Luton Town’s pursuit of silverware in the Vertu Trophy came to an abrupt end at Kenilworth Road as League Two side Swindon Town fought back to secure a dramatic 2-1 victory.
Bermudian international Nahki Wells was a notable absentee from the matchday squad as manager Jack Wilshere opted to rotate his side. Wilshere, who took the helm in October 2025, made seven changes to the team that defeated Stevenage at the weekend, citing the need to manage player workloads and lingering injuries during a congested winter schedule.
Luton appeared to be cruising early on when Jerry Yates converted a clinical seventh-minute penalty after debutant Emilio Lawrence was hauled down in the area. Luton dominated much of the opening half-hour, but their failure to double the advantage proved costly when former Luton academy graduate Will Wright curled in a spectacular equaliser seven minutes before the interval.
The Robins completed the turnaround eight minutes into the second half. Following a parried save from Luton keeper James Shea, Filozofe Mabete was the quickest to react, tucking the ball home to spark wild celebrations among the travelling support.
Luton threw everything forward in the closing stages, introducing Marvelous Nakamba and Ethon Archer to find a lifeline. However, despite eight minutes of added time and a series of desperate goalmouth scrambles, Swindon held firm to book their place in the quarter-finals.
For Wilshere, the exit represents a missed opportunity for a trip to Wembley, but the Luton boss was quick to defend his selection policy. "We have to be smart with the group we have," Wilshere said post-match. "Nahki and a few others have put in massive shifts lately, and with the league campaign being our priority, we had to trust the depth of the squad tonight."
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