Luton Town FC vs Bradford City (7th Feb 2026)

07/02/2026 LUTON TOWN 2-1 BRADFORD CITY

Hatters secure another home win

Town make it 10 home league games unbeaten with important victory over Bantams

The Hatters made it five wins in six home league games to move a step closer to the play-offs with a deserved victory over promotion-chasing Bradford.

Jake Richards’ fine left-foot strike put the Town ahead by half-time and Shayden Morris doubled the lead shortly before the hour.

The Hatters missed several chances to extend the lead and that led to some nervy moments in the dying stages when the visitors pulled a goal back in injury time.

But the Town held on to make it 10 games unbeaten on home turf and consolidate seventh place in the League One table.

After last weekend’s win over Blackpool, Jack Wilshere made two changes – giving striker Devante Cole his debut in attack. Cole replaced Nahki Wells while Richards started in the place of Cohen Bramall, who missed out with an ankle injury sustained last weekend.

While the Hatters started on the front foot, testing the visitors’ defence in the opening stages, it was the Bantams that missed the game’s first real chance when Jason Metcalfe side-footed over the crossbar with the goal at his mercy on 14 minutes.

But as the first half wore on the Hatters continued to grow into the game, and they came within a lick of paint of taking the lead eight minutes before half-time when a lovely move involving Teden Mengi, Kasey Palmer and Richards ended with Clark curling a shot onto the crossbar.

It was a move of real quality but the Town did not have long to wait for the deadlock to be broken as, two minutes later, Richards struck.

Mengi and Joe Johnson combined well to find Gideon Kodua who in turn squared to Richards. The 18-year-old midfielder took a touch before arrowing an unerring left-foot drive past Sam Walker in the Bradford goal for his third of the campaign.

Behind, Bradford came out all guns blazing at the start of the second half in a bid to find a quickfire leveller and the Town needed a touch of fortune when Kayden Jackson missed his kick in the six-yard box just 30 seconds after the restart.

But just when the Bantams were beginning to get on top the Town doubled their lead. Richards won the ball in the middle of the park and Clark spotted the run of Morris. The winger sped goalwards, cut inside onto his left foot and placed a fine finish home for his fifth of the season.

They say 2-0 can be a dangerous scoreline and seven minutes after the second goal the Town needed an excellent save from Josh Keeley to prevent Ethan Wheatley from pulling one back for the Bantams.

But the game continued to ebb and flow brilliantly. Nigel Lonwijk blocked a goal-bound effort before Kodua raced clear but could only shoot straight at Walker as both sides looked for goals.

Wilshere introduced Davy van den Berg for his debut together with Izzy Jones as the pair replaced both goalscorers – and within minutes of his introduction, Jones flashed a shot wide of the target.

The opportunity for more goals continued to fall as the rain teemed down as the Town kept the ball magnificently with Palmer, once again, instrumental as Jones and Clark were denied repelled by Walker.

As full-time approached the Hatters defence, marshalled brilliantly by Mengi and Mads Andersen, held firm.

Keeley produced an excellent stop to stop Humphrys’ drive with three minutes to go before, at the other end, Palmer saw yet another effort parried away by the over-worked Walker.

Yet there were nerves right towards the end when Humphrys got one back for the Bantams in the sixth of seven added minutes and there was still time for the visitors to force one final chance.

Bradford won a corner and Walker came up but, with hearts in mouths, Metcalfe shanked his shot over the Oak Road crossbar in the 98th minute and the Town were able to celebrate another important home victory.

It’s a week before the Town are in action when they head to leaders Cardiff next Saturday.

We’ll see you there.

Town: Keeley, Lonwijk, Johnson, Andersen, Mengi, Palmer, Clark (sub Saville 83), Richards (sub van den Berg 67), Morris (sub Jones 68), Kodua (sub Wells 77), Cole (sub Al-Hamadi 83).

Subs not used: Shea, Naismith.

Attendance: 11,000, including 1,343 from Braford.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_A00UjN4xE – Jack Wilshere post match interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-3BAGOUJvg – match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3z6VFwchoA – extended match highlights

League One: Luton Town 2 Bradford City 1

Luton make it 10 unbeaten at Kenilworth Road by beating play-off rivals Bradford

Luton Town delivered their most complete performance of the season as they produced a hugely encouraging display to beat fellow play-off hopefuls Bradford City at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

Facing a Bantams side who came to play clearly helped the hosts as, with Kasey Palmer bossing the midfield once more, they managed an impressive 17 shots, with seven on target, goals from Jake Richards and Shayden Morris enough to extend the Hatters’ unbeaten record on home soil to 10 matches.

Boss Jack Wilshere handed January signing Devante Cole an immediate debut in the number nine role as Nahki Wells dropped to the bench, while Richards replaced the injured Cohen Bramall. With City instantly looking to have more intent than most of Luton’s visitors to Bedfordshire this term, Town had to dig in early on, but soon threatened at the other end, Jordan Clark shooting across goal, as he appeared to get cleaned out afterwards, but referee Richard Eley waved away the penalty appeals, while Richards had a pop that deflected wide.

Clark then did well to take a ball out of the sky and with Morris to his right, went for goal himself, his attempt taking a flick off Cole and forcing Sam Walker into a sprawling stop. With Teden Mengi requiring treatment after jarring his ankle, he was off the pitch when Bradford really should have taken the lead, Jenson Metcalfe arriving in the box to thankfully fire over the bar.

Stepping up to free kick duties in Bramall’s absence, full back Joe Johnson had a go on 28 minutes, his attempt not coming down in time, while opportunities were sparse from then on, Tyreik Wright off target after a clever corner routine. During the latter stages of the first period, Luton started to purr, Mengi beginning a number of moves from defence, the first seeing Palmer’s nutmeg find Richards whose pass released Clark and he bent his shot beyond the keeper only to see it bounce away off the crossbar.

Town were just warming up though, as they manufactured another lovely passage of play on the left hand side with 39 minutes gone, Mengi starting things once more. Johnson and Gideon Kodua were both involved, as Richards took up a great position centrally some 20 yards out, the midfielder needing no second invitation to take advantage of the space afforded to him and rifle a shot into the bottom corner for his third goal of the campaign.

Luton went hunting for a second too, Clark nipping in to win the ball back high up, and having another go which was deflected over for a corner that saw Andersen tee up his centre half partner Mengi who dragged wide, throwing his head back in frustration. Needing to begin the second half in the same way they finished the first, something Town have struggled with this term, Wilshere’s men didn’t, almost coming undone immediately, a cross dinked to the far post where an unmarked Kayden Jackson connected with fresh air.

The Hatters put a major dent in City’s hopes of returning home with something tangible though as they made it 2-0 on 55 minutes, Richards winning the ball back and finding Clark who released Morris, the winger bursting into the box before cutting inside his man to sidefoot beyond Walker. Ex-Luton player Graham Alexander made a triple substitution following the goal and it should have led to his side pulling one back on 62 minutes, when on-loan Manchester United youngster Ethan Wheatley went clean through with just Keeley to beat, shooting tamely at the Luton stopper.

The contest became an entertaining end-to-end affair as Keeley batted a a cross out that saw Town scramble the ball away, before the hosts ought really to have had a third, Kodua skipping past his man on the left and carrying on going, unable to beat the imposing frame of Walker. Refreshingly, Luton didn’t try and just hold what they had, with their midfield of Palmer and Clark in particular excelling, as Johnson set off on a rampaging run to find Izzy Jones, who had come on with new signing Davy van den Berg, but couldn’t get the bend that was required on his shot, while the outstanding Palmer played him in again, Walker coming to the rescue.

Van den Berg showed plenty of nice touches on his debut, involved in the move that saw Clark slam another shot straight at Walker as Bradford were struggling to look like coming back into the contest, Metcalfe slicing over. Late on the action didn’t show any signs of slowing down, Mads Andersen, who was absolutely terrific in the air all game long, showing his ground skills were just as good, getting out to block Wheatley.

Palmer almost capped his superb display with his first goal after good work from Ali Al-Hamadi, but Walker was equal to his effort, while Keeley made a superb stop to prevent Humphrys from starting to jangle the nerves. With seven minutes added on, it looked like Town were home and hosed after six of them, but the nerves did get a jangle when Humphrys was able to get the better of Johnson to Antoni Sarcevic’s ball over the top and beat Keeley to make it 2-1.

An even later corner followed but when played back to Metcalfe he once more showed he had left his shooting boots in Yorkshire, as the Hatters terrific home record carried on as they continue to breathe life into their hopes of reaching the top six.

Hatters: Josh Keeley, Nigel Lonwijk, Mads Andersen, Teden Mengi, Joe Johnson, Kasey Palmer, Jordan Clark (C, George Saville 83), Gideon Kodua (Nahki Wells 77), Shayden Morris (Izzy Jones 68), Jake Richards (Davy van den Berg 67), Devante Cole (Ali Al-Hamadi 83).

Subs not used: James Shea, Kal Naismith.

Bantams: Sam Walker, Ibou Touray, Max Power ©, Josh Neufville (Lee Evans 85), Paul Mullin (Ethan Wheatley 61), Aden Baldwin, Tyreik Wright (Stephen Humphrys 61), Kayden Jackson (Antoni Sarcevic 61), Jenson Metcalfe, Curtis Tilt, Matthew Pennington (Bobby Painton 74).

Subs not used: Joe Hilton, Joe Wright.

Booked: Tilt 27, Neufville 42, Palmer 67, Keeley 75.

Referee: Richard Eley.

Attendance: 11,000 (1,343 Bantams).

Wilshere felt Town delivered their most 'complete' display in Bantams win

Richards and Morris on target to down Bantams

Hatters boss Jack Wilshere felt his side delivered their most ‘complete’ performance when beating Bradford City 2-1 at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

The hosts went into the game knowing it was one they really had to win if they wanted to stay in touch with the Bantams, who still have a game in hand on them, beginning the contest some seven points in front of them. By the full time whistle, that gap was down to four though, thanks to a terrific performance from Luton, as on a pitch that was cutting up due to the incessant rain that has battered Bedfordshire in recent days, driven on by Kasey Palmer and Jordan Clark, were still able to craft some terrific moves together that were lapped up by an enthusiastic home crowd.

Up against a Bradford side who came to win as well, unlike a number of others sides this term, led to an entertaining affair that really came to life in the closing stages of the first half, Clark hitting the bar and then the recalled Jake Richards opening the scoring when he drilled into the bottom corner from 20 yards on 39 minutes.

After the interval, Shayden Morris doubled the lead 10 minutes in when sent away by Clark to cut inside his man and sidefoot beyond Sam Walker, as the visiting stopper also repelled Gideon Kodua, Izzy Jones, Clark and Palmer as Town hunted a third. At the other end, Town, with centre back Mads Andersen outstanding in the air, were able to keep their opponents in check, although did require two saves from Josh Keeley to stay two goals in front, denying Ethan Wheatley when he went clean through, then parrying brilliantly from Stephen Humphrys.

In the final minute of stoppage time, Humphrys did pull one back after getting the better of Joe Johnson, but the Hatters held on for victory, as as speaking afterwards, Wilshere said: “I think we can still do better in moments, but I thought for spells that was the most complete we’ve been on a difficult pitch as well for the players, so credit to them for that.

"Of course we want the clean sheet and I think we deserved the clean sheet with how we defended, but they make it difficult Bradford. They’ve done it all season, they are where they are in the league because they’re good at it and we did defend those moments really well. Then we switched off at the end and made it difficult, as we have to manage the game better I feel.

"Some of the football we played and the moments we created though, especially in the first half, but even in the second half, when we knew they were going to apply more pressure to us, that the spaces that were there on transition, that’s not always easy to attack, you have to be technically good, you have to be brave to manage that moment of when you regain the ball to combine with someone, and then attack the spaces behind. We did that with the goal, so I’m really happy, but I would like the clean sheet as well.”