Mansfield Town vs Luton Town FC (18th Apr 2026)

18/04/26 MANSFIELD TOWN 2-2 LUTON TOWN

Town fight back from 2-0 down to earn point

Hatters trail 2-0 but rally thanks to goals from Palmer and Morris at Field Mill

The Town recovered from two goals down to earn a point at Mansfield to stay in the hunt for a place in the play-offs.

A two-goal burst from Stags midfielder Jon Russell had Jack Wilshere’s playing catch up but goals either side of half-time, firstly from Kasey Palmer and then from Shayden Morris, hauled the Hatters level.

But despite dominating for long spells in the second half, the Town could not force a winner, finding home goalkeeper Liam Roberts in inspired form.

The point keeps the Hatters three points off the play-offs with three games to play with Stevenage holding leaders Lincoln to draw.

Against a Mansfield side that had lost just once in their last 10 games, the Town almost fell behind in the 10th minute when Kal Naismith cleared a shot from Louis Reed off the line.

However, the Stags’ bright start was rewarded when Russell struck twice in the space of eight minutes. Firstly, on 21 minutes, the midfielder fired home at the post, before the same player curled a fine finish beyond Josh Keeley seven minutes later.

Two goals down the Town began to play as half-time approached. Morris saw a shot saved by Roberts on 36 minutes before Palmer reduced the deficit four minutes later. Emilio Lawrence was the architect, racing down the left to cross for Palmer to finish smartly first time to make it 2-1.

Having got to within one, the Hatters should have been level by the break – only to be denied thanks to the brilliance of Roberts in the home goal. The keeper produced an incredible reflex stop to turn Davy van den Berg’s shot around the post on 42 minutes before keeping out a Morris effort a minute later.

Wilshere made a change at half-time, Joe Johnson introduced for Mads Andersen and within five minutes of the restart the Town were level. Palmer’s peach of a pass out to the right flank found Morris and the wingr raced into the box and beat Roberts with a shot across goal.

You felt there would be only one winner now the Town were level but try as they might they could not force home a third goal.

Naismith was denied by the post on 53 minutes from close range following Liam Walsh’s left-wing corner and, as the Hatters continued to press, Palmer saw a shot saved by Roberts and Hakeem Odoffin saw a header cannon back off the crossbar.

The Town were camped in the Mansfield half and their best chance of taking the lead came with 15 minutes left when substitute Nahki Wells teed up Palmer but, with the goal at his mercy, the midfielder’s shot was well-saved by Roberts once more.

As time ticked down the Hatters pushed for a winner. Wilshere sent on Gideon Kodua, Devante Cole and Jake Richards as six minutes of time were added – but the Town could not find a way through and it ended all square.

The Town are on the road on Tuesday when they head to Rotherham as they aim to break into the top six.

With three games to go, anything can still happen.

Come on Luton.

Town: Keeley, Lonwijk, Lawrence (sub Kodua 80), Naismith, Andersen (sub Johnson 46), Odoffin, van den Berg (sub Richards 89), Walsh, Palmer, Morris (sub Cole 89), Al-Hamadi (sub Wells 69).

Subs not used: Shea, Saville.

Attendance: 8,871, including 1,350 backing the Hatters.

League One: Mansfield Town 2 Luton Town 2

Luton remain in the play-off hunt after hitting back from 2-0 down to draw at Mansfield

The race for the League One play-offs took yet another twist this afternoon as Luton showed wonderful powers of recovery to hit back from 2-0 down and gain a point at Mansfield Town, although the Hatters will be ultimately gutted they hadn’t claimed what was a much-needed triumph.

It looked Town’s bid to break into the top six places were dead in the water after half an hour, trailing 2-0, with pretty much everyone else in the battle to finish above the dotted line winning. However, they hit back with goals either side of half time from Kasey Palmer and Shayden Morris to restore parity, laying siege to the Stags goal for the final 40 minutes, but try as they might, couldn’t find a winner.

The result saw Town drop a place to eighth in the table, leapfrogged by Plymouth Argyle, who won 3-1 at AFC Wimbledon, but having led for large parts of their contest, Stevenage, in sixth, were also pegged back by leaders Lincoln City, held to a 2-2 draw, meaning it was as you were, Luton still three points adrift, now with just three games to go

Morris had been one of four changes made by boss Jack Wilshere from Wednesday night’s 2-1 victory over Northampton Town, joining Davy van den Berg, Ali Al-Hamadi and Hakeem Odoffin in returning, Nahki Wells, Joe Johnson and Jake Richards dropping to the bench, Jordan Clark missing out with a calf strain.

The Hatters looked far from a side who had three league games in a row and six from eight in all competitions early on, indebted to a fine stop by Josh Keeley on eight minutes when the ball ricocheted through the centre of Town’s defence, off his line in a flash to block at the legs of top scorer Will Evans. Moments later and the hosts were almost in again, Tyler Roberts finding centre half Ryan Sweeney who was in an advanced position, his sidefoot destined for the bottom corner, skipper Kal Naismith retreating in the nick of time to make an important goal-line clearance.

Bar a few corners, the Hatters didn’t really get much going in the final third and it was no real surprise when they fell behind on 21 minutes, Odoffin having done superbly to make a sliding intervention, but Town didn’t funnel back in time, Roberts’ dinked cross nodded against the woodwork and Jon Russell able to prod the rebound into the net. Odoffin ensured Luton didn’t concede a quickfire double, throwing himself in the way of Evans’ shot that looped into the grateful gloves of Keeley,

Town did have a brief moment in the final third, Walsh’s chipped ball into the area seeing Al-Hamadi peel off his marker, but stretching couldn’t divert his header on target. Luton were never secure though and their fragility cost them again on 28 minutes as they stood off Russell in the area, virtually inviting him to shoot and needing no second invitation to do so, easily beat the dive of Keeley and made it 2-0 to the Stags.

The visitors’ opening half hour was summed up when they did get the ball in an advanced area only for Emilio Lawrence to cut in on his right foot, hammering way over the bar. With 36 gone, Luton finally worked Liam Roberts, as Kasey Palmer, who was starting to get more and more involved, found the run of Al-Hamadi who waited for Morris to join him, playing in the winger whose shot was parried by the Mansfield stopper.

Hatters gave themselves a lifeline on 40 minutes as Naismith found Lawrence to his left, the winger getting on the outside of his man and delivering a low cross that Palmer stabbed under the dive of Roberts. That led to Town’s best passage of play by far as they should have been level 60 seconds later, Lawrence’s cross not properly cleared and dropping at the feet of van den Berg whose attempt was brilliantly saved by Roberts, although he shouldn’t have been given a chance by the on-loan midfielder.

With Palmer pulling the strings, he slid a wonderful pass through to Morris who burst clear, but this time Roberts was off his line quickly to get his body in the way and keep his side in front. Palmer tried his luck from almost the halfway line, knocking wide of the target, as the break saw Johnson on for Andersen. Luton desperately hoped to carry on their ascendancy and they did just that, as after Roberts drilled over from range, they drew level on 50 minutes

A wonderful ball out wide by Palmer was controlled brilliantly on his chest by Morris who skipped away from his maker and advanced into the box, sending a cross-shot that deceived Roberts and might have taken a nick, but was off celebrating as if it was his goal, making it 2-2. Town almost led moments later, Walsh’s corner beating Roberts and appeared to be prodded against the post from a yard out by Naismith.

Still Mansfield were a threat as well, Louis Reed firing over the top, while a good burst by van den Berg saw Lawrence curl for goal, shooting into the away fans. On the hour, Russell sniffed his hat-trick, his drive taking a nasty bobble and shovelled behind by Keeley, while another fine spin by Palmer saw Walsh find Lawrence, his penetrating low cross flashing through the six yard box with no takers.

Wilshere brought on Wells with 68 minutes gone and he almost had an immediate impact, picked out by Palmer's brilliant burst and pass, deflecting into the gloves of Roberts. The hosts then gave the ball away trying to clear, van den Berg’s shot deflected over the bar, as the resulting corner saw Naismith and Roberts collide, Odoffin heading against the bar as you got the feeling it wasn’t going to be Town’s day.

With 14 minutes left, they had their best opportunity, Palmer picked out in the box by Wells’ pass, but unfortunately put his shot too close to Roberts who was able to make yet another big stop, although once more, he should have been picking the ball out of the net. The excellent Lawrence made way for Gideon Kodua as Lucas Akins shot over, as you worried Luton’s chance had gone after that Palmer miss

Cole joined the fray late on, sending over a wonderful cross from the right that Wells hadn't quite anticipated, as Kodua could only scuff at Roberts from a few yards out. Walsh did superbly to keep pace with his man and stop a breakaway goal, as Luton’s final chance saw Kodua put it far too close to Roberts, as although Town remain in the play-off picture, their destiny remains out of their hands.

Stags: Liam Roberts, Elliott Hewitt, Deji Oshilaja, Ryan Sweeney (C), Lucas Akins, Louis Reed (Nathan Moriah-Welsh 58), Jon Russell (Oliver Irow 79), Stephen McLaughlin (Dom Dwyer 79), Regan Hendry (Frazer Blake-Tracy 90), Tyler Roberts (Rhys Oates 58), Will Evans.

Subs not used: Kyle Knoyle, Joe Gardner.

Hatters: Josh Keeley, Nigel Lonwijk, Hakeem Odoffin, Mads Andersen (Joe Johnson 46), Kal Naismith (C), Emilio Lawrence (Gideon Kodua 80), Liam Walsh, Davy van den Berg (Devante Cole 89) Kasey Palmer, Shayden Morris (Jake Richards 90), Ali Al-Hamadi (Nahki Wells 69).

Subs not used: James Shea, George Saville.

Booked: Hewitt 66, Naismith 66, Dwyer 84.

Referee: Edward Duckworth.

Attendance: 8,781 (1,350 Hatters).

Wilshere wants Town to learn their lessons after having to hit back from 2-0 down at Stags

Hatters earn a point at the One Call Stadium

Luton boss Jack Wilshere has charged his players to learn the lessons from the way in which they started today’s clash at Mansfield, falling 2-0 behind inside half an hour before eventually recovering to leave the One Call Stadium with a 2-2 draw.

Having gone into the contest on the back of a fine run of form, winning four successive games in all competitions, Town then fell behind for the third game in a row, Stags midfielder Jon Russell prodding home from close range on 21 minutes. To make matters worse, Town conceded again before the half hour, Russell given all the time and space in the world to find the net once more, before Kasey Palmer pulled one back just before the interval.

That led to a completely different display from the Hatters, who went on to completely dominate the rest of the contest, drawing level through Shayden Morris’s goal five minutes into the second period, but try as they might, they couldn’t find a winner, Palmer going closest, denied by home keeper Liam Roberts. Asked why he thought his side began so poorly after their recent successes, Wilshere said: “I think it’s the mentality the players have and they need to understand more that a duel in the corner to stop them doing a long ball is really important, landing on a second ball and running back is really important.

"Because they might not be able to play through us when they’re in their build-up, but if they land on a second ball and we’re really open, they’ve got good individual players who can create stuff. So for me it’s a mentality thing and we need to improve that even more. We spoke this week about the last three game week we had, we ended with Stockport and that was probably a game of two halves as well, probably the opposite of today where we dominated and suffered a little bit in the second half.

"So we spoke about starting the game well again and continuing that and I think apart from those two moments, then we did, and it’s a lesson for all the players, that at this level you have to be ready from the start and every moment. When you come to a place like this and we’ve spoken about a lot this season, you can’t allow them to take momentum as their goals gave them momentum, and that gave them confidence.

"Apart from that they weren’t really hurting us, it was long balls, we had to land on second balls, we had to make sure we did all we could to stop the long balls because they’re good at it. We can’t give opposition the opportunity just to take a 2-0 lead, I know we’ve got quality, I know we’ve got personality to come back, but that’s the hard part, that’s harder than doing the basics really well. It was disappointing, I’m really, really happy with the way we played in the second half, the pressure we kept them under, how relentless we were with our attacking play, but disappointed we couldn't find that winner, so we’ll try and take that learning into Tuesday.”

Wilshere had made four changes from the 2-1 win over Northampton Town on Wednesday night, with Ali Al-Hamadi, Hakeem Odoffin, Davy van den Berg and Morris all coming into the side, as bar Odoffin, they struggled to really get going until the latter stages of the first half. Wilshere added: “That’s the challenge for the players that are not in the team, and I speak about it all the time, training and unity within the group, it really, really matters.

"It’s my job in the team to make sure that everyone’s ready to come into the team. I actually thought second half, everyone played their part, but that is always the challenge for players coming into the team. It’s not always easy for players, the team’s in a rhythm, the team’s got momentum and they play slightly differently and they have to adapt to us, while we have to adapt to their profile of player.

"I thought we did in general, even when I watch it back we’ll be happy with a lot of the stuff in the first half, but ultimately we didn’t defend our box well enough. Two moments we didn’t defend well enough and they punished us for that. We don’t want to give the opposition that leg up in the game as it’s difficult then to come back. We showed we can, but we don’t want to be in that position.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uw366qm5slc – Match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTC0F9-FpPo – Jack Wilshere interview