Wilshere Secures First Managerial Trophy As Luton Win EFL Final

Nahki Wells scored twice as Luton Town came from behind against Stockport County at Wembley to win the EFL Trophy and secure Jack Wilshere’s first silverware as a manager.

Stockport struck first, with a devastating counter-attack, when Adama Sidibeh ran 40 yards before bobbling a finish over keeper James Shea.

Luton drew level through Emilio Lawrence’s composed low drive, before Wells put them in front with an exquisite touch and slotted finish six minutes before half-time.

County were well on top for much of the second period, and Josh Stokes twice went close to equalising, but Luton held on – and hit their opponents with a sucker-punch to seal the victory in stoppage time when Wells rolled in from close range.

In just his 39th match as a manager, Wilshere might have feared his far more experienced opposite number Dave Challinor was going to come out on top when Sidibeh raced through and beat defender Mads Andersen to the ball for the Stockport opener.

But his Luton team responded well to going behind and made their pressure count when Jordan Clark slipped Lawrence into the left channel to drill through the legs of goalkeeper Corey Addai.

Town continued to up the ante after the equaliser, penning Stockport back into their own half, and almost went ahead when Hakeem Odoffin rose highest at the back post to meet a free-kick but headed narrowly wide.

Their reward came moments later, though, when Wells took a wonderful touch from a Kal Naismith pass to spin on the edge of the box and slot into the corner from 15 yards out.

Luton could have scored again on the stroke of half-time when Isaiah Jones pick-pocketed Ben Osborn on halfway and was bearing down clean through on goal, but Osborn raced back in to make an excellent sliding challenge.

Clark curled wide for Luton shortly after the restart, but from that moment on, it was all Stockport as they went in search of parity.

They went agonisingly close to a leveller when the ball dropped for Josh Stokes just inside the area, but his first-time effort went a matter of millimetres past the far post.

Stokes again nearly equalised, with a header at the near post from Ollie Norwood’s swinging free-kick – this time he was denied by an excellent reaction save by Shea.

With 10 minutes of stoppages added on, Stockport tried to force extra time, but Luton had other ideas.

Wells got across his marker from Shayden Morris’ ball into the box and it fell perfectly at his feet for him to provide a tidy finish to put the game beyond doubt.

Addai prevented Luton adding gloss to the scoreline, producing a wonderful save at full stretch to his left to stop Gideon Kodua’s goal-bound curling effort, but the damage had very much already been done.

Victory for Luton means they won the EFL Trophy for the second time, following on from success in 2009, while Stockport have now lost in the final of this competition three times.