Plymouth Argyle vs Luton Town FC (24th Jan 2026)

24/01/2026 PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 1-0 LUTON TOWN

Town go down to defeat in Devon - Hatters slip to third successive away defeat after losing at Plymouth

The Hatters’ away day blues continued as they were beaten narrowly at Plymouth.

Former Town defender Brendan Galloway grabbed the winner in first-half stoppage time to condemn Jack Wilshere’s side a third straight away league defeat.

In truth Argyle could have won by a greater margin with the Hatters indebted to goalkeeper Josh Keeley and wayward finishing from the hosts.

That’s not to say the Town did not have chances themselves and could have snuck a point had Nahki Wells’ shot not been cleared off the line with 20 minutes left.

The Hatters, who started showing one change to the side that drew with Lincoln last weekend with Kasey Palmer given his debut in midfield, almost fell behind in the 11th minute when Alex Mitchell headed wide when unmarked inside the penalty area.

And two minutes later the Hatters needed a vital goal-line clearance from Nigel Lonwijk to prevent the Pilgrims from taking the lead after Matty Sorinola’s shot beat Keeley but was cleared by the defender.

Slowly, though, the Town began to find their rhythm. Wells was off target with two efforts in quick succession that came either side of a wonderful block from Kal Naismith to deny Malachi Boateng a chance for the hosts.

But while the Hatters had control of the ball they could not force a meaningful effort on target despite the ball dropping kindly inside the penalty area on numerous occasions.

As half-time approached, Argyle upped the ante and the fingertips of Keeley kept out a rasping drive from Ronan Curtis that rattled the crossbar before Boateng glanced a header wide on 40 minutes.

However, just when it seemed both sides would head at the break level, Argyle took the lead. The hosts sped clear after clearing a Hatters free-kick to win a corner. Keeley produced a spectacular one-handed save to deny Lorent Tolaj’s header but ex-Town defender Galloway was quickest to the loose ball to acrobatically turn home from close range.

Behind, the Hatters rallied at the start of the second half and Palmer inches away from celebrating a debut goal only for Hazard produced a flying fingertip save to turn the shot from 20 yards over the crossbar.

On 53 minutes the Town almost fell further behind when another former Hatter in the Argyle line-up, Bim Pepple, sped clear but shot wide with the goal at his mercy.

It was a massive let off the Town and Jack Wilshere responded with his first change, introducing Shayden Morris for Emilio Lawrence. The winger’s impact was almost immediate when his cut-back found Jordan Clark but Mathias Ross cleared the danger at the final moment.

The Hatters began to stir once more. Liam Walsh rifling a shot low into the side-netting before Wells had their best chance on 70 minutes. Clark threaded a disguised throughball into the feet of Wells and the striker did well to guide a shot on target. However, as the ball rolled goalwards, Argyle defender Mitchell got back in the nick of time to hack the ball to safety.

Wilshere threw on Cohen Bramall and Jerry Yates with 13 minutes left but, try as they might, the Hatters could not find an equaliser. Keeley, who prevented Tolaj from making it 2-0 in the second minute of added time, went upfield in the final moments. It almost led to a last-gasp equaliser when Clark’s effort at the back-post was stopped by Hazard with the final chance.

It’s defeat on the road for the Town who will need bounce back quickly when they head to Huddersfield on Tuesday night. We’ll see you then.

Town: Keeley, Lonwijk, Johnson, Naismith, Andersen, Walsh, Clark, Palmer, Kodua, Lawrence, Wells.

Subs not used: Shea, Fanne, Saville, Makosso

Attendance: 15,949, including 790 backing the Hatters.

League One: Plymouth Argyle 1 Luton Town 0

Luton's away day misery shows no signs of ending with Plymouth defeat

Luton’s woeful away form shows no signs of ending as they suffered yet another in what is becoming a depressingly familiar defeat on the road at Plymouth Argyle this afternoon.

The hosts did the damage in a first half that they completely dominated, easily outmuscling a timid Hatters, with the only surprise that it took them until injury time to score what proved to be the only goal of the game, such was their obvious superiority. Luton did improve after the break, largely as the hosts looked to hold what they had for long periods, which bar one Nahki Wells chance that was saved by keeper Conor Hazard, they were able to do with considerable ease, Town falling to a fourth defeat from five matches on the road, taking a single point in that time.

Boss Jack Wilshere made one change for the contest, new signing Kasey Palmer handed an immediate debut, surprisingly at the expense of Cohen Bramall who dropped to the bench, where he was rejoined by Lamine Fanne. It saw Palmer take up the attacking central midfield berth, moving Gideon Kodua out to the left, despite his impressive efforts against Lincoln in that role a week ago, but the hosts set the tone in the opening stages, inches away from taking the lead when Matthew Sorinola’s free kick was nodded just wide by Alex Mitchell.

Argyle then had a glorious chance to move ahead on 13 minutes when they outnumbered a frazzled looking Luton defence in the box, with Sorinola picked out in acres of space. He dallied somewhat, but still should have scored, beating Josh Keeley with a low drive, but not Nigel Lonwijk who had done superbly to get back and slide the ball off his line.

Still the hosts attacked, with top scorer Lorent Tolaj looking every inch the kind of player who has 15 goals in all competitions this season, someone who Town fans must be wondering why they hadn’t tried to sign, as he would be perfect in the number nine role for the visitors, an area they are seriously lacking, while Luton forward Bim Pepple posed a real threat as well.

Ronan Curtis sliced wide, before the Hatters briefly threatened themselves, Lonwijk sending a pass through to Wells who had the angle against him, dragging wide. As the rain poured down, the visitors’ defence was standing firm, just, despite Andersen making a crucial block when Malachi Boateng let fly, Kal Naismith also preventing Tolaj from barrelling his way through, and then sliding in to make the striker’s next attempt tougher, Keeley gathering

On the rare occasions Luton created something resembling a chance of their own, Wells put another attempt far wider this time, the ball also dropping for Kodua who miscued on his right boot. As the weather improved for a brief spell, so did Luton, working the ball impressively up the right, a heavy touch denying Wells a shot, while Joe Johnson’s corner caused havoc midway through the half, bouncing close to the line as no visiting player could reach it.

Argyle were quickly back in the ascendancy as their set-pieces and long throws kept Town hemmed in, Mads Andersen leading the defence by getting out to block yet another shot, Lonwijk with a crucial header away too. Keeley came to Luton’s rescue on 38 minutes as Curtis cut in and used his left foot on this occasion, the Luton stopper doing brilliantly to get fingertips to it and push his drive on to the bar, also getting up well to punch the resulting corner away too.

Luton had a real opportunity to try and create the opener in stoppage time, but Liam Walsh’s free kick didn't beat the first man and from that, the hosts raced upfield themselves to win a corner. From the delivery, Tolaj got away from his markers to see a header brilliantly saved by Keeley, but ex-Hatter Brendan Galloway then sent an acrobatic overhead kick into the net before Wells could head away, as Keeley’s pleas that it was a high boot fell on deaf ears.

Tolaj shot over as the hosts finished the half on a high, and they continued after the interval, Curtis’s free kick from 20 yards not coming down in time. Luton finally showed signs of life, Palmer racing away and unleashing a blast that saw Conor Hazard called into action, as it brushed his fingertips on the way over.

Argyle wasted the perfect chance to move 2-0 ahead on 52 minutes, as Naismith lost a fifty-fifty in the centre of the pitch which sent Pepple with a clear run on goal. He looked to have done everything right, sitting Keeley down and sidefooting past him, but his shot flashed just the wrong side of the post and Town fortunately kept the deficit at one.

Luton brought on Shaden Morris who was almost involved in an equaliser as Walsh found Kodua on the left, his low cross met by the substitute at full stretch, deflected over the bar before Wells could prod home. The corner saw Town maintain their pressure, Walsh having a go from 20 yards, but sadly it rustled the side-netting and not the back of the net.

With 20 left the visitors created a wonderful chance to draw level as Clark finally found his passing range, slipping Wells in who went clean through and tried to dink Hazard who got enough of a block to slow his shot down, Mitchell back to clear before it crossed the line. Wilshere looked to his bench to bring on Jerry Yates and Bramall as Luton tried to boost their attacking options for the closing stages, but the urgency to even get the ball into the box was sorely lacking.

During six minutes of injury time, it was the hosts who looked more likely adding to their tally, Keeley saving well from Tolaj and Caleb Watts putting the loose ball over. Town almost snatched a leveller with the final kick, a long ball finally pumped into the box and met by Lonwijk, with Clark diving in only to see Hazard smother the ball and ensure the three points remained in Devon.

Pilgrims: Conor Hazard, Mathias Ross, Joe Edwards ©, Lorent Tolaj, Alex Mitchell, Malachi Boateng, Brendan Galloway, Bim Pepple (Kornel Szucs 78), Ronan Curtis, Matty Sorinola, Joe Ralls (Brendan Wiredu 8, Caleb Watts 54).

Subs not used: Luca Ashby-Hammond, Jamie Paterson, Xavier Amaechi, Ayman Benarous.

Hatters: Josh Keeley, Nigel Lonwijk, Mads Andersen, Kal Naismith (C), Joe Johnson (Cohen Bramall 78), Liam Walsh, Jordan Clark (C), Kasey Palmer (Jerry Yates 77), Gideon Kodua, Emilio Lawrence (Shayden Morris 57), Nahki Wells.

Subs not used: James Shea, George Saville, Christ Makosso.

Booked: Ross 45, Curtis 54, Boateng 71, Lonwijk 80, Szucs 84.

Referee: Elliot Bell.

Attendance: 15,949 (790 Hatters).

Luton boss felt Town deserved something after Pilgrims loss

Town slip to Home Park defeat

Luton boss Jack Wilshere felt his side did enough to deserve something when suffering yet another away defeat at Plymouth Argyle, beaten 1-0 this afternoon.

The Hatters had struggled to get going in the first period, Nigel Longwijk making a terrific clearance off the line to deny Matthew Sorinola, while Josh Keeley fingertipped Ronan Curtis’s shot onto the bar and over. Having seemingly withstood the Pilgrims’ onslaught, the hosts then took the lead in first half stoppage time when from a Luton free kick deep in enemy territory, they broke away and won a corner.

Keeley made another terrific stop to deny the hosts’ dangerous forward Lorent Tolaj’s free header, only for Brendan Galloway to net an acrobatic overhead kick as Town’s keeper and defenders complained about a high boot on Nahki Wells. After the break, Luton improved, new signing Kasey Palmer denied by Conor Hazard from 20 yards, with Wells going clean through only to see his dink saved by the home stopper, with Jordan Clark also denied at the death.

The hosts were always a threat too, Keeley saving from Tolaj again, as asked if he felt Town had done enough to emerge with a point, Wilshere said: “Yes I did. We spoke about it in the week, focused on it, what is it that we’re missing away from home? We spoke about maybe some of the things and I thought the boys showed that in the first half. It’s not always going to be able to find the way that we want to play, or take control of the game, you have to find something different, you have to compete, you have to suffer in moments.

"I thought we did that, when they have a nine that is that good, you create moments. I thought we suffered well in the first half, conceded a bad goal from our point of view. It’s a set-piece that we need to look at, but I felt we did enough in the second half to come back into the game, but couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net. We had a few half moments where I feel we could make a better decision.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXNcONmFtV8 – Jack Wilshere interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJkUN9bSHzQ – match highlights