The Town needed an injury-time winner from substitute Gideon Kodua to seal their place in the second round of the FA Cup after a dramatic 4-3 win over National League Forest Green.
It seemed the Hatters were well on course for a place in the hat following two goals from Nahki Wells and one from Lamine Fanne had put Jack Wilshere’s side 3-0 up.
But Rovers stormed back, scoring three times in an incredible 18-minute spell to bring Robbie Savage’s fifth-tier side level.
The visitors had chances to take the lead, hitting the crossbar late on, but Kodua had the final say to two minutes into injury time to earn the Hatters victory – their third in a week in all competitions.
It began by Wilshere naming a strong starting XI for the tie, making just two changes from the team that defeated Northampton Town almost a fortnight ago, including a first start of the season for Isaiah Jones.
The Town started brightly with Cohen Bramall winning the game’s first corner less than 30 seconds in, although the visitors were able to clear.
Rovers came close to taking the lead, just five minutes in. Sean Etaluku’s deep ball to the backpost was put over the bar from yards out by Jill Buyabu.
Fanne then came close to giving the Hatters the lead. Wells played the ball into Jake Richards who laid the ball off for the Spaniard, only for him to drag his effort wide of the post.
Moments later, Fanne did get his goal. It was a carbon copy of the previous attack. Down the right-hand side, Wells advanced into the area and pulled the ball back for Fanne who curled the ball past Fiachra Pagel.
On the half-hour mark, the Town were gifted a second. Bramall’s long-range free-kick was spilled into the path of Wells by Pagel and the Luton forward made no mistake with his finish to double the lead.
Wells was inches away from his second of the evening. George Saville’s first-time ball into the area was headed towards the far post by Harvey Bunker into the path of Wells, who could only fire over the bar.
Minutes after the restart, Wells netted his second to make it 3-0. Richards, in a central area, knocked the ball out wide to Fanne, who fired the ball across the face of the goal for Wells to tap home for his brace.
However, on the hour, Rovers pulled one back to begin their comeback. Tom Knowles’ effort on his right foot deflected off the head of Teden Mengi, wrong-footing Josh Keeley.
Wilshere made his first two changes after the goal. Ali Al-Hamadi made his long-awaited debut, as he replaced Jones while Zack Nelson was the other switch, he came on in place of Liam Walsh.
Mengi then was adjudged to have fouled Knowles in the area and referee Stephen Parkinson pointed to the spot. Kyle McAllister stepped up and slotted the ball into the bottom-right corner to make it 3-2.
Incredibly, Rovers levelled the score with 10 minutes to play. It was Aidan Dausch, who capitalised on a defensive mix-up from the Town.
Moments later the visitors came close to completing the turnaround when captain Laurent Mendy saw his back-post header cannon back off the crossbar.
But just when it seemed an extra 30 minutes were needed to separate the sides, Kodua broke Rovers hearts two minutes into injury time when taking Jerry Yates’ pass and thumping an unerring finish past Pagel to send the Town into round two.
Town: Keeley, Naismith, Walsh (sub Nelson 62), Mengi, Lonwijk, Wells (sub Yates 71), Fanne (sub Odoffin 90), Saville, Jones (sub Al-Hamadi 62), Richards (sub Kodua 71), Bramall.
Unused subs: Shea, Andersen, Alli, Makosso.
Attendance: 4,511, including 462 from Forest Green.
Report by Owen Williams.
