Luton Town FC vs Plymouth Argyle (13th Sep 2025)

13/09/2025 LUTON TOWN 2-3 PLYMOUTH ARGYLE

Town defeated by 10-man Plymouth

Hatters score twice from the spot but go down to Argyle

The Town were on the receiving end of a five-goal thriller as they went down 3-2 to 10-man Plymouth to dampen the 120th birthday celebrations at Kenilworth Road.

The visitors took the lead on 15 minutes when Matthew Sorinola guided a diving header past Josh Keeley following Lorent Tolaj’s right-wing cross.

Behind, the response was swift from the Town. Nigel Lonwijk’s shot was blocked on 17 minutes and moments later the Hatters were level.

Lasse Nordås was caught by a flailing elbow on the edge of the penalty area and the referee pointed to the spot. Jerry Yates stepped up from 12 yards to roll home his first league goal in Town colours.

That gave the Hatters confidence and on 23 minutes Zack Nelson’s shot was turned away by Luca Ashby-Hammond in the Argyle goal.

And the visitors had their goalkeeper to thank once more four minutes before half-time when he flew to his right to stop a stinging effort from Millenic Alli.

However, it was Plymouth who ended the first half stronger and the Pilgrims went into the break ahead when Bradley Ibrahim struck an emphatic finish past Keeley from just inside the penalty area in the fifth minute of added time at the end of the first period.

Matt Bloomfield made a double change at the interval, bringing on Kal Naismith and Nahki Wells and, within three minutes of the restart, the Town were level from the spot again.

Alli’s left-wing cross sought Gideon Kodua but the wing-back was impeded by Sorinola and the referee signalled again to the penalty mark. Yates handed the ball to Wells and the Bermuda international drilled the spot-kick hard and low into the bottom corner for his first Luton goal.

The drama continued and two minutes after the Hatters levelled the visitors were reduced to 10 men when skipper Joe Edwards was shown a straight red card for a late challenge on Alli.

As the Town looked to make the most of their numerical advantage, Alli felt he should have had a penalty after going down under a Sorinola challenge on 52 minutes and a minute later Yates skied a difficult chance from close range.

The chances continued to fall the Hatters’ way. Wells was denied by Ashby-Hammond just before the hour and Nelson appealed for a penalty shortly afterwards when going down under Brendan Galloway’s challenge.

Naismith tested Ashby-Hammond’s handling with a drive from distance on 66 minutes but the game then turned on 72 minutes after Tom Cleverley was given his marching orders from the dugout.

Keeley conceded a corner when under no pressure and, from the resultant flag-kick, the visitors took the lead for the third time. As the Town struggled to clear their lines Jordan Clark’s attempted clearance from inside the six-yard box struck the unsuspecting Ibrahim and the ball bounced agonisingly into the net.

Behind once more and with 15 minutes left, the Town upped the ante. Wells’ near-post header was cleared off the line before Ashby-Hammond stopped Christ Makosso’s header on 80 minutes.

Bloomfield threw on Joe Gbodé for his Luton debut with six minutes left but as time ticked down the Town came close once more when George Saville’s low shot was deflected just behind.

Ten minutes were added at the end of 90 but it was the Plymouth defence who stood tall. The Town came close in the fifth added minute when Wells glanced a header wide but that was the closest the Hatters came and it was Argyle who were left to celebrate.

Town: Keeley, Kodua (sub Morris 60), Alli, Makosso, Andersen (sub Bramall 71), Lonwijk (sub Naismith 46) Saville, Clark, Nelson (sub Gbodé 84), Nordås (sub Wells 46), Yates.

Subs not used: Shea, Walsh.

Attendance: 11,801, including 1,342 in the away end

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD45MTn_uvo – Matt Bloomfield post match

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

League One: Luton Town 2 Plymouth Argyle 3

Calamitous defending by the Hatters hands Plymouth all three points

A calamitous defensive display saw Luton somehow find a way to gift 10-man Plymouth Argyle all three points at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

Having trailed twice and got back on level terms twice thanks to two penalties, the Hatters then found themselves playing against 10 men for the final 40 minutes after visiting skipper Joe Edwards was sent off. However, rather than take advantage of their numerical advantage, Town, whose back-line had been on the verge of completing a club record for the least amount of goals conceded during their start to a Football League season before the contest, parted again, as Jordan Clark’s clearance rebounded in off Bradley Ibrahim to stun the Kenilworth Road crowd, who were witnessing a second successive loss on home soil.

Town boss Matt Bloomfield made two changes to the side who had beaten Burton Albion 3-0 in the league before the international break, defender Mads Andersen taking over from Mark McGuinness, following his transfer deadline day move to Sheffield United, in the centre of the back three. The visitors were dealt a blow early on as Caleb Watts, a player that Bloomfield had picked out as one to watch before the game, twisted his knee when George Saville fell on him and had to be replaced by Owen Dale.

As had happened against the Brewers, the opening 15 minutes saw very little actual football take place, with proceedings stop-start, Gideon Kodua also requiring treatment for a head injury. Once both players had been taken care of, then just as it had in at the Pirelli Stadium, the action began to kick in as the visitors were ahead with their first foray into the Town area, an offside flag against Lorent Tolaj never materialising, allowing the striker to curl in the most inviting cross for Matthew Sorinola to meet with a diving header from three yards out and easily send it through Keeley's legs.

Fortunately for the Hatters they didn’t let the goal get to them, as with keeper Luca Ashby-Hammond increasingly uncomfortable under the high ball, flapping a number of crosses behind for unnecessary corners, one of them saw Nigel Lonwijk almost level straight away, his shot cannoning off a visiting defender and away.

However, Luton were then handed the perfect chance to equalise on 20 minutes as a high ball saw Brendan Wiredu with the most clumsy challenge on Lasse Nordas, leading with his arm to knock the Norwegian to the ground for a spotkick that saw Jerry Yates step up and confidently send Ashby-Hammond the wrong way to make it 1-1 and net his first league goal for the Hatters. With Ashby-Hammond looking a bundle of nerves again midway through the half, he palmed another corner away which was retrieved by Nelson who displayed great strength and skill to beat two men and advance into the box, where his low shot was turned behind by the keeper.

Having been under the cosh, Argyle then enjoyed a spell of pressure, delivering some dangerous crosses into the box, although Town did well to repel most of them, with Mathias Ross putting one header wide. Town started to get their own momentum going, with some neat passes through the midfield, with Nelson finding Kodua whose cross flashed through the area, where Alli met it, his blast parried behind by Ashby-Hammond.

Argyle then hit the front on the stroke of half time again with a goal they were handed once more, Nelson having his pocket picked just outside the area which allowed Bradley Ibrahim to shift the ball onto his right foot and hammer beyond Keeley to make it 2-1. Town responded by bringing on Kal Naismith and Nahki Wells at the break for Lonwijk and Nordas as a fantastic start to the second half saw Andersen have his penalty appeals turned down before Luton did have their second spotkick when Alli's cross saw Sorinola all over Kodua at the back post, leaving referee Ollie Yates with little chance but to point to the spot.

With Wells now on, he assumed the responsibility and confidently found the net, sending the keeper the wrong way to rifle into the bottom corner. Things then went from bad to worse for the visitors as they were down to 10 men on 50 minutes as skipper Edwards slid in rashly on Alli, with the official reaching to his top pocket, which gave the hosts more than enough time to take the game by the scruff of the neck.

It looked like they were going to make it a terrible few minutes for the visitors when Alli went over in the box under another challenge from Sorinola, Yates blowing his whistle to huge cheers from the home fans, which soon turned into jeers once they realised the Town attacker had somehow been adjudged to have dived, as he was mystifyingly for his troubles.

Yates, Town’s striker, couldn't divert a deflected cross on target, as Wells' low shot was gathered by the keeper after Clark’s neat pass, as it looked like it was just a matter of time before the Hatters grabbed the lead for the first time, recent signing Shayden Morris on for his league debut. They had good shouts for yet another penalty as well, Nelson taking a tumble in the area under pressure from ex-Hatter Brendan Galloway, which again could have been easily given, only for the referee to shake his head once more.

Naismith’s crack from 30 yards was too central, as an awful passage of play saw Town fall behind with 15 minutes to play. Tolaj tried his luck from the half-way line with an ambitious shot that was clearly going wide, only for Keeley to try and keep the ball in, only to see his control let him down, only managing to deflect it behind for the most unnecessary of corners.

Before the set-piece was taken, the Pilgrims received yet another red card, although this time didn’t affect their on-field situation, manager Tom Cleverley, who had already been booked, given his marching order via a straight red. After allowing the former Watford player to leave the pitch, Plymouth sent the set-piece over, which was half cleared away. When they put it back into the danger area, it hit Nelson, Keeley clawing away, before Clark hammered the loose ball against Ibrahim as it rebounded into the net, a goal that had visions of Blackpool’s play-off winner all those years ago.

Shell-shocked that they were somehow now searching for a third equaliser rather than push for a winner of their own, Town tried to level, but saw their chances reduced to half ones at best, Wells’ flick header cleared away, while Christ Makosso’s attempt was prevented from going in by Ashby-Hammond, who was now typically beginning to claim high balls into the box with a new-found confidence and authority.

With Argyle running the clock down, Luton sent on recent addition Joe Gbode, as Alli slammed over and Saville scuffed wide, while Alli’s desire to be the hero wasn’t really helping, thrashing another woeful effort out for a throw-in, Ashby-Hammond also bravely denying Yates at his feet. In 10 minutes of stoppage time, Wells also put a header over from Makosso’s cross, as the hosts couldn’t find a way through, ensuring they left Kenilworth Road with jeers ringing in their ears once more.

Hatters: Jake Keeley, Gideon Kodua (Shayden Morris 60), Christ Makosso, Mads Andersen (Cohen Bramall 71), Nigel Lonwijk (Kal Naismith 46), Milli Alli, George Saville, Jordan Clark (C), Zack Nelson (Joe Gbode 84), Lasse Nordås (Nahki Wells 46), Jerry Yates. Subs not used: James Shea, Liam Walsh.

Pilgrims: Luca Ashby-Hammond, Mathias Ross (Brendan Galloway 52), Brendan Wiredu, Joe Edwards (C), Lorent Tolaj (Bim Pepple 87), Bali Mumba, Alex Mitchell, Caleb Watts (Owen Dale 3), Matachi Boateng, Bradley Ibrahim, Matthew Sorinola (Law McCabe 87). Subs not used: Zak Baker, Owen Oseni, Tegan Finn.

Booked: Wiredu 19, Lonwijk 26, Alli 52, Mumba 76.

Sent off: Edwards 50.

Referee: Ollie Yates.

Hatters chief rues individual errors as he is at a loss to explain Pilgrims defeat

Luton breached three times at Kenilworth Road

Luton boss Matt Bloomfield admitted it was hard to put his finger on just why the Hatters were so poor defensively during their 3-2 defeat to Plymouth Argyle this afternoon as he was left to rue a number of individual mistakes made by his side.

Going into the contest, the hosts were on the verge of setting a new club record for the least amount of goals conceded at the start of a Football League season, breached just three times in their opening six matches. However, that amount was then doubled in 90 minutes by the Pilgrims, who despite playing the final 40 minutes, plus a further 10, with a player light after captain Joe Edwards was sent off, were able to claim the three points.

Asked if he could understand why Town had been so poor at the back, Bloomfield said: “No, I think it’s hard in the emotion of the moment now to put your finger on why because again, the goals against has been incredibly good since January. So for three goals like that to happen all in the same game, we have to put some emphasis on it and some time on it and hope we've got those mistakes out of the way and go back to being the really solid defensive team.

“As the more opportunities we give to our opponents to get in front, it makes life hard for ourselves. Our defensive record, solidity, since we've come in in January has been very, very good. We've barely given a goal away from mistakes of ours in a while and then three in the same game, it's very disappointing, very frustrating, but again we win and lose together because it’s both ends of the pitch. As a group there’s no finger pointing, that’s not how I conduct myself, it’s about taking responsibility together and making sure we learn and get back to work Monday morning."

The Pilgrims’ first goal came after 15 minutes when Town appealed in vain for an offside flag that never came, which allowed striker Lorent Tolaj to cut in and curl a pinpoint cross for Matthew Sorinola to send past Josh Keeley with a diving header. On the opener, Bloomfield continued: “I haven’t seen it to being offside, I’ve not seen it to that degree. It was the first shot they had against us, we were playing in their half and we've got young players learning the game as well at times. We've to give them time to make mistakes and learn from them, that's part of the process with young players and we'll support them through that and make sure we get better."

With Jerry Yates levelling quickly from the penalty spot, Town looked destined to go into the break all square, only for Zack Nelson to lose the ball just outside his own area which allowed Bradley Ibrahim to set himself and then hammer past Keeley. Town’s chief continued: “Zack’s a young player who we think incredibly highly of and he’ll learn from that and he’ll improve. It was a good finish, but we’ve seen out the pressure we've won the ball back and then it’s in the back of our net, so we’re disappointed with all three goals we've given away.”

The third meanwhile came when Luton had got it back to 2-2 and seeing their opponents down to 10 men were going in search of a winner themselves. However, an ambitious shot from the half-way line by Tolaj was running well wide until Keeley tried to control it, the ball taking a nick and going behind for the most unnecessary corner.

With visiting manager Tom Cleverly then sent off before the set-piece was taken, it led to a delay as he exited the pitch, as the deadball was half cleared and when Nelson’s deflection was saved by Keeley, Jordan Clark hammered the loose ball against Ibrahim as it flew into the net for what turned out to be the deciding strike. Bloomfield said: “Josh is going to be disappointed with that. The ball is running wide so either control it and bring it back up the pitch or we get a goal kick. Then from the corner we see out the first moment and then the deflection ricochets and goes in the back of our net, all three goals are extremely disappointing.”

Meanwhile, questioned as to just what he will have learned from the performance, Bloomfield added: “That individual mistakes will be punished whatever level you play at. If you make defensive errors to that degree you'll concede goals and make life hard for yourselves. So while we have put a lot of emphasis on attacking in the last few weeks as we want to be a team that entertains at home and scores goals, we have to make sure that we don't give opportunities to our opposition in the manner that we did today. We have to be really solid as a group and be really hard to beat as that’s the bedrock of any successful team.”

Bloomfield felt Luton should have had four penalties against Argyle

Town awarded two spotkicks in 3-2 defeat

Hatters boss Matt Bloomfield felt his side really ought to have had four penalties during yesterday's 3-2 League One defeat at home to Plymouth Argyle.

The Town chief did see his side awarded two, the first coming just five minutes after Matthew Sorinola had given the visitors a 1-0 lead, as defender Brendan Wiredu went in with his arm on Lasse Nordas in the box when the pair challenged for an aerial ball with 20 minutes on the clock, flattening the Norwegian, as referee Ollie Yates pointed to the spot, Jerry Yates making no mistake to net his first league goal for the club.

After the Pilgrims moved 2-1 ahead in first half stoppage time, Luton were given another opportunity from 12 yards just moments into the second period, as Gideon Kodua was prevented from reaching Mill Alli’s cross at the back post by Sorinola, with half time sub Nahi Wells doing the job from the spot, the strike also opening his league account in the process.

It looked like Town were going to have a third opportunity moments later when Alli went over in the box from another Sorinola challenge as there was a sharp shrill blast of the whistle from Yates. However, he bafflingly opted to book the hosts’ wingback for simulation, which replays showed it clearly wasn’t, much to the anger of the home crowd.

Luton then had another decent shout when Zack Nelson went over the leg of ex-Hatter Brendan Galloway in the area as well, but once more Yates waved the appeals away, as the Hatters made to pay when Bradley Ibrahim deflected Jordan Clark’s clearance into the net for the winner on 75 minutes. Discussing the calls, Bloomfield said: “I think it’s probably naive of me to sit here and complain about not getting penalties when we got two, but I think the two clearer ones are the ones we didn't get.

"In my opinion it’s (Alli incident) a penalty so to do him for simulation, it’s probably the situation, because two have already been given there’s probably a lot of human emotion that’s played into that decision by the referee. Zack’s one, he got across the defender, the defender actually stalled so Zack gets in front of him and he comes and barges him over and nothing given.”

Asked why the penalty takers swapped responsibilities for the second spotkick, Wells claiming the ball with Yates still on the pitch, Bloomfield continued: “It was really good for Jerry to get another goal at home after his one against Barnet. But he (Wells) took it as Jerry’s already taken one in the game, so do you go with the same guy again, as the goalkeeper might read it? We want our forwards to all score goals and Nahki and Jerry have both scored penalties at recent clubs, so if one of them fancies it at the moment then they have the autonomy to take it.”

It was a busy afternoon for the officials as not only did the man in the middle send off visiting boss Tom Cleverly, he also gave Greens captain Joe Edwards his marching orders too for a lunging challenge on Alli with 50 minutes on the clock. Bloomfield felt it was a tackle that was always going to see the visitors down to 10 men, adding: “From where I was stood on the sidelines that was my instinct. Again I haven't actually watched that one back, but my instinct at the time was that it was out of control so I wasn't surprised when I saw the red card.”