continue to work with our partners at TVP to tackle this issue.”
Chief Superintendent Emma Baillie of TVP added, “I take no issue with genuine car enthusiasts who want to come to Milton Keynes city centre and enjoy a hobby with friends and family. However to those who contribute to a public nuisance (through excessive noise and conduct), behave in an antisocial manner or drive recklessly or dangerously on our roads and car parks, my message is clear: You can expect to be dealt with firmly for any breaches in the law or the Public Safety Protection Order (PSPO).
This PSPO was instigated following a large number of local residents advising us and the City Council that the car cruise events were affecting their lives in a negative way. So we will use the legislation now available to resolve this. In recent weeks we have increased our policing presence at these meets to ensure that those who want to meet can do so safely and those who want to commit offences are dealt with robustly. We will not allow our residents to feel unsafe or be put in danger on our roads.
“In partnership with the City Council we are developing ways to use more technology to recognise breaches of the law and prosecute the more minor offences via the postal system, as well as via police attendance at the events. So several people have discovered fines waiting for them on their doorstep in recent weeks. We have also taken immediate action with those using their vehicle in an anti-social way, through unnecessary noise or ‘displaying’. The action in Milton Keynes forms part of a wider plan across Thames Valley with our Joint Operations Unit and we will use all the tactics and options available to make our roads and car parks safer.”
