Luton Town FC vs Port Vale (13th Dec 2025)

13/12/2025 LUTON TOWN 2-2 PORT VALE

Andersen header earns Town point

Bramall free-kick the highlight as the Hatters earn third straight draw

The Town had to settle for a point against Port Vale in their final home match before Christmas at Kenilworth Road.

Cohen Bramall’s fabulous free-kick put the Hatters in front but Jack Wilshere’s side could not build on that and bottom-of-the-table Vale fought back to lead early in the second half.

However, the Town rallied and were rewarded when Mads Andersen nodded home an equaliser with 20 minutes left.

The Hatters tried to find a winner in the closing stages but could not prevent a third draw in a row in League One to keep them on the fringes of the play-off places.

It began with Wilshere making two changes to the side that drew with Leyton Orient on Tuesday night with Andersen and Milli Alli in from the start. After his cameo at Brisbane Road in the week, Jordan Clark was once more named among the Hatters substitutes.

After an even opening to the game the Hatters slowly found their rhythm but failed to seriously test Ben Amos int the Vale goal.

The visitors, who arrived in Bedfordshire without a win or a goal in their previous six league games, were the closest to breaking the deadlock when captain George Byers smashed a drive inches wide on 20 minutes.

But back came the Town. Amos needed to keep half-chances from Kal Naismith and Gideon Kodua but, on 26 minutes, the Town went ahead in sensational style when Bramall added a third goal to his stunning collection of free-kicks. With the ball 25 yards out the wing-back sent a brilliant effort into the very top corner giving Amos no chance.

Naismith headed straight at Amos following George Saville’s free-kick on 38 minutes as the Town sensed a second but three minutes before the interval the visitors were level. Ruari Paton curled in a dangerous free-kick from the left and Ben Waine rose highest in the penalty area to plant a bullet header past Josh Keeley.

The goal – Vale’s first in over nine hours of League One football – gave the visitors confidence and Darren Moore’s side were soon celebrating another at the start of the second half. Paton was again the architect; his shot was parried by Keeley and Devante Cole was on hand to stroke home from close range to give Vale the lead.

All of a sudden the visitors were smelling blood, and the Town had a let-off on the hour when Paton spurned a chance at the back-post after the ball ran free.

Clark and Nahki Wells were introduced on 62 minutes as the Hatters went in search of a leveller and it arrived eight minutes later. Liam Walsh’s corner from the left found Andersen and the Dane nodded a header past Amos despite the visitors’ protests.

With 20 minutes remaining the Town upped the ante and, with Lamine Fanne replacing Nigel Lonwijk, Wilshere’s side seemed to have regained the ascendancy.

However, clear-cut chances were few and far between with Teden Mengi and Bramall both off target from range as time ticked down.

Eight added minutes were signalled but the best the Town could muster was a volley from late substitute Lasse Nordås with an acrobatic volley that was deflected wide and it ended 2-2.

Town: Keeley, Bramall, Lonwijk, Naismith, Andersen, Mengi, Saville (sub Clark 62), Walsh (Nordås 86), Kodua, Alli (sub Morris 46), Brown (sub Brown 62).

Subs not used: Shea, Makosso.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ph9UL9CZ91k – Jack Wilshere post match interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZeSeQqhN4k – match highlights

League One: Luton Town 2 Port Vale 2

Luton booed off once more after being held at home by bottom club Port Vale

Luton Town were held to a hugely disappointing 2-2 draw by bottom side Port Vale at what was an increasingly agitated Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

Going up against a team who hadn’t scored a goal in the league for six games since October 11, late September the last time they had tasted that winning feeling in the third tier, then the expectation was for the Hatters to get a morale-boosting victory under their belts ahead of a busy festive schedule. It looked like that might happen when Cohen Bramall added to his scrapbook of superb free kicks in the first half, only to see the visitors break their lengthy duck just before the interval and then actually move in front early in the second period.

Although Town were able to hit back through Mads Andersen, it was done so in what was a fractious atmosphere, with boos from a number of fed up supporters greeting the players during the game and at the full time whistle too, despite the hosts making it four league matches unbeaten themselves. Before kick-off, home boss Jack Wilshere made two changes from the 1-1 draw at Leyton Orient in midweek, Milli Alli starting in the league for the first time since the manager’s opening game in charge, while Andersen came back too, Lamine Fanne dropping to the bench and Jerry Yates missing out completely.

Midfielder Jordan Clark was also among the substitutes after his impressive cameo in midweek, Nahki Wells fit enough to return, with the main talking point being captain Kal Naismith keeping his place in the XI despite struggling during Tuesday night’s clash in east London, as he was moved to a left back role this time, and to be fair, did very little wrong throughout.

Following a quiet start, Luton started to come to life after 10 minutes, a lovely move down the right seeing Liam Walsh release Alli whose first time cross was turned behind for a corner that Saville picked out an unmarked Gideon Kodua to volley over. Kodua then became the architect himself, sending Bramall away on the left, his cross just taken off the head of a lurking Jacob Brown, switched to the central role on this occasion.

The hosts’ passing already appeared far crisper than it had been midweek, Walsh picking out Alli who was able to get the ball on his left foot and have a crack that was deflected behind. However, Vale were inches away from ending their lengthy drought on 20 minutes, George Byers hammering a half volley that looked in, Keeley gratefully watching it flash past his upright.

The visitors were dealt a blow shortly afterwards when former Belgium U21 international Funso Ojo had to go off injured, Rhys Walters in his place, as Town tried to double their advantage, Saville’s free kick met by Naismith a good 16 yards out, his header straight at Amos. Luton were then pegged back on 42 minutes though when Alli gave a needless free kick away allowing Paton to send in a terrific delivery for Ben Waine to escape the attentions of Brown and plant his header beyond Keeley, allowing the over 1,000 visiting fans to finally celebrate the goal they had been craving.

Wilshere made one change at the break, taking off the ineffective Alli for Shayden Morris, but Luton began absolutely dreadfully, unable to get the ball out of their half early on, which saw boos when they held on to possession at the back for what was too long in their supporters’ eyes. They paid the price on 54 minutes as well, Paton allowed to venture into the box unchallenged and although Keeley parried his shot, the ball bounced to Devante Cole who had the simplest job of tapping into the empty net, leading to a chorus of jeers from the home crowd and chants of ‘you’re not fit to wear the shirt.’

The Hatters were almost level instantly, the one bright spark, Bramall, sprinting away on the left, his cross turned over while under heavy pressure from a few yards by Morris. Vale remained in the hunt for a third too, a low ball going all the way through the box and Paton unable to divert on target at the back post, as it wasn’t even worth thinking about what would have happened to the atmosphere had that gone in.

Wilshere went to his bench again, bringing on Clark and Wells for Saville and Brown, with Clark’s introduction at least getting a good response from an increasingly toxic Kenilworth Road crowd, although he was almost instantly booked for a late tackle. Town did then draw level on 70 minutes when Walsh’s corner was met by a combination of Naismith and Andersen to bundle over the line, the visiting players complaining to the officials that the goal shouldn’t have stood, with replays showing Andersen clearly got the final touch.

From there, Luton finally started to look the better side, as Mengi began to dominate proceedings, the ball dropping to him just outside the box, but he couldn’t repeat his Fleetwood heroics from seven days ago, dragging wide on his left foot. Bramall had another crack from a free kick that was slightly further out on this occasion, as the crowd waited with baited breath, only to see him just get too much on it this time.

Kodua also unwisely had a go with three minutes left, after an ugly passage of play, but despite having space available to run into, opted for what was a spectacular and incredibly unlikely strike from 35 yards, as it went tamely well, well wide. With eight minutes added and Kodua still on the field, the Hatters had a chance of grabbing some late joy, certainly looking the most likely, Vale down to 10 men, as having made all ther substitutions, lost Byers to injury.

They almost managed it too, a good move on the left seeing Nordas’s acrobatic volley from late addition Lamine Fanne’s cross blocked behind, the resulting corner rebounding to Bramall, who pulled his left foot back, only to slice disappointingly wide, as Town’s fans let the players know in no uncertain terms what they thought of their efforts once more at the final whistle, all bar Bramall, roundly jeered as they made their way to the tunnel.

Hatters: Josh Keeley, Nigel Lonwijk (Lamine Fanne 71), Teden Mengi, Mads Andersen, Kal Naismith, Gideon Kodua, George Saville (Jordan Clark 62), Liam Walsh (Lasse Nordas 86), Cohen Bramall, Milli Alli (Shayden Morris 46), Jacob Brown (Nahki Wells 62).

Subs not used: James Shea, Christ Makosso.

Valiants: Ben Amos, Jaheim Headley, Ben Heneghan, Connor Hall, George Byers (C), Funso Ojo (Rhys Walters 34), Ruari Paton (Modou Faal 76), Ben Waine (Jayden Stockley 85), Kyle John (Jesse Debrah 85), George Hall (Dajaune Brown 76), Devante Cole.

Subs not used: Joe Gauci, Ryan Croasdale.

Booked: Heneghan 15, Clark 65, Byers 78.

Referee: Lee Swabey.

Attendance: 10,867 (1041 Vale).

Two points dropped for Wilshere as Luton boss thinks Town lacked 'belief'

Hatters are held by Port Vale at Kenilworth Road

Luton boss Jack Wilshere felt it was a case of two points dropped during yesterday’s 2-2 draw against bottom side Port Vale, a fixture he thought his players looked like they were lacking in ‘belief.’

The Hatters had gone into the contest as firm favourites to secure all three points against a team who hadn’t won in the league since September 27, not even finding the net in a third tier game since early October either, some six games ago. It looked like Town were well set for a much-needed three points when Cohen Bramall fired in a magnificent free kick on 27 minutes, but the Valiants, who didn’t show the hallmarks of a side that was low on confidence, or sitting at the foot of the table, came roaring back, Ben Waine heading in Ruari Paton’s free kick just before half time, Devante Cole tapping in to darken the worsening mood around Kenilworth Road early in the second period.

Mads Andersen did nod in Liam Walsh’s corner to rescue a point with 20 minutes left, but the hosts weren’t able to find a winner, Lasse Nordas and Bramall both unable to find the net in stoppage time, as summing up his feelings, Wilshere said: “Frustrated I would say. Tuesday (1-1 draw with Leyton Orient) feels like we gained a point and today it feels like we lost two points. I need to watch it back to have an actual real clear opinion, but I felt like we lacked a little bit of belief which I know at times has been difficult here this season.

"I think we have to constantly look at ways that we can try and lift them as genuinely I’ve got so much belief in these players. I want them to have the same thing for themselves, but at the minute it’s lacking a little bit. We need to find different ways to attack too, we want to be a team of variation and I felt like we didn’t have that today.”

A few things thing that did please Wilshere was the fighting spirit his side were yet again able to demonstrate in the second period as having fallen behind, and seeing boos ring out from the stands, with the atmosphere becoming particularly toxic, they were able to hit back and claim a point to stretch their unbeaten league run to four games.

He also felt Town’s set-pieces were a plus too, as for the second game in a row, it was a Walsh corner that led to the equaliser, while Bramall’s free kick was simply out of this world, as he added another special strike to his ever-increasing highlight reel. It led the boss to add: “I’m happy with the set-pieces as a set-piece is a free ball into the box and you can train that, you can get better at that, as I think you can see we are.

"We obviously scored one at Leyton Orient, which gets you a point, scored one today, gets you a point. I don’t think you’ll know if this is a good point or a bad point until you get to the end of the season and we see where we are. I’m happy with the set-pieces and don’t want to keep talking about the character, as I know there’s character in there and they keep proving it.

"We say it all the time, but there has to be something in it. Sometimes we play our best football when we’re chasing, which we need to be able to produce consistently over the 90 minutes, not just if we need something or we need a goal. But to keep going in a difficult environment, there has to be something in that, so credit to them.”

Hatters boss feels jeers from Kenilworth Road crowd are 'not helping' Luton's players

Wilshere responds to boos during Luton’s 2-2 draw with Port Vale

Luton boss Jack Wilshere felt the boos from the Kenilworth Road faithful definitely ‘didn’t help’ his players during their 2-2 draw against Port Vale this afternoon.

The Hatters had taken the lead in absolutely stunning style on 26 minutes when Cohen Bramall fired a truly brilliant free kick into the top corner, giving former Manchester United stopper and England U21 international Ben Amos absolutely no chance at all. However, Town couldn’t go on from there, as they conceded to a team who hadn’t scored for over two months in the league, going six games and over nine hours without finding the net, that drought ended just three minutes before the break when Milli Alli gave away a cheap free kick which saw Ruari Paton’s delivery met by an unmarked Ben Waine, who had lost Jacob Brown, heading beyond Josh Keeley.

After the break, the visitors then came out with a real potency and threat about them, dominating possession and territory, Luton unable to get out of their own half for a good few minutes. Vale quickly capitalised too when Paton was allowed to venture into the box unchallenged and although Keeley parried his shot, the ball bobbled through to Devante Cole to tap into the empty net.

The second that happened, it saw a large part of the 10,867 crowd turn on their own players, with loud boos ringing out and chants of ‘you’re not fit to wear the shirt’ from some sections of supporters too. It carried on when Paton went close with another effort which missed the target, as to their credit, the hosts were able to get back into it in the 70th minute, Mads Andersen heading home Liam Walsh’s corner to make it 2-2.

The tension eased slightly as the Hatters pushed for a winner, Teden Mengi dragging wide, Lasse Nordas seeing his volley blocked and Bramall slicing off target in stoppage time, but the jeers returned at the full time whistle as Town’s players were again met with another volley of the fans’ frustrations after being unable to beat the division’s basement side on home soil.

Asked what he thought about the reaction of supporters during the game, Wilshere said: “For me, I just think about the players and worry about the players in that moment. As what we want is the players to do well, what we want is the players to win, and that’s definitely not helping the players.

"You can see that, it’s clear, but that being said, and I said this after the game, we have to find a way, either we step up and in those moments we’re going to face it and try and be even more of ourselves, or we’re going to go under and it’s going to be very difficult in moments. So we have to keep looking at that. I knew that when I came in and probably didn’t understand it was as bad as it is at times, but as players we have to deal with that, as coaches we have to find a way to help the players deal with that and we will.”

There had also been some dismay aired from the stands before Port Vale went ahead as Keeley wasn’t getting things moving as quickly as they wanted, which led to the Hatters beginning to keep hold of the ball in their defensive third, trying to attract the Vale forwards on to them. Questioned about Luton’s approach coming in for criticism, Wilshere added: “One thing that I would like the fans to know, I would like to think I’m not stupid, I’m not stupid.

“I don’t want to try and overplay, I don’t want to put the ball in dangerous positions, but if there’s space behind them we’re going to go behind them. When you play against teams that don’t press and they’re in a low block, there’s not that much space in behind them so you have to try and find better ways to attack and we didn’t do it well enough today.

"Actually at times I felt we could have moved the ball a little bit quicker as sometimes if you’re waiting, waiting, waiting and they’re not coming, it’s not the moment to do it. You have to put the ball out wide, try and open up some more spaces. We try and win the game in the best way we think possible, and we didn’t do it today.”