With both teams mathematically certain of a chance of football’s richest prize via the playoffs, you could forgive both managers for making wholesale changes.
Luton boss Rob Edwards may still have his sights set on the slim chance of automatic promotion however, making a solitary change in comparison to Michael Carrick’s five.
One of those five was Boro’s recently crowned Championship Player of the Season Chuba Akpom, who will become the first since John Hickton in 1970/71 to lift the league's Golden Boot award.
Despite 10 goals in the last three for the away side, a lack of firepower in Akpom’s absence saw them without a shot on target prior to taking the lead against the run of play moments before HT.
Defence turned into attack as Boro first defended a corner kick, before Matt Crooks pumped the ball forward in search of Cameron Archer.
Not to be outdone by his striking counterpart, his first touch took the ball around onrushing Ethan Horvath, before calmly sidestepping a sliding Sonny Bradley and tapping into an open goal for his 16th goal contribution in 18 league appearances.
For all the plaudits Boro have received going forward, they have conceded as many goals as relegation threatened Cardiff City prior to this evening. Carrick was once again rueing his leaky defence shortly after the break, when Tom Lockyer evaded his marker and nodded home via the post following an Alfie Doughty outswinging corner.
There was more drama to come, as an unusually quiet Morris sprung forward in attack. His first touch enticed Steffen to come and collect, but with Morris nicking in and taking a tumble, referee Graham Scott showed no hesitancy in pointing to the spot.
On reflection, Morris’s theatrics bought him the penalty, but he showed no mercy in firing home to claim all three points and keep a faint top-two dream alive.
Flashscore Player of the Match: Tom Lockyer (Luton Town)
