Fleetwood Town vs Luton Town FC (6th Dec 2025)

06/12/2025 FLEETWOOD TOWN 2-2 aet LUTON TOWN (Lost 4-2 on penalties)

Town exit FA Cup after shootout defeat

Hatters fight back twice but League Two side earn third-round place

The Town exited the FA Cup after a penalty shootout defeat at Fleetwood.

In an entertaining tie in atrocious conditions on the Fylde coast, the Hatters twice battled from behind against the League Two side with Jerry Yates and a stunning strike from Teden Mengi in injury time taking the tie to extra-time.

But after no further goals in the extra half-an-hour it went to penalties where Fleetwood goalkeeper David Harrington was the hero saving from Jacob Brown and Liam Walsh to end the Town’s interest in this season’s competition.

Both sides came close in the first half to opening the scoring with Zack Nelson shooting over and Lasse Nordås, fresh from his two goals in midweek against Exeter, twice spurning good opportunities.

After half-chances came and went it was the home side that took the lead moments after Jack Wilshere had made a triple substitution when Ethan Ennis, on loan from Manchester United, diverted a shot beyond James Shea at the back-post on 65 minutes.

The Town’s response to falling behind was good and seven minutes later they were level with a well-worked goal. Reuell Walters’ pass down the right flank released Gideon Kodua and the winger squared for Yates to finish from six yards.

Four minutes later Mads Andersen powered a header over the bar from close range as the Hatters went in search of a winner but it was the hosts that other ideas when, with seven minutes left, Ennis curled home his second to restore the lead.

However, the Town refused to give in, and their efforts were rewarded three minutes into injury time when the ball broke to Mengi on the edge of the penalty area and the defender curled a sumptuous finish into the top corner.

Kal Naismith was introduced at the start of extra-time for his 100th appearance in Luton colours as the Hatters went in search of the lead and they almost had it on 103 minutes when former Fleetwood winger Shayden Morris’ low drive was expertly saved by Harrington.

But with no further chances for either side, the game went to penalties.

Taking first in front of the travelling Hatters fans, Kodua and Naismith scored the Town’s first two but Harrington stopped efforts from Brown and Walsh leaving Harrison Neal to win it for the hosts and send them in round three.

We’re back in League One action on Tuesday night when we make the short trip to Leyton Orient. We’ll see you then.

Town: Shea, Walters, Johnson (sub Naismith 91), Andersen, Mengi, Saville (sub Walsh 46), Fanne, Richards (sub Brown 63), Nelson (sub Morris 85), Alli (sub Kodua 63), Nordås (sub Yates 63).

Subs not used: Keeley, Morris, Lonwijk, Makosso.

Attendance: 1,180, including 663 supporting the Town.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6IJrO4W1tE – match highligts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkshNI1eMO8 – match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFtj9TUM79I – TNT Sport match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvhrSxjIRFc – Key moments

FA Cup second round: Fleetwood Town 2 Luton Town 2 (Fleetwood win 4-2 on penalties)

Hatters suffer FA Cup exit after penalty shoot-out woe at Cod Army

Luton Town crashed out of the FA Cup at the second round stage after a penalty shoot-out defeat at League Two Fleetwood Town this afternoon.

The Hatters had come from behind twice in the 120 minutes of football in a wet and windy Highbury Stadium, before spotkicks were required to separate the sides, Jacob Brown and Liam Walsh seeing their attempts saved by home keeper David Harrington as the Cod Army went through.

Town boss Jack Wilshere made four changes from the side who beat Exeter City in the Vertu Trophy on Tuesday night, with Teden Mengi, George Saville, Liam Walsh and Lamine Fanne coming into the team, as Shayden Morris dropped to the bench against the club where he came through as a youngster, joined by Gideon Kodua and Christ Makosso, Marvelous Nakamba missing completely.

The hosts had the better of things early on, Zack Nelson with a brave block as Elliot Bonds had a crack from outside the box, with Reuell Walters making a fine clearance at the back post. Lasse Nordas almost had an opening on six minutes when played in by Joe Johnson, as he nicked the ball beyond Harrington but then lost his footing on the greasy surface allowing the home defender and the stopper to get back and smother the danger.

Mark Helm curled narrowly over at the other end, as Milli Alli might have done better when breaking the offside trap, but he couldn't pick out a team-mate in the box as the chance went begging. Some good attacking play from Luton saw Walters look like he was fouled but play was allowed to continue, Saville finding the run of Zack Nelson who slammed a fierce shot narrowly over.

Alli looked like he had the beating of his man on the left, going close on 12 minutes when he danced past one marker and then saw his deflected cross parried over by a back-pedalling Harrington. Fleetwood did threaten too though, Andersen missing his clearance and top scorer Ryan Graydon with a snapshot that saw James Shea cling on to the wet ball.

Alli drifted one way and another on the left again on 17 minutes, his ball in was met on the volley by Nordas, who couldn’t keep it down, as the Norwegian then demonstrated some good hold-up play midway through the half which saw him play Alli in on the left, but the attacker dragged harmlessly across goal.

Nordas was looking Luton’s most likely method of breaking the deadlock in the first half as a good passing move saw Lamine Fanne slip a clever pass into him as he stretched to shoot goalwards, but keeper Harrington was equal to his prod. Some defensive hesitancy from Walters then allowed Manchester United loanee Ethan Ennis to ghost past Mengi and his cross was well cleared by Andersen from inside his own six yard box.

The Cod Army should have done better on 41 minutes, Ennis picking out the completely unmarked Ched Evans who was only able to sidefoot out for a throw-in. After the break, Luton looked to get at their hosts, Alli getting down the left twice, his first shot well handled by Harrington the second seeing Nordas’s effort charged down and away, although not with the hand that the visitors were appealing for.

Alli was proving to be the out-ball as he was found by Johnson and set off again, but once more his end product was lacking, dragging wide of the near post and also dispossessed when he had another opportunity to create something. Fleetwood didn’t quite have the quality to make them pay though, Graydon pouncing on a ball over the top to cut in and shoot straight at Shea from 20 yards.

Midway through the half, Wilshere made a triple sub, Jacob Brown, Jerry Yates and Gideon Kodua all coming on for Alli, Nordas and Richards, but before they could have any kind of impact, the hosts went ahead on 65 minutes as a deep cross saw the unmarked Ennis volley goalwards at the back post, his shot squirming under the body of Shea.

Kodua tried a massively ambitious attempt from range, only to then see Harrington, who was well off his line, fumble, but get to the loose ball before Yates could nip in. The two did combine for Luton's leveller on 73 minutes though as Walters’ excellently drilled long pass from the back was perfect for Kodua to take in his stride and then send a low cross for Yates to tap over the line from a few yards out.

Matty Virtue put his header at Shea, as Luton continued to look the more likely, Liam Walsh’s free kick met by Andersen whose header cleared the bar. Nelson was booked for diving as the ball to the back post was causing problems for Luton, another headed back across for James Bolton to nod against the crossbar.

The hosts were back in front on 83 minutes though when a poor clearance by Johnson saw the ball come back out for Ennis who curled a brilliant shot past a stationary Shea with the outside of his right boot. Town didn’t let their heads drop though, Fanne starting to really come into the game during the closing stages, with Morris finally coming on too.

With injury time almost up, it looked like Luton’s best chance had gone when a home defender booted off the line, they did have their leveller, the ball cleared to Teden Mengi just outside the box and he took a touch before hammering a superb sidefoot effort beyond the flying Harrington. Kal Naismith came on for Johnson during extra time, as the game was played predominantly in the hosts’ half, as a cross from the right was headed wide by Fanne, Kodua rifling over, with Fanne dispossessed inside the box by a terrific sliding tackle.

The Luton skipper, who was making his 100th appearance for the club, was part of a good break by Town as he went for goal, sending a daisycutter narrowly wide from 22 yards. He also drilled a superb pass out to the wing where Walters displayed great tenacity to find Morris, his low shot brilliantly tipped away by Harrington.

There was far less goalmouth action in the second period of extra time, Morris’s effort on his left foot straight at the keeper, with Kodua having another go from outside the box when he needed to try and find someone inside the area instead. That was that though, which then led to rather anticlimactic of a penalty shoot-out as although Kodua and Naismith both found the net impressively, the Cod Army clinically scored all four as Town’s FA Cup adventure was over for another year.

Cod Army: David Harrington, James Bolton (Toby Mullarkey 99). Elliot Bonds (C), Ryan Graydon (Will Davies 80), Mark Helm (Matty Virtue 71), Lewis McCann (Zach Medley 105), Ethan Ennis, Ched Evans (Finley Potter 87), Harrison Holgate, Harrison Neal, Kayden Hughes (Ronan Coughlan 90).

Subs not used: Jay Lynch, James Norwood, Jordan Davies.

Hatters: James Shea, Reuell Walters, Mads Andersen, Teden Mengi, Joe Johnson (Kal Naismith 90), George Saville (Liam Walsh 46), Jake Richards (Jacob Brown 63), Lamine Fanne, Zack Nelson (Shayden Morris 85), Lasse Nordas (Jerry Yates 64), Milli Alli (Gideon Kodua 63).

Subs not used: Josh Keeley, Nigel Lonwijk, Christ Makosso.

Booked: Graydon 66, Johnson 74, Nelson 78.

Referee: Ollie Yates.

Attendance: 1,180 (663 Hatters).

Opportunity missed by Luton as Wilshere reflects on 'frustrating' FA Cup exit at Fleetwood

Town crash out of the competition at League Two Cod Army

Luton boss Jack Wilshere labelled Saturday’s FA Cup defeat to League Two side Fleetwood as ‘frustrating’ after witnessing his side pass up the chance to progress into the third round and potentially earn a bumper tie for the club.

In a game that saw the visitors, who who roared on by more than half the supporters in the ground according to the official attendance, have 63 percent possession, with 21 shots to their hosts’ 11, they fell behind midway through the second half when Manchester United loanee Ethan Ennis’s volley squirmed through the body of James Shea to put the hosts in front.

Gideon Kodua then set up Jerry Yates to tap home the equaliser on 73 minutes, before the Cod Army retook the lead once more with seven minutes left when Ennis curled in a spectacular second with the outside of his right foot. Teden Mengi’s stoppage time screamer took the game into extra time, but despite playing the majority of it in the Fleetwood half, Luton couldn’t find a winner meaning penalties were required to decide the contest.

After Kodua and Kal Naismith both scored, Jacob Brown and Liam Walsh were denied by home keeper David Harrington, as the hosts’ perfect record from the spot saw them go through 4-2. Speaking afterwards, Wilshere said: “It’s frustrating as it felt like it was a real opportunity to progress. Of course we respected Fleetwood and we knew what strengths they had, but we also thought we could hurt them in certain areas and we did, I thought we did.

"That’s probably why I feel like, I’ve said it so many times, but it’s probably more relevant when you play against a League Two team that you have to take your opportunities as you know they’re going to come back. You know they’re going to put balls in the box, you know they’re going to make it difficult for you. We made some really good opportunities in the first half, we didn’t take them, and then we gave away cheap goals, so that’s always tough.

"We showed character to come back and force it into extra time where I thought we were the only team that looked like winning. We arrived in the final third and sometimes in the corner of the box and put the ball in the box and maybe didn’t capitalise as we weren’t in the right positions. I’ll have to watch it back, but I felt like we were pushing in extra time, tried to get a few more players on their last line while still trying to manage their transitions, as that was always a threat. We have to be better in those moments and show a little bit more calmness as penalties is a lottery, so that’s frustrating.”

Wilshere rues further missed chances for his misfiring Luton side at Fleetwood

Town are knocked out at The Highbury Stadium

Luton boss Jack Wilshere knows full well that there comes a point where his side simply have to start taking their chances after another disappointing performance in front of goal saw the Hatters crash out of the FA Cup after a second round exit on penalties at the hands of League Two side Fleetwood Town on Saturday.

Having put four past Exeter in the Vertu Trophy a few days beforehand, Lasse Nordas scoring a double, hopes were high that Town could take that clinical edge with them to the Highbury Stadium when going up against a Cod Army side who had only lost once on home soil this term. With Nordas starting again, it was he who was played through on goal twice in the first half, rounding keeper David Harrington only to then slip on the sodden surface as the chance went begging, also denied by the stopper’s legs when connecting with Lamine Fanne’s threaded pass.

Zack Nelson and Milli Alli both sent shots wide, as Town had the majority of the possession in the opening 45 minutes, but still swapped ends with the scores goalless. After the break, although the goals did begin to flow, at both ends, it was a similar story, as they continued to look the more likely, only for Ethan Ennis to open the scoring when his volley squirmed through James Shea.

Luton did hit back through Jerry Yates, while Mads Andersen put a header over, as Ennis then put the Cod Army back in front, only for centre half Teden Mengi’s stoppage time cracker to ensure extra time. During the added half an hour, Shayden Morris tested Harrington, as Kal Naismith, Gideon Kodua and Fanne were all off target, meaning when the shootout rolled around, the visitors went out 4-2, Jacob Brown and Liam Walsh seeing their efforts saved.

A frustrated Wilshere knew it should have been the Hatters’ number in the hat for round three though, as his side finished with 63 percent of the ball, and 21 shots, seven on target, as Fleetwood had the same amount from just 11 attempts. Town also forced 10 corners to the hosts five as although Wilshere thinks he has seen an improvement in front of goal during his time in charge, with five games still to come before the transfer window opens and he can finally look to bolster his forward ranks, he knows they need to start being better in the final third, saying: “They were (Fleetwood) good and we knew that.

"I know their manager (Pete Wild) and his energy and attitude towards football is never say die so they’re always going to be in it and they made it difficult in moments. We had to expect that and we did expect that and we have to take our opportunities. It’s frustrating, it’s not an individual thing, it’s a team thing, because it’s been probably a few games where it’s been like that.

"They don't need to do much to create and score a goal and then we create so many moments where we don’t quite take it and we probably score the most difficult ones. We have to keep working towards it. The most important thing is we arrive there but then there gets to a point where you have to score. We’ve been working on it a lot and to be honest with you I think we have improved.

"It looks like we are a little bit more calm in front of goal and I still think there has been an improvement where we’re calmer, but we have to finish the action. It’s not always easy to be fair, it’s the hardest thing to do in football and you don’t score loads and loads and loads of goals, especially in this league, especially against teams that make it difficult for you.

"We have to keep working and keep practicing it and just take our moments. The most important thing is we are creating them, and hopefully something will change our luck. We have to keep working on it, keep practicing in training, keep finding different finishes, different ways to arrive, as it’s frustrating.”

The manner in which Town did score pleased Wilshere though, especially the first goal that saw Reuell Walters’ long ball over the top perfectly in the path of Kodua who was able to bring it down and cross for Yates to tap home from a few yards out. Wilshere added: “That’s what we spoke about at half time, playing a little bit more behind them as they had a high line and sometimes they were jumping out in certain areas. It was nice that again the subs came on and made an impact. We’re fortunate we have a squad who can do that, we can change the three front men and three new players can come on and make a difference, so we’re happy with that.”

Town's character is the main positive for Wilshere during cup exit

Luton hit back from falling behind twice against Fleetwood

Luton boss Jack Wilshere felt yet another display of his side’s much-improved character was the main positive to take away from Saturday’s FA Cup exit at the hands of Fleetwood Town.

For the second weekend running, the Hatters conceded the first goal of the contest, Ethan Ennis’s back post volley somehow beating James Shea midway through the second half. Earlier in the season that would have been that for Town, but they were able to bounce back on this occasion, substitute Jerry Yates tapping home from close range after Gideon Kodua’s inch-perfect cross from Reuell Walters’ well directed ball over the top.

The Cod Army then went back in front with seven minutes left, Ennis on target again, netting a terrific finish past Shea, but Luton refused to let their heads drop, levelling the tie once more in stoppage time thanks to a wonderful Teden Mengi equaliser, the centre half arrowing home from just outside the box.

Although the Hatters couldn’t make their dominance count in extra time, and were subsequently knocked out 4-2 on penalties, the fact that they were able to hit back twice when going behind was a plus for Wilshere, who said: “That’s the positive and we’ve said that so many times, we’re going to need that this season.

“We speak about it all the time, moments, we have to take our moments as they’re coming back and what are we like at suffering? Do we have the quality in the final third? We did at times and we have to keep practicing at it and keep being more consistent with it because we know we will face some more games like that when teams are in a block, they make it difficult for us and we need to find a way to win games like that.”

With torrential rain greeting the players for the majority of the contest at the Highbury Stadium, plus a swirling wind, Town were still able to get the ball down and play when possible, as they looked good in the first half, creating some decent chances that Lasse Nordas and Zack Nelson in particular should have done better with, while Milli Alli also went close

Swapping ends with the scores still goalless was frustrating for the visitors, but Wilshere had been satisfied with their opening 45 minutes, as he added: “I was happy in the first half, I was happy with our performance. We spoke at half time about playing a little bit more behind them, a little bit more tempo, and they did in the second half. We just lacked a little bit of quality at moments or we missed an opportunity and then we gave away cheap goals. You think about the second half, we score and it’s 1-1, we’re pushing, pushing, pushing, they breakaway and they score a wonder goal almost. We showed character to come back, but still, we have to take our opportunities and we win that game.”