Injury-hit midfielder makes Luton return after 14 months out

Luton midfielder Shandon Baptiste played his first 45 minutes in well over a year when he turned out for the Hatters U21s in their New Wave Championship contest against MK Dons on Tuesday afternoon.

The 28-year-old suffered a serious knee injury in training back in August last year, which further disrupted a Town career that has seen him feature just 21 times since arriving on a free transfer from Brentford back in July 2024. However, he was given a shirt number in Jack Wilshere’s squad for the League One season earlier this campaign, and took his first steps to being able to feature in the third tier once more, when given his first outing at the Brache earlier this week.

Baptiste was one of three players making their return, as Jayden Luker also started the match, the midfielder injuring his hamstring in the Carabao Cup clash with Gillingham in August, while youngster Benny Benagr was also involved too, having returned to the first team bench for the 2-0 victory at Peterborough on Saturday, but didn't get on the field at the Weston Homes Stadium.

Town made a fast start to the contest, as on 14 minutes they took the lead with Alvin Isufi fed recent addition Garry Gibbs in the area, the ex-Enfield Borough midfielder planting his finish beyond the goalkeeper. Benagr then doubled the lead just three minutes later when he took a defence-splitting pass and kept his composure to find the net. The exciting youngster, who signed a new contract in August, turned provider just after the half hour, as he flashed a cross into the box where Jamie Odegah, who has spent time on loan with Oxford City and Slough Town this term, bundled home.

Gibbs doubled his account to make it 4-0, as the trio then made way at half time for Jack Lorentzen-Jones, Archie Shepherd and Jerome Passley-James, as Dawid Gawel soon joining him, along with Samuel Hincapie-Alfonso for Isufi. The Dons soon had one back, as once Lorentzen-Jones went off with a knock, they scored again, but Luton were able to hold on for another three points.

The Hatters were also in action earlier in the day, losing 4-2 against Leyton Orient. Josiah Akinfenwa had the ball in the net early on, but it was ruled out for a foul, while Tyler Smart found Akinfenwa again who was denied by the keeper as was Excel Ed-Okungbowa. Orient then scored three times in quick succession to take a commanding lead into the break, before Smart pulled one back just before the hour mark. He netted again three minutes later, only for the O's to restore their two-goal lead with a fourth later on.