Attacking display ends in disappointment for the Hatters
Luton Town’s unbeaten start to the season was brought to an end by Stevenage who pinched all three points at the death.
Cameron McGeehan’s deflected effort gave Luton the lead in the first half, before Hunte headed in for the hosts after the break and Godden scored the winner in the 96th minute.
It was a stirring first half from the Hatters, who created a lot of chances and could count themselves unlucky to have gone in at the break with just the one goal to their name.
Back in the side, Jake Gray was unfortunate not to find the head of Danny Hylton after an excellent run and cross from the left hand side after three minutes.
In his programme notes, Boro boss Darren Sarll said “Everyone knows the significance of playing Luton,” but it was certainly the Hatters who recognised the importance of the occasion in the first 45 minutes and took the lead with their first shot on target.
Cameron McGeehan drifted down the right hand side of the Stevenage final third without any real pressure.
He casually cut in from twenty yards and fired the ball at goal, it took a deflection off a Boro defender, which wrong footed Jamie Jones in the Stevenage goal and bounced in to give Luton the lead after 15 minutes. That was McGeehan’s fourth goal in five games, with this strike coming against a back four made up of three ex-Hatters in Franks, Wilkinson and Henry.
From then on Luton had the bit between their teeth, with Danny Hylton a real thorn in the side of the Stevenage defence, as he taunted them with his strength and silky touch.
He was however guilty of missing a one-one which would have doubled his side's lead after 44 minutes, when Jack Marriott, who was quiet for the opening exchanges of the game, really grew into the fixture from then on, fed the ball in spectacular fashion through to the former Oxford striker, but his strike drifted wide of the goal.
After the break, the hosts looked re-energised and brought the game level with 54 minutes on the clock.
Matt Godden made a strong run down the right hand flank, crossed the ball which avoided everyone in the box except for Connor Hunte at the back post, who had the easy job of heading the ball into the bottom left corner of the net, which he did so comfortably.
Luton were a big toe away from taking the lead on the hour mark, after a smart flick over the defence from McGeehan was just out of reach for Hylton’s outstretched foot at the back post.
O’Donnell was somehow denied by the crossbar from a tight angle after a smart break from Luton. Marriott sent the ball over for Hylton after picking up a loose ball from a Stevenage corner, Hylton cut in but his shot was blocked, it fell to O’Donnell who leathered the ball onto the underside of the bar, but it bounced away from the goal.
As the game entered the closing stages, Stevenage substitute Kennedy was denied by the woodwork, after his effort from 20 yards out bounced off the crossbar, down onto the post and was somehow scrambled away.
With 95 minutes on the clock, Olly Lee came within an inch of scoring, when he struck the ball onto where the bar meets the post.
The ball broke for Pett who galloped down the right hand side, passed it across to Godden who smashed it into the net to give Stevenage the win late on.
It was a frustrating result for Nathan Jones’ side, who looked most likely to earn the win in the last minute for the second time this week, but it wasn’t to be.
Full time score: Stevenage 2-1 Luton Town
Goal scorers: Hunte 54’ Godden 90+6’ | McGeehan 15’
Attendance: 3517 | Luton Town fans: 1674
Stevenage: Jones (GK), Henry ©, Wilkinson, Wells, Franks, McAnuff, Tonge, Lee, Hunte, Godden, Hyde
Subs: Day, Fox, Liburd, Pett, Kennedy, Gorman, Conlon
Luton Town: Walton (GK), O’Donnell, Cuthbert, Rea, Potts, Gray, McGeehan, Olly Lee, Cook, Marriott, Hylton
Subs: King, Smith, Pelly-Ruddock, Vassell, McQuoid, Justin, Famewo