Thelo Aasgaard produced a stunning goal

• Wigan Athletic suffered FA Cup heartache as Luton Town scored a 97th winner at the DW Stadium.
• Latics had taken the lead early in the second half through Thelo Aasgaard’s stunning volley but the Hatters equalised just three minutes later through Cauley Woodrow.
• Just when it looked like the game was heading for extra-time Elijah Adebayo dramatically fired Luton into the fourth round.
• After eight games in charge Kolo Toure is still without a victory and face Luton again on Saturday at the DW Stadium in the Championship.

Toure made five changes from Saturday’s draw at Cardiff City, with Jack Whatmough, Tendayi Darikwa, Joe Bennett, Aasgaard and Ashley Fletcher all returning to the starting line-up.

The visitors started brightly and in the first minute Woodrow broke into the penalty area and his shot was blocked by Charlie Hughes who diverted the ball for a corner.

They went close again soon afterwards when Woodrow’s left-sided cross was met by Adebayo, but the forward’s header was easily saved by Ben Amos.

Latics were struggling for cohesion and it was Luton who continued to threaten and in the 18th minute Reece Burke’s cross found Woodrow but the striker’s header cleared the crossbar.

Latics had their first attempt towards goal in the 25th minute when a Max Power throw-in was set back to Hughes who found Thelo Aasgaard on the edge of the area, but the Norwegian Under 20 international was unable to hit the target with his strike.

Latics had another half chance just before the half time break when Bennett’s corner fell to Whatmough who saw his goal-bound effort blocked and then cleared away.

Toure’s Tics had a great start to the second half when Aasgaard produced a stunning goal in the 47th minute.

Power’s long throw was headed out to the edge of the penalty area, and Aasgaard executed a superb volley into the top right corner of the Luton net.

The lead was short lived however and Luton equalised just three minutes later through Woodrow. After seeing his initial effort superbly saved by Amos, Woodrow was able to convert the rebound.

Latics might’ve been given a penalty in the 70th minute when Tom Naylor went down under a challenge inside the six-yard box, but referee Matt Donahue wasn’t doing Latics any favours and waved away the appeals.

The Hatters then enjoyed a period of sustained pressure. Substitute Harry Cornick looked to have given Luton the lead when he beat the offside trap and finished past Amos, but substitute McClean got back to make an excellent goal line clearance.

Adebayo created space inside the area, but his strike was claimed at the second attempt by Latics’ keeper Amos. Next Woodrow had a shot well blocked by Tom Naylor and then Whatmough headed away a curling effort from Alfie Doherty.

At the other end Aasgaard volleyed straight at Horvath from just outside the box in the 89th minute.

Just when it looked like the match was heading for extra-time Luton snatched the victory in 97th minute. Naylor seemed to stumble when going for a header in the box and Adebayo was on hand to send the Hatter’s into the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Overview

Latics will be devastated to have conceded so late in the game but on the night Luton had been the better team and deserved to go through to the next round.

The hosts had lacked the quality and creativity to put Luton under any sustained pressure. They only had three shots in comparison to Luton’s 13 and enjoyed less possession than the visitors.

Luton are a good Championship side and are currently ninth in the table and only two points off a play-off spot. The disappointing thing from a Latics perspective was the lack of any real attacking threat and some poor defending once again.

They conceded so quickly after going ahead and lacked any creativity going forward. The build up play is too slow and the wing backs are not getting forward often enough. Admittedly there were five changes to the starting line-up with Keane and McClean on the bench and Caulker, Azeez and Tiehi ineligible but overall Latics were very poor.

Toure will make changes for Saturday and the new signings should be available to play but Latics desperately need a victory and it must come soon if there is to be a revival.

Post match comments

Speaking afterwards Toure expressed that while the defeat is naturally a tough pill to swallow, it’s important that his side regroup and immediately look to respond in the right way when Luton return to the DW Stadium for Saturday’s league meeting.

“I feel gutted for the boys,” he said.

“They gave everything, and they’ve been working really hard for this game. Thelo (Aasgaard) scored a great goal, but we conceded a cheap goal a couple of minutes later. When you score, you have to defend for your life, but we conceded straight away. We have to defend better.

“We were fighting and competing for every single ball in the second half, and conceding a goal in the last minute (was tough). I feel frustrated for the boys for what they’ve been giving.

“We have to keep helping the players to perform and give them solutions on the pitch. I feel like this can be a great learning curve tonight, and we have another game against Luton on Saturday, and I’m looking forward to it.

“We have to stick together, keep working hard, and make sure we don’t give cheap goals away.”