OXFORD United’s under 18s lost the EFL Youth Alliance Cup Southern final 7-6 on a penalty shoot-out after letting a 2-0 lead slip in normal time.

Dejon Noel-Williams and Albie Hopkins struck early in the second half to put the U’s in charge at the Kassam Stadium.

Luton had been the better side before the break and quickly pulled a goal back through Josh Neufville.

They equalised in the 89th minute through Joe Mead’s header, which sent the game to a shoot-out.

After substitute Jack Stevens saw his first spot-kick saved, U’s goalkeeper Max Harris immediately kept out Scott Belgrove’s effort.

The next 12 penalties were all converted, but the sequence was ended when United skipper Matt Berry-Hargreaves’ shot was saved.

Owen James curled a free-kick just over early on, before Luton took charge.

Arthur Read let fly from outside the box three times in five minutes – firing over, just wide and then forcing Max Harris into a good save with his third effort.

The goalkeeper made an outstanding block in the 20th minute, denying Connor Tomlinson after United gave the ball away cheaply just outside their own penalty area.

Read sent two more efforts off target, while Drew Richardson followed suit as the Hatters cranked up the pressure.

But having weathered the storm, United went on to have a good spell of their own – and ten minutes before the break they came closest to breaking the deadlock.

After James was brought down 25 yards out, James Cowan’s free-kick beat goalkeeper Tiernan Parker but struck the crossbar.

Given the balance of play, United will have been the happier of the two sides to reach the break on level terms.

And the hosts’ mood got even better when they took the lead four minutes after the restart.

Ben Chilcott began a move down the left from within United’s half which found Noel-Williams. The tall striker drove into the penalty area and just when it looked as though the chance had gone, he poked a shot through Parker’s legs into the net.

Luton almost produced an immediate response, but Ryan Crooks was in the right place to clear Michael Shamalo’s effort off the line from a corner.

United’s advantage doubled on the hour, when Hopkins ran on to Noel-Williams’s pass and fired a shot which had too much power on it for Parker to keep out.

But the 2-0 lead was brief, with Neufville pulling a goal back four minutes later, producing a quality finish when the ball ricocheted into his path.

Luton were almost level 16 minutes from time, but Tomlinson’s lob just cleared the crossbar.

United appeared to have done the job, but in the 89th minute it was 2-2 when Joe Mead powerfully headed in from a Luton corner.

It sent the tie to penalties, where Luton edged out their hosts in sudden death.

Oxford Utd: Harris, Carr, Berry-Hargreaves, Baker, Chilcott, Cowan, McCreadie, Hopkins, Crooks (Lofthouse 70, Stevens 90), James, Noel-Williams.

Unused subs: Evans, Lopes, McDonnell.

Luton Tn: Parker, James, Mead, Jones, Peck, Read, Richardson (Sorunke 80), Vukoje (Belgrove 60), Shamalo (Byron 70), Tomlinson, Neufville.

Unused subs: Gordon-Stearn, Panter.

Attendance: 514.