Wycombe Wanderers 1, Luton Town 1.

Paris Cowan-Hall continued his remarkable scoring streak as Wanderers took a point from their top of the table clash with Luton.

He opened the scoring inside two minutes as the former Plymouth man netted for the fifth League Two fixture in a row against their promotion rivals.

A goal avalanche was threatened as an excellently controlled volley from Jonathan Smith brought Luton level before ten minutes had been played, but an eye catching game failed to crackle into the goalfest that might have been expected.

Both teams went at it hammer and tongs as the rain poured down, but despite all the ingredients for a classic the match promised much but ultimately failed to deliver.

That was in spite of a lightning start to the encounter as Wanderers went in front before being pegged back almost instantly, on a day when it was announced manager Gareth Ainsworth had signed a new long term contract.

The hordes of travelling fans who had been in fine voice as the teams emerged from the tunnel were silenced within two minutes as Cowan-Hall dived to delicately flick a header over the grasp of Mark Tyler and into the net to put Wanderers in front.

Full back Scott Griffiths was shown a yellow card for a reckless lunge at Josh Scowen in the build-up to the goal, but referee Andy Woolmer played a good advantage as Blues went on to force the corner from which Cowan-Hall scored.

It was a lead that was short lived however as the Hatters drew level thanks to a superb piece of technique for Smith, as Shaun Whalley’s cross was only cleared straight to the midfielder and he smashed a first time volley dipping over Matt Ingram for a brilliant equaliser.

Ingram was left scrambling moments later as Andy Drury’s 25 yard free kick – awarded for a foul by Alfie Mawson, which resulted in a booking – didn’t quite dip enough and landed on the roof of the net.

Skipper Paul Hayes sent an audacious effort from out wide skimming narrowly over, before former Wanderer Michael Harriman slashed wildly off target as the finish failed to match the build up with the full back doing superbly to control a long ball forward from Steve McNulty.

Chances started to dry up after that lively start despite there being no let-up in the intensity, with Shaun Whalley, impressive on the wing throughout, carving out a half chance that resulted in Nathan Doyle having a shot blocked by Mawson.

Aaron Pierre ought to have done much better with a headed chance as he sent the ball high and wide across the face of goal after Joe Jacobson had planted it right onto his forehead with a free kick.

A Doyle pass then sliced open the Wanderers and sent Drury clear down the channel, but he slipped as he got his shot off and the ball trickled harmlessly through to Ingram.

As he had done at the start of the first half, Cowan-Hall worked himself a goalscoring opportunity in the opening minutes of the second half as McNulty failed to clear, but the giant central defender recovered to block the Wanderers winger’s shot.

Luke Rooney had an effort charged down in similar circumstances as he fended off challenges from Scowen and Sido Jombati, before Luke Wilkinson sent a header the wrong side of the post as Wanderers struggled to clear their lines from the resulting corner.

Matches rarely seem to go by without Ingram making a brilliant save and the Wanderers keeper surpassed even some of his recent efforts as he flung out an arm to keep out Drury’s shot, just as the Luton man looked odds-on to put the Hatters in front from Griffiths’ excellent cross.

Half time substitute Matt Bloomfield blazed over from Jombati’s cushioned header as the second half proved more exciting than the first.

Luton sub Jake Howells saw an on-target free kick deflect behind off the wall for a corner, which Wanderers again struggled to get clear and Mark Cullen, leaning back, sent a header wide under pressure from Jombati and Ingram.

Chances were falling for both sides and Hayes, often left isolated leading the Wanderers attack, missed the best of them as he somehow managed to miscue the ball wide from six yards after an excellent spell of passing football which had Scowen and Sam Wood at the forefront of it had opened up the visiting defence.

A pass from Mawson was intercepted and allowed substitute Ross Lafayette the chance to hare clear of the Blues backline, but the striker’s finish was awful as he dragged it a long way wide of goal with just Ingram left in his way.

Both teams went hell for leather in the final ten minutes as play became stretched and the two defences opened up, but the one final chance failed to produce a goal as Griffiths fired high into the side netting following a quickly taken free kick.

Wanderers: Ingram, Jombati, Pierre, Mawson, Jacobson, Cowan-Hall, Scowen, Murphy, Rowe (sub Bloomfield), Wood, Hayes. Substitutes not used: Richardson, Lewis, Craig, Holloway, Onyedinma.

Attendance: 7,539 (2,566 from Luton)