Jack Wilshere gets first win as Luton manager as one goal beats Northampton

Jack Wilshere picked up his first win as Luton Town manager as they beat Northampton Town 1-0 at Sixfields.

Lamine Fanne scored the game’s only goal, as the Hatters picked up a first win in four outings and leapfrogged their opponents in the League One table.

The result lifts Luton up to 10th, with the side from Bedfordshire sat 5 points off the play-offs, while Northampton slide to 16th, with the Cobblers one of 4 sides on 17 points after 14 games.

Both sides entered the contest off the back of defeats in their last outings, with Luton losing to Mansfield in their first game under Wilshere last time out and Northampton beaten at Reading in a midweek encounter.

The visitors wasted a good early chance to get an opener, as Nahki Wells fired over from close range after being picked out by Jordan Clark.

Jack Perkins had a strike deflected wide in Northampton’s best early opportunity, but the best chances in a tight first half came for the visitors as Gideon Kodua had a strike deflected wide before Nigel Lonwijk saw a header saved.

The game opened up after the break, with Clark having a strike blocked by Jordan Thorniley before a Northampton counter saw Josh Keeley make a good stop to deny the hosts’ Tyrese Fornah.

Luton continued to press, with Kodua hitting the bar before substitute Jerry Yates forced a save out of Ross Fitzsimons in the Northampton goal.

By now, the game was a much more open contest, with Yates again denied by Fitzsimons before Luton survived a major defensive scramble.

Northampton’s best chance of the opening 74 minutes fell for Wheatley, but the striker on loan from Manchester United could only fire at Keeley.

That miss would prove costly when Luton opened the scoring 3 minutes later. Isaiah Jones broke down the flank for the visitors and picked out Fanne, who just about bundled the ball home to put Luton in front at Sixfields.

Luton then had to go on a rear-guard action. Keeley made a fine stop to deny former Luton man Cameron McGeehan, before a big moment in the final minute of stoppage time when former Northampton man Hakeem Odoffin made a crucial intervention to block Wheatley on the line with Keeley beaten.

That proved to be a moment that secured an away victory, as Luton ground out victory to get Wilshere his first win in charge.