Walsh's strike sends Luton to Wembley as Town see off Cobblers

Luton booked their place at Wembley in the Vertu Trophy final after a totally deserved 2-1 victory over Northampton Town this evening.

The Hatters did it the hard way, falling behind in the first half to Kyle McAdam’s header, but they turned it around after the break, Nahki Wells and Liam Walsh on target to send Jack Wilshere’s side back to the home of English football for the first time since May 2023, as they will take on Stockport County next month.

Town made five changes for the contest, James Shea replacing Josh Keeley between the posts, while Mads Andersen and Gideon Kodua both returned from injury, Hakeem Odoffin starting a game for the first time since November, Davy van den Berg was also included too, as Nigel Lonwijk, George Saville and Joe Johnson dropped to the bench, where they were joined by Devante Cole, Izzy Jones missing out completely.

The hosts made a bright start to proceedings, Odoffin’s searching ball releasing Emilio Lawrence, his reverse pass picking out van den Berg, whose cross deflected to Cobblers keeper Ross Fitzsimons, the Manchester City loanee then picking out Odoffin whose header bounced through to the keeper

Midfielder Jake Richards extended the visiting stopper on 14 minutes as he was teed up by Walsh 20 yards from goal, the keeper not overly extended when making the save to his left. However, disaster struck for the Hatters and captain Kal Naismith on 17 minutes as he turned into trouble and lost the ball to Elliot List, clumsily tangling with his man to give away a free kick and earn the game’s first booking.

The set-piece was sent deep into the box where Naismith lost the run of McAdam at the back post, who was able to get clear and head back across Shea to put the visitors 1-0 up with their first venture into the area. Town didn’t panic though, looking to hit back midway through the half, Wells almost getting away from his man on a foray through the middle of the pitch, his shot blocked, as Richards found Jordan Clark well positioned 10 yards from goal, only to skew badly wide of the target.

Luton did lose their way for a while, as it took until the latter stages of the half for the hosts to really get on the front foot, van den Berg with an attempt that was blocked, Odoffin having a go from slightly further away, fizzing over. Lawrence, who was once more looking a decent creative outlet on the left hand side, opted to meet Odoffin’s deep cross on the volley, whistling just past the post, Fitzsimons having not moved a muscle.

Behind at the break, the Hatters had 45 minutes to try and earn a place at Wembley and started well, Kodua’s cross cleared to Lawrence whose volley was deflected behind. Still they pressed, Walsh’s ball into the box controlled by Clark who spun, only to see a defender get a large chunk on his shot, which once more made it easy work for Fitzsimons.

The Cobblers’ resistance was broken on 53 minutes, as a terrific team move saw Walsh’s sliderule pass find the run of Clark who had escaped his markers, the midfielder’s delicate cross-shot tapped home by Wells, who had just held his run, from a yard or so out, netting his seventh of the season.

Wilshere immediately threw on Palmer and Shayden Morris to try and give Northampton even more to think about, as it was Palmer who drove into the box, and when he couldn’t find an angle to shoot, fed Walsh whose left footer was straight at Fitzsimons. The Hatters should have had a penalty on 67 minutes when Walsh’s free kick into the box hit the outstretched arm of Conor McCarthy, but referee Tom Reeves clearly didn’t see it as he would have been left with no other option.

Northampton sub Sam Hoskins’ angled volley into the ground didn’t really test Shea, neither was Clark’s hopeful attempt from the edge of the box, another in what were plenty of comfortable stops for the Cobblers keeper. Just when it looked like penalties were starting to loom, Luton then put themselves in the lead with eight minutes left, Naismith’s short corner hit goalwards by Walsh, Dean Campbell deflecting it beyond Fitzsimons for what was the midfielder’s first goal in a Hatters shirt.

Town continued looking for a third to put the game to bed, Palmer and Cole both blocked off, as Palmer took the ball off Lawrence’s toes as he was about the pull the trigger, Clark able to do so, not far away from outside the box. With eight minutes of stoppage time added, Northampton sent the ball forward time and time again, but centre half Andersen commandingly repelled whatever came his way as the full time whistle led to great scenes from a jubilant Kenilworth Road faithful who can now begin booking their trips to the capital.

Hatters: James Shea, Hakeem Odoffin (Nigel Lonwijk 86), Mads Andersen ©, Kal Naismith, Gideon Kodua (Devante Cole 81), Liam Walsh, Davy van den Berg (Kasey Palmer 55), Jordan Clark, Jake Richards (Shayden Morris 55), Emilio Lawrence, Nahki Wells. Subs not used: Josh Keeley, George Saville, Joe Johnson.

Cobblers: Ross Fitzsimons, Conor McCarthy (Jake Evans 69), Jordan Willis (C, Michael Forbes 69), Elliot List (Dean Campbell 55), Kamarai Swyer (Sam Hoskins 55), Tyrese Fornah, Michael Jacobs (Cameron McGeehan 55), Terry Taylor, Kyle McAdam, Jack Vale, Max Dyche. Subs not used: Lee Burge, Dean Campbell, Cameron McGeehan, Jack Perkins. Booked: Naismith 16, Wells 60, Clark 79. Referee: Lee Swabey. Attendance: 10,280 (1,311 Cobblers).