Luton Town FC vs Burton Albion (21st Feb 2026)

21/02/2026 LUTON TOWN 1-1 BURTON ALBION

Hatters held at home by Brewers

Last-minute equaliser prevents Town from earning victory

The Town conceded an injury-time equaliser as they were held at home to Burton.

Leading to an early Nahki Wells goal the Hatters looked like they had done enough to earn another victory at Kenilworth Road.

But two minutes into added time Burton substitute Fabio Tavares nodded home from close range to deny the Town what would have been a morale-boosting win after back-to-back away defeats.

After the 1-0 reverse at Wigan in the week, Jack Wilshire made five changes with Joe Johnson, George Saville, Gideon Kodua, Shayden Morris and Nahki Wells all starting.

And the Hatters had the perfect start when, on 13 minutes, Wells put them up in front. Johnson strode into midfield to thread a pass through for Wells and the striker took a touch before finishing well for his fifth of the season.

Ahead, the Town continued to press but could not add a second for all their dominance in a first half low on chances for both sides.

At half-time Wilshere replaced Kasey Palmer with Davy van den Berg but it was Burton who were first to threaten after the break when an ambitious 25-yard effort from George Evans flew narrowly over the bar.

Jordan Clark pinged a low shot wide after a free-kick routine on 56 minutes before Devante Cole and Jake Richards were brought on to add further purpose to the Town’s attack.

Saville flashed a well-hit drive wide with 15 minutes to play but, as time ticked down, the visitors grew in confidence.

Kyran Lofthouse nodded wide on 84 minutes and there were hearts in mouths when Kain Adom rifled a shot into side-netting two minutes later.

However, two minutes into seven added the Town’s resistance was broken. Van den Berg and Johnson got in each other’s way in trying to clear their lines in the penalty area, allowing Udoka Godwin-Malife to seize on the loose ball. The Burton captain took one touch before crossing for Tavares to head home at the back post.

The Town had one final corner to create a last-gasp winner but Burton cleared and it ended all square.

Town: Keeley, Jones, Johnson, Andersen, Naismith, Saville, Palmer (sub van den Berg), Clark, Kodua (sub Kodua 87), Morris (sub Richards 69), Wells (sub Cole 69).

Subs not used: Shea, Mengi, Lawrence.

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hzt7MU17xc – match highlights

League One: Luton Town 1 Burton Albion 1

Kenilworth Road mood darkens as Burton snatch last-gasp equaliser

Luton’s wretched season continues to lurch from one disaster to another, as they conceded a stoppage time equaliser to draw 1-1 against lowly Burton Albion at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

Town had led thanks to Nahki Wells’ goal on 13 minutes, but that was literally as good as it got for the Hatters in an attacking sense, unable to fashion another serious attempt on target afterwards, as a Brewers side who hadn’t won on the road in the league since early November, easily kept them at arm’s length.

With Burton starting to believe they could get something from the game, they came on strong in the closing stages, and in the second minute of seven added on, got their reward, when a cross into the box saw half-time substitute Davy van den Berg fail to clear his lines. It allowed Udoka Godwin-Malife to send over another delivery, Fabio Tavares escaping his markers to nod into the net at the back post, bringing with it a crescendo of boos from the majority of the 10,364 inside the stadium.

Those jeers were to increase in the final moments, as Luton went back to Josh Keeley at times, and intensified at the full time whistle, with skipper Kal Naismith having to be stopped from going over to the stands by his manager Jack Wilshere, who also then had a heated discussion of his own with another supporter when going down the tunnel. Angry fans also turned their frustrations on the club’s board, with watching chief executive Gary Sweet and chairman David Wilkinson both coming in for criticism from those venting their fury, as Luton now find themselves six points off the top six, and their slim hopes of extending their season dimming with every passing moment.

Prior to kick-off, Wilshere made four changes from the 1-0 defeat at Wigan on Wednesday night, George Saville starting for the first time since New Year’s Day, while Shayden Morris, Gideon Kodua and birthday boy Joe Johnson all came back in, while Izzy Jones finally moved to the right back berth that the manager had stated was his best position. With the last two away defeats still clearly hurting supporters, then despite boasting a 10-game unbeaten record on home soil, it led to an uneasy atmosphere around the ground, with boos heard from a small minority of home fans when Luton’s players kept the ball at the back after just 97 seconds of the contest.

It clearly affected the players too, as they went away from trying to build up from the back, either giving the ball straight to their hosts or hitting it aimlessly through for a goal kick. An early goal was essential and thankfully it arrived on 13 minutes when Johnson stepped into midfield and looked up to find the run of Wells who had sliced through the centre halves, speeding into the box and tucking a composed finish beyond Bradley Collins.

Luton almost undid that moment of good work on 17 minutes though, as an attack on the Brewers right saw Tyrese Shade left completely unmarked in the middle, JJ McKiernan undetected too, as thankfully Shade couldn’t quite stretch and reach the low cross. Still the crowd weren’t totally onside either, as Burton’s players were finding space only for the final ball to thankfully not be up to scratch, although Town did occasionally threaten themselves when Saville’s pass was just beyond Kodua inside the area.

A spell of pressure by Burton was finally ended on the half hour when Morris set off from almost by his own penalty area, carrying the ball half the length of the field before being eventually fouled. On 37 minutes, visiting keeper Collins could count himself extremely lucky to stay on as he came racing outside of his area to try and win the ball before Wells, the Luton striker clearly there first and then being absolutely cleaned out by the stopper, referee Seb Stockbridge, who made some maddening decisions throughout, somehow awarding the free kick against Town’s poleaxed forward.

Wilshere made one change at the break, van den Berg on for Kasey Palmer, as George Evans tried a spectacular leveller early on, his 35-yard half volley not quite having enough dip on it, although Josh Keeley looked to have it covered. Johnson continued to step into advanced positions, winning a free kick when he was barged over as the set-piece was played short and Clark slammed wide on his left foot.

Trying to enliven a dull second 45, Luton brought on Richards and Cole for Morris and Wells with 69 minutes gone, Richards almost getting a shot away with one of his first touches, only for the ball to unluckily hit his standing foot. Saville also had a go, shanking an ambitious attempt wide, but with Luton’s supporters seeing precious little to get them off their seats, it looked like their side would at least see the game out though, both Johnson and Jones stepping in to make important interventions

With five left, Kain Adom lashed into the side-netting when it looked like he had made it 1-1, as seven minutes were found to be added by the officials. With that came the sinking feeling from many that Albion would level, and as the rain came down, they did so after some terrible defending from the hosts, which saw Tavares escape to make it 1-1 and put another hammer blow in any thoughts the hosts have of playing Championship football again next term.

Hatters: Josh Keeley, Izzy Jones, Joe Johnson, Mads Andersen, Kal Naismith (C), George Saville, Kasey Palmer (Davy van den Berg 46), Gideon Kodua (Nigel Lonwijk 86), Jordan Clark, Shayden Morris (Jake Richards 69), Nahki Wells (Devante Cole 69).

Subs not used: James Shea, Teden Mengi, Emilio Lawrence.

Brewers: Bradley Collins, Udoka Godwin-Malife (C), Jack Armer (Jasper Moon 46), Kgaogelo Chauke, Toby Sibbick (Fabio Tavares 80), JJ McKiernan (Andy Cannon 61), Jake Beesley, Tyrese Shade (Kain Adom 80), George Evans (Sulyman Krubally 61), Kyran Lofthouse, Alex Hartridge.

Subs not used: Kamil Dudek, Julian Larsson.

Booked: Evans 29, Palmer, Lofthouse 74, Keeley 82.

Referee: Seb Stockbridge.

Attendance: 10,364.

Wilshere urges Luton fans to 'stick together' after Town are booed off

Hatters fans vent their frustrations once more after Burton equalise late on

Luton boss Jack Wilshere has urged the club’s supporters to try and ‘stick together’ following some ugly scenes after today’s hugely frustrating 1-1 draw with Burton Albion at Kenilworth Road.

With home fans still frustrated following a week in which their side lost to both Cardiff City and Wigan Athletic, the Hatters looked to have given themselves the perfect chance to allay their concerns, moving in front on 13 minutes when Nahki Wells took Joe Johnson’s pass in his stride to go clean through and tuck his finish past Bradley Collins. However a game seriously lacking in anything remotely resembling quality saw Town fail to build on their advantage, without another meaningful effort on target afterwards, which left them open to a Burton side, who hadn’t won in the league on the road since early November, hitting back.

They did so in the second minute of stoppage time, Fabio Tavares escaping at the back post to head home Udoka Godwin-Malife’s cross to snatch a share of the spoils, which immediately led to a cacophony of boos coming from the stands, which increased during the last moments of the fixture, and then reached a crescendo when the players walked round to try and show their appreciation to those who had come out after the full time whistle.

Skipper Kal Naismith had to be held back from confronting one fan by the boss, who also had words himself with another as he made his way down the tunnel, as asked for his reaction to what he witnessed, Wilshere said: “First of all, I understand their frustrations, I do. I’ve said that a lot, but right now we need them, we need them. I understand their frustrations, but it’s not for a lack of the players trying. They’re giving everything every single day, we work really, really hard to try and win games, to try and make supporters happy.

“I think you can see that the players are really lacking belief, they’re lacking confidence. It’s difficult then when in the first minute there’s booing, because we’re trying to create an identity, we’re trying to create a way of playing that we want to move forward with which we’ve done really well I think. Some games we’ve been excellent, I think we need to be more consistent, Cardiff wasn’t good enough, Wigan wasn’t good enough, we understand that, but right now, everyone needs to be together, everyone needs to stick together.

"We have to accept where we are, we’re in League One, that’s happened. I understand where the club was, I understand that supporters want to get back there, but we have to accept that we’re in League One and that’s the challenge. We have no right just to turn up and win games and expect that we can just do that as we can’t, you can clearly see that at the moment that is not the case. I doubt at any level that is the case and especially at this level. I look at teams that have come down from the Championship, this is a tough league where you have to fight for every single thing you get, every single thing to get a point, to get three points, to win a duel, whatever it is.

"We’re trying to do that, I think you can see that in the performance from the players today, I didn’t think we started that well, but we had intent, we wanted to play a certain way, a little bit slow at the start where we couldn't quite find our rhythm, but then we had a little bit of rhythm. We scored and then we tried to hold on to the lead and that for me tells me that the players are lacking in confidence, lacking in belief.

"I have to get the right amount of challenge, the right amount of care. We challenged them at half time, we said, ‘boys that’s not who we were, go and get the next goal.’ You can see they're trying, they're really trying, it’s hard for them right now and it’s frustrating, but it's not through a lack of fight. I thought their efforts were outstanding today and we need to do better with the ball and be more confident, but I thought without doing that we controlled a lot of their long balls and second balls apart from that one chance where we switch off and it hurts.”