The Town earned their first win of 2026 as they fought back to beat Stevenage and make it three wins in four games in League One.

After a goalless first half, Jordan Clark, who also missed a penalty, and Gideon Kodua were both on target for the third home game in a row as the duo cancelled out Boro’s opener from Lewis Freestone.

Showing seven changes to the side that lost at Exeter on New Year’s Day, including a debut for Manchester City loan signing Emilio Lawrence, it was the visitors who dominated the first half.

Boro, who beat the Town back in October, came close on several occasions in a tight opening period with the Hatters thankful to a tremendous save from Josh Keeley on 24 minutes to keep the visitors at bay. Jordan Roberts was first to react to a loose ball in the penalty area – but his deft effort from close range was somehow turned over the bar by the fingertips of the Hatters’ goalkeeper.

It was a save that earned the plaudits and high-fives from his teammates and three minutes later it was looking an even more important stop when the Town were awarded a penalty when Clark was nudged over in the box. However, this time the spotlight fell on the reflexes of Boro stopper Filip Marschall who kept out Clark’s penalty by diving well to his right.

That was that for an even first half and, as the Town attacked the Kenilworth Road end in the second, Jack Wilshere introduced Shayden Morris for Lamine Fanne.

Stevenage should have taken the lead five minutes after the restart when Jamie Reid fired over from close range, but the visitors were in front moments later. The Hatters felt Roberts handled in the build-up, but as play continued, a ball into the box from the right was nodded home by Freestone.

The response to falling behind couldn’t have been any better. Less than two minutes later it was 1-1 when that man Clark was in the right place at the right time to fire home a loose ball to atone from his earlier miss from 12 yards. It was his seventh of the season.

All of a sudden, the impetus was with the Town and Kodua tested the hands of Marschall on the hour with a low drive.

But the 21-year-old didn’t have long to wait to find the target when, on 64 minutes, the winger fired the Hatters ahead. Morris threaded the ball through to Nahki Wells and the striker fed Kodua and the youngster placed a wonderful low finish out of the reach of the goalkeeper in the corner. A ninth of the season and his seventh in his last 13 games.

Ahead the Hatters seized control. The threat that the visitors carried in the first half was nullified and Clark almost added a third with six minutes to play only for his deflected low shot to be saved.

As Boro understandably laid siege on the Hatters goal in search of a late leveller, the Town had the final chance on the counter when Marschall did well to deny substitute Jerry Yates after the striker was found by Clark’s pass.

And that was that.

After the disappointment in Devon the Town could celebrate a third straight win at Kenilworth Road to move above Stevenage in the play-offs and a step closer to the top six.

Why not come back for more home comforts when we entertain Swindon in the Vertu Trophy on Tuesday night? See you then.

UTT.

Town: Keeley, Lonwijk, Johnson, Makosso, Andersen, Walsh, Fanne (sub Morris 46), Clark, Lawrence (sub Bramall 62), Kodua (sub Saville 90+3), Wells (sub Yates 77).

Subs not used: Shea, Walters, Nelson.

Attendance: 11,434, including 1,299 in the away end.