A late Jordan Clark spot-kick sent Luton into the Vertu Trophy semi-finals to provide a tonic to a tumultuous week, as boss Jack Wilshere declared his men “showed a lot of character.”
Three days earlier, the Hatters were booed off after a late League One leveller for struggling Burton Albion as Kenilworth Road turned toxic.
But with a reduced 3,418 Luton fans inside the old stadium for the visit of Cardiff City dragon slayers Plymouth, the Hatters put in the kind of full-blooded, attacking display that supporters crave.
Wilshere said: “I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it, there’s characters, there’s leaders, there’s personality in this group, but most importantly there’s players that care, players that are all in to try and turn things around, to try and get some wins to try and win the next game.
“It takes character because it was difficult on Saturday. The way the game ended, giving a goal away right at the end and the feeling in the stadium, it was difficult.
“So, yeah, the players deserve all the credit because to turn it around I thought it was a really good performance as well.
“And then also to bounce back in the game when we gave a goal away, yeah, they showed a lot of character tonight.”
Argyle boss Tom Cleverley admitted afterwards that his men were second best in all aspects, including the basics, which had proved problematic over the last three underperforming displays.
Here there was fight, tempo and attacking verve, spurred on by a top drawer, driving performance from Jake Richards which, as a Devon-born former Exeter ace, was an added personal bonus.
And, had it not been for Isaiah Jones’ wayward finishing, he could have had a hat-trick of identical goals, instead of just the one goal – his first since November 8 and the last time Town won on the road.
For a team that has been frustratingly shot-shy of late, those efforts were among a much-improved 18 shots, with six on target, the first of which saw Jones convert at the back stick on 16 minutes. The last of which saw Clark converting his third penalty of the season. That was one of 12 Hatters spot-kicks won this term, which is more than the last three campaigns added together.
The last-gasp joy, compared to Saturday’s late pain was no more than Town deserved, though they made it hard for themselves in the 77th minute when George Saville’s back-pass forced keeper James Shea to race out off his line and though he got to the ball first his clearance went straight to Tegan Finn, who rolled the ball into an empty net from 30 yards.
Before that point, Argyle – who had bagged 12 goals in their last three league matches, including five against table toppers Cardiff on Saturday – had barely troubled Town’s goal. In form former striker Aribim Pepple proved no problem, despite injuries to defender Mads Andersen and Teden Mengi, while top scorer Gideon Kodua was also withdrawn at the break with a knock.
And though the equaliser gave the Pilgrims some wind in their sails, Luton rallied and the ricochet from redemptive Saville tackle gave Wells a sniff and Mathias Ross could only bundle over the forward. It should perhaps have been a red card for the defender, as he made no attempt to play the ball, but Clark’s 89th minute penalty proved punishment enough.
And with that – but, in truth, from the first whistle – the boos and anger of the weekend turned to cheers and more noise from a less than half full Kenilworth Road than the old girl has heard for most of this difficult season.
It’s a campaign which is now alive with the possibility of reaching a Wembley showpiece final. There’s Northampton still to topple first next week, but play like this and the Cobblers won’t cope.
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