The Town were on the receiving end of a five-goal thriller as they went down 3-2 to 10-man Plymouth to dampen the 120th birthday celebrations at Kenilworth Road.
The visitors took the lead on 15 minutes when Matthew Sorinola guided a diving header past Josh Keeley following Lorent Tolaj’s right-wing cross.
Behind, the response was swift from the Town. Nigel Lonwijk’s shot was blocked on 17 minutes and moments later the Hatters were level.
Lasse Nordås was caught by a flailing elbow on the edge of the penalty area and the referee pointed to the spot. Jerry Yates stepped up from 12 yards to roll home his first league goal in Town colours.
That gave the Hatters confidence and on 23 minutes Zack Nelson’s shot was turned away by Luca Ashby-Hammond in the Argyle goal.
And the visitors had their goalkeeper to thank once more four minutes before half-time when he flew to his right to stop a stinging effort from Millenic Alli.
However, it was Plymouth who ended the first half stronger and the Pilgrims went into the break ahead when Bradley Ibrahim struck an emphatic finish past Keeley from just inside the penalty area in the fifth minute of added time at the end of the first period.
Matt Bloomfield made a double change at the interval, bringing on Kal Naismith and Nahki Wells and, within three minutes of the restart, the Town were level from the spot again.
Alli’s left-wing cross sought Gideon Kodua but the wing-back was impeded by Sorinola and the referee signalled again to the penalty mark. Yates handed the ball to Wells and the Bermuda international drilled the spot-kick hard and low into the bottom corner for his first Luton goal.
The drama continued and two minutes after the Hatters levelled the visitors were reduced to 10 men when skipper Joe Edwards was shown a straight red card for a late challenge on Alli.
As the Town looked to make the most of their numerical advantage, Alli felt he should have had a penalty after going down under a Sorinola challenge on 52 minutes and a minute later Yates skied a difficult chance from close range.
The chances continued to fall the Hatters’ way. Wells was denied by Ashby-Hammond just before the hour and Nelson appealed for a penalty shortly afterwards when going down under Brendan Galloway’s challenge.
Naismith tested Ashby-Hammond’s handling with a drive from distance on 66 minutes but the game then turned on 72 minutes after Tom Cleverley was given his marching orders from the dugout.
Keeley conceded a corner when under no pressure and, from the resultant flag-kick, the visitors took the lead for the third time. As the Town struggled to clear their lines Jordan Clark’s attempted clearance from inside the six-yard box struck the unsuspecting Ibrahim and the ball bounced agonisingly into the net.
Behind once more and with 15 minutes left, the Town upped the ante. Wells’ near-post header was cleared off the line before Ashby-Hammond stopped Christ Makosso’s header on 80 minutes.
Bloomfield threw on Joe Gbodé for his Luton debut with six minutes left but as time ticked down the Town came close once more when George Saville’s low shot was deflected just behind.
Ten minutes were added at the end of 90 but it was the Plymouth defence who stood tall. The Town came close in the fifth added minute when Wells glanced a header wide but that was the closest the Hatters came and it was Argyle who were left to celebrate.
Town: Keeley, Kodua (sub Morris 60), Alli, Makosso, Andersen (sub Bramall 71), Lonwijk (sub Naismith 46) Saville, Clark, Nelson (sub Gbodé 84), Nordås (sub Wells 46), Yates.
Subs not used: Shea, Naismith, Walsh, Morris, Wells, Gbodé, Bramall.
Attendance: 11,801, including 1,342 in the away end
