Luton Town FC vs Bolton Wanderers (29th Nov 2025)

29/11/2025 LUTON TOWN 1-1 BOLTON WANDERERS

Super sub Kodua rescues point

Hatters fight-back to earn a draw against 10-man Bolton

Gideon Kodua’s equaliser seven minutes from time secured a point for the Hatters against 10-man Bolton.

The substitute cancelled out Kyle Dempsey’s first-half strike from the visitors to earn the Town a share of the spoils after Wanderers’ Xavier Simons was red-carded with 20 minutes left.

Manager Jack Wilshere made just the one change from Tuesday night’s victory over Huddersfield Town. Jake Richards, who got on the scoresheet against the Terriers, missed out through injury. Jacob Brown was the man to replace him to make his first league start of the season.

Bolton took the lead with just eight minutes played. Kyle Dempsey received the ball in the area, took a deft touch with his right foot and on the turn finished expertly with his left past Josh Keeley.

Chances were few and far between following the goal. That was until the half-hour mark, when Jerry Yates went to ground in the area but referee Ruebyn Ricardo instantly waved away any Town appeals. The ball then broke to Walsh, who fired over the crossbar.

George Johnston had the Wanderers’ second opportunity of the afternoon. His effort from a looped free-kick from the right-hand side was headed into the Kenilworth Road end.

It was Walsh again who attempted to test visiting keeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe. His long-range effort took a deflection and skimmed past the far post, for the Town’s first corner of the afternoon.

The resulting corner saw Brown pull the ball back across the face of the goal for Yates who could only watch the ball collide with his thigh and strike the bar.

In the second half, Simons was the first to enter the referee’s book for hauling Brown to the floor, as the forward looked to lead the Town counter-attack.

Ten minutes into the second half and the visitors could not believe they didn’t extend their lead. Jordi Osei-Tutu flashed the ball across the box into the direction of Amario Cozier-Duberry. The in-form Bolton winger had the goal at his mercy but could only put the ball wide of Keeley’s post with a diving-header.

But Bolton were then reduced to 10 men when Simons caught substitute Kodua with a late challenge and he was given his marching orders, meaning the visitors had to play out the final 20 minutes a man down.

Shayden Morris and Millenic Alli were introduced from the bench with 10 to play and the pair had an instant impact.

Morris’ right-wing crossed was headed goalwards by Alli and the ball fell into path of Kodua who thumped the ball past Sharman-Lowe to bring the Town back level.

With the wind in their tails the Town sensed a winner. ere able to soak up the pressure. Naismith and Alli both went close in the closing stages but the Hatters couldn’t force a winner and the points were shared.

Town: Keeley, Odoffin, Mengi, Lonwijk (Morris 81), Naismith, Bramall, Walsh, Saville, Brown (Kodua 63), Fanne (Alli 81), Yates. Subs not used: Shea, Makosso, Andersen, Nelson.

Attendance: 11,204, including 1,329 from Bolton.

Report by Owen Williams

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xic_l7kutcs – Jack Wilshere post match interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ2AAvroeHs – match highlights

League One: Luton Town 1 Bolton Wanderers 1

Supersub Kodua scores late on to earn Luton a point against Bolton

Supersub Gideon Kodua came off the bench to score a late equaliser against Bolton Wanderers and earn Luton a point at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

It was beginning to look like the Hatters were going to run out of time in their search for a point against an in-form Trotters side, who had been reduced to 10 men with 20 minutes left, Xavier Simons sent off for a second yellow card. Despite the numerical disadvantage, the visitors were able to keep their opponents at arm’s length until Shayden Morris’s cross eventually fell to the feet of Kodua via Milli Alli’s touch, and he was able to slam home a fourth goal of the season, all of them coming when he has been introduced into the game, all but one earning Town something from the match.

Prior to that, home boss Jack Wilshere had made just one change to the side that beat Huddersfield Town 2-1 on Tuesday night, Jake Richards failing his fitness test which meant Jacob Brown made his first league start since March 1. Alli returned to the bench, but the Trotters looked every inch a side who were six unbeaten in all competitions, with five victories, as they made the perfect start on just eight minutes, as after all the talk about the danger coming down Bolton’s right and flying attacker Amario Cozier-Duberry, it was a fine move on the left that led to the opener.

A clever interchange saw Jordi Osei-Tutu reach the by-line and his cross was pulled back perfectly for Aaron Morley, a player who Town tried to sign during the summer transfer window, showing just why that was the case, as afforded time and space to take a touch, he did so, arrowing his low drive into the bottom corner.

Having been reduced to chasing shadows at times, Luton looked to make a decent fist of responding to the early setback, Liam Walsh beginning to pull the strings in midfield, but Bolton quickly resumed their authority, as they enjoyed well over 60 percent of the ball in the opening half of the first period, appearing a far more cohesive outfit than their opponents.

Town did finally manage to get some kind of pressure going, as on 28 minutes Jerry Yates had appeals for a penalty turned down, the loose ball picked up by Walsh who lashed over the bar on his left foot. Bolton went close to a second on the half hour when a deep free kick to the back post was met by George Johnston who couldn’t send his header on target.

The Hatters did once finally get a good head of steam going in the closing stages of the first half, some dogged approach play by George Saville leading to Lamine Fanne getting into the box, but reluctant to shoot on his left foot, he was tackled and the change went begging. Luton kept pushing, George Saville teeing up Walsh for a crack outside the box which took a deflection and bounced just wide, while from his corner somehow it wasn't 1-1, as Brown reached it back the post, hammering his cross beyond keeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe but unfortunately for Yates standing a yard off the line, it hit his knee and rebounded high over the bar.

Bolton’s pace meant they were always a threat to the ball over the top, with Josh Keeley often required to dash off his line and clear the danger away, which taking up a good position, he did to ensure the hosts finished the half just one behind. After the break, Luton continued their sporadic moments of attack, one seeing Bramall with a deep cross that Hakeem Odoffin nodded straight into the gloves of Sharman-Lowe.

The Trotters simply had to lead 2-0 though on 55 minutes though when a good run forward saw Osei-Tutu send over yet another inviting cross that was met by a flying Cozier-Duberry just six yards out, but he somehow headed wide of the target. The on-loan Brighton attacker almost got through again seconds later, Nigel Lonwijk with a terrific sliding tackle after he had rounded Kal Naismith, while Josh Dace-Cogley fired over the bar from 20 yards.

Luton, with Bramall starting to dictate proceedings, brought on Kodua for Brown just after the hour mark and it proved to be a pivotal choice by Wilshere, as the West Ham loanee sped away on the right before pulling a cross back for Yates who didn’t fully commit under pressure, his shot trundling through to Sharman-Lowe. Bolton were then reduced to 10 men on 70 minutes when Simons, who had already been booked for a foul on Brown, slid in slightly recklessly with Kodua, and after the Luton sub got to the ball first, referee Ruebyn Ricardo showed him his second yellow, leaving the visitors a man light for the closing stages.

However, rather than try and instantly go all out for the leveller, the Hatters opted to begin passing the ball around slowly at the back, not demonstrating the kind of urgency Town’s fans were screaming for, until Kodua’s low shot was gathered by the keeper. Luton applied some pressure, winning corner after corner, 13 of them in fact, but they couldn't make the most of them, one dropping for Naismith who found Teden Mengi, the centre half slamming over the top from the angle.

Town did have a leveller that was looking increasingly unlikely in the 83rd minute, when Morris stood his man up and sped past him, before dinking a cross over that saw Yates battle for it, Milli Alli have a swipe and then Kodua let fly with his left foot, nutmegging Sharman-Lowe and making it 1-1. From that moment on, the game was played virtually all in Bolton’s half, but the Trotters, who had kept three successive clean sheets and four from five in the league, refused to be breached again, as although Town continually won set-piece after set-piece, and tried a number of long-range shots from Bramall and Naismith, they weren’t able to find a winner.

Hatters: Josh Keeley, Hakeem Odoffin, Nigel Lonwijk (Milli Alli 82), Teden Mengi, Kal Naismith (C), George Saville, Liam Walsh, Lamine Fanne (Shayden Morris 82), Jacob Brown (Gideon Kodua 63), Cohen Bramall, Jerry Yates.

Subs not used: James Shea, Zack Nelson, Christ Makosso, Mads Andersen.

Trotters: Teddy Sharman-Lowe, Josh Dacres-Cogley (John McAtee 90), Xavier Simons, George Johnstone, Jordi Osei-Tutu (Richard Taylor 80), Aaron Morley, Eoin Toal ©, Amario Cozier-Duberry (Marcus Forss 79), Kyle Dempsey (Ethan Erhahon 74), Max Conway, Mason Burstow (Sam Dalby 74).

Subs not used: Tyler Miller, Ibrahim Cissoko.

Referee: Ruebyn Ricardo.

Booked: Simons 53, Lonwijk 57, Dacres-Cogley 62.

Sent off: Simons 70.

Attendance: 11,204 (1,329 Trotters).

Luton boss felt Town were denied a 'definitely penalty' in Trotters draw

Luton boss Jack Wilshere was left aggrieved that his side were denied what he termed a ‘definite penalty’ during their 1-1 draw against Bolton Wanderers yesterday.

Just after the midway point in the first half, and with the Hatters trailing 1-0 to to Aaron Morley’s early opener, striker Jerry Yates twisted and turned in the box, inviting an ill-advised challenge from visiting centre half George Johnston who appeared to clearly catch his opponent and send him tumbling to the floor.

Referee Ruebyn Ricardo saw otherwise though, waving play on as midfielder Liam Walsh almost made the Trotters pay only to slice his shot over the bar. Town should have been having an attempt from 12 yards instead though according to Wilshere, who also thought the hosts had claims for another spotkick too when George Saville was challenged shortly afterwards, but it was the first incident which Town's manager was most frustrated with during his post match press conference, saying: “That for me is a definite penalty. The other one is Sav which maybe I can see why he didn’t give that one, but the one with Yatesy is a penalty, he didn’t even touch the ball.”

Despite not getting that decision, Luton weren’t without their chances in a first half that the visitors had looked the more cohesive side for large parts, as it wasn’t until the second period where the Hatters began to demonstrate some territorial dominance, particularly when the Trotters were reduced to 10-men, midfielder Xavier Simons sent off for his second yellow card on 70 minutes.

It allowed Gideon Kodua to rescue a point with just seven minutes to go, the substitute finishing well on his left foot from inside the box, as Wilshere felt it was just reward for the extra belief his side exuded after the break, adding: “We arrived in some good areas without actually being able to execute. The set-piece where Browny (Jacob Brown) puts it in, he kicks it at Yatesy and it goes over. Lamine (Fanne) had a moment where he probably could score or at least get his shot off, Walshy had a good attempt, but that should give us some confidence.

"It should, because I tried to get the players to believe before the game and even if they didn’t quite believe in the first half, you could then see in the second half that they’ve felt what it was like and then they’ve backed themselves in the second half to go and try and win the game, which that’s all you can ask for.”

Wilshere satisfied with Trotters point although felt Luton could have grabbed all three

Town chief reacts to 1-1 draw with Bolton

Although insisting his side could have nicked all three points, Luton boss Jack Wilshere was left satisfied with the outcome when drawing 1-1 against in-form Bolton Wanderers at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

The Hatters, who had bounced back from losing 5-0 at Barnsley last weekend when defeating Huddersfield Town 2-1 on Tuesday night, while the visitors were having a night off, had to go again on home soil against a side who were unbeaten in six games over all competitions, winning five in a row at one stage, also keeping three successive clean sheets in the league too.

It was Steven Schumacher’s impressive visitors who struck first, former Luton target Aaron Morley taking a touch and and swivelling to fire past Josh Keeley on just eight minutes, as the Trotters were without doubt one of the best sides that the Hatters have faced so far this term. Town weren’t without their moments in the opening 45 minutes, Jerry Yates seeing calls for a penalty turned down, while Liam Walsh fired over the bar and had another attempt deflected narrowly wide.

After the break, despite Amario Cozier-Duberry heading wide from six yards, Luton began to dominate proceedings, especially when Xavier Simons was sent off for his second booking with 70 minutes on the clock. Wilshere’s side were finally able to make their extra man count though, as with seven minutes left, all three substitutes combined, Shayden Morris’s cross deflected by Milli Alli for Gideon Kodua to shoot through the legs of visiting keeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe to earn a point.

Speaking afterwards, Wilshere, who also saw his side force 13 corners in the contest, said: “I think we deserved it actually. I thought we took a while to get going, we were playing against a good team, so they make some nice rotations and cause you some problems we had to solve. I thought we could have maybe solved them a little bit quicker and then they score in that moment which is a bit of a punch in the head, but we responded well.

"Then once we solved what they were trying to do in the build-up, I thought we had some success. We definitely have to have one penalty, probably two penalties in the first half, so probably after the week, the context of the week, how big it’s been and how important it’s been, the five-nil and then to comeback and all the energy we had to put into the game and then recover and go again against one of the best teams in the league, I think I’m happy with the week.

“We probably saw a team that are one of the best in the league, closer probably to a Championship side and the level in the Championship is they have threats everywhere, so I felt like we solved it pretty well after their goal. I know the context is different now they’re protecting something but once we did solve it, we created some moments in the first half, we had the best opportunities after that in my opinion.

"The message at half time was about believing, we have to believe that we can win this game as we’ve created so many good moments and I definitely saw that in the second half. I know they went down to 10 men, but even when they had 11 men, I felt like we were building into the game, we were creating opportunities, one of them just has to go in. We have to score a set-piece at some point, but overall I’m happy.”

Luton chief praises Town trio for their impact in salvaging Bolton draw

Hatters hit back to claim a point against Wanderers

Luton chief Jack Wilshere hailed the impact of his substitutes after all three combined to help Town snatch a point against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.

Going into their third game in a week, the Hatters hammered 5-0 at Barnsley on Saturday and then hitting back to beat Huddersfield Town 2-1 on Tuesday night, Wilshere made just one change ahead of kick-off, Jacob Brown in for the injured Jake Richards, as the rest of the players who started in midweek when the Trotters were putting their feet up, were asked to dig deep and go again.

With Bolton enjoying the better of the opening 20 minutes, moving ahead through Aaron Morley’s clinical finish, the Trotters looked a high class team as they had well over 60 percent of the ball in those early stages. After building their way into the contest, Luton were finally able to find their way back into the contest, as they wrestled some control back in the latter stages of the opening period.

They might have fallen further behind at the start of the second half, on-loan Brighton & Hove Albion attacker Amario Cozier-Duberry heading wide, but once that opportunity was missed, the Hatters began to dominate proceedings, Gideon Kodua on for Brown with an hour gone. He quickly saw a shot saved by Teddy Sharman-Lowe, then setting up Jerry Yates for an opportunity that he scuffed at the keeper, before visiting midfielder Xavier Simons was dismissed on 70 minutes for his second foul, sliding in rashly on Kodua.

With eight minutes left, Wilshere threw on Shayden Morris and Milli All for Lamine Fanne and Nigel Lonwijk, switching formations too, as moments later, Morris was able to just sprint away from defender Richard Taylor and dink over a cross that Jerry Yates battled for, Alli got a toe to and then Kodua hammered through the legs of Sharman-Lowe to draw the hosts level with his fourth of the season.

Although Town couldn’t go on and claim all three points, discussing the trio of alterations, Wilshere said: “I’m really happy with them and that was the message before the game. We knew the team, we knew that some players would not be able to go the whole way and the message was give everything until you can’t and then let us know, as these guys, they’re hungry, they want to come on and make a difference, and I think we got that right.

"I said before the game, we talk about being together and having unity a lot and today what that meant was giving everything you can and then being honest to hold your hand up and say ‘I can't do any more, I’m tired,’ because the guys on the bench are hungry, they'll want to come on and show something. I'm really happy for them as they all did.

"We changed it up a little bit to try and get a goal, be a bit more aggressive and put more numbers on their last line, and they're all involved in the goal, so credit to them. Credit to the staff too, I said to them, we need something different, maybe it’s formation, maybe it’s personnel, maybe someone closer to Yatesy to try and get a flick on and try and play off him. I thought they were all excellent and they got their rewards at the end.”

On summer signing Morris, who joined from Scottish Premier League side Aberdeen and is just working his way back to full fitness having suffered a groin injury when Wilshere took over, getting his first outing under the new manager during Tuesday night’s 2-1 success over Huddersfield, the boss added: “That’s Shayden and I’ve been so impressed with him. He’s only been training probably a week or so, but he has the ability to stand someone up, change his pace which is one of the quickest I’ve seen and then the composure to stand it up. He’s someone who can help us for sure.”