Rain battered Kenilworth Road throughout the week, and there were whispers in both camps that Saturday’s League One clash between Luton Town and Bradford City might fall foul of the weather. But the local referee’s 8 a.m. pitch inspection gave the green light: football would go ahead as scheduled, much to the relief of fans and players alike. As the clock ticked toward the 12:31 p.m. kickoff on February 7, 2026, anticipation buzzed in the air. The Hatters, buoyed by a recent win over Blackpool, were eager to notch a second consecutive home victory, while Bradford City arrived with promotion ambitions and a point to prove.
For Luton Town, this fixture marked their second home game on the bounce—a crucial opportunity to grab a maximum six points from six and keep their playoff hopes alive. The home faithful, packed into the stands despite the lingering drizzle, were especially keen to see how new faces would fare after a busy January transfer window. The spotlight was firmly on Devante Cole, a deadline day signing from Port Vale and the club’s new number nine. Cole, who had netted eight goals for his former club this season, was handed an immediate debut by manager Jack Wilshere. “Devante came in and trained Monday as his last session was probably a week ago with Port Vale. He’s hungry to go. He’s hungry to try and help the team,” Wilshere told local press ahead of the match. “He was a little bit disappointed that it wasn’t last weekend, but that only adds to his hunger and his determination to have a good week and on Saturday start in the right way and try to help the team.”
Cole’s inclusion was one of two changes to the Luton lineup, with Jake Richards stepping in for the injured Cohen Bramall. The rest of the starting eleven featured Josh Keeley in goal; a back line of Nigel Lonwijk, Mads Andersen, Teden Mengi, and Joe Johnson; Kasey Palmer and captain Jordan Clark anchoring the midfield; and Gideon Kodua and Shayden Morris flanking the attack. The bench was a testament to Luton’s January activity, with Davy van den Berg—another recent arrival—joining James Shea, Kal Naismith, Ali Al-Hamadi, Nahki Wells, George Saville, and Izzy Jones among the substitutes.
Bradford City, under the guidance of manager Graham Alexander, lined up in a 3-4-2-1 formation. Sam Walker started between the posts, shielded by Ibou Touray, Aden Baldwin, Curtis Tilt, and Matthew Pennington. The midfield was marshaled by Max Power (captain), Josh Neufville, Tyreik Wright, Kayden Jackson, and Jenson Metcalfe, with Paul Mullin leading the line. The Bantams’ bench featured Joe Hilton, Joe Wright, Lee Evans, Antoni Sarcevic, Stephen Humphrys, Bobby Pointon, and Ethan Wheatley.
With the rain clouds lingering but the pitch holding firm, referee Richard Eley blew the whistle to get proceedings underway. Eley was assisted by Harley McKittrick and Grant Taylor, with Callum Walchester serving as fourth official. Both sides knew the stakes: Bradford City, sitting fifth in League One with 49 points, were desperate to keep pace with the automatic promotion contenders, while Luton Town, in seventh with 45 points, eyed a surge into the playoff spots. Recent form suggested a tight contest—Luton had claimed 7 points from their last 6 games (LWDLLW), while Bradford’s return was just 6 points (LWLLLW).
Early exchanges were cagey, with both teams probing for weaknesses. Luton, however, looked the more assertive in attack, tallying 10 shots to Bradford’s 3 over the course of the match. The Hatters managed 3 shots on target, while the Bantams failed to test Josh Keeley in the Luton goal. Possession was fairly even, but Luton edged the passing accuracy at 74.1% compared to Bradford’s 69.9%. The midfield battle was fierce, as reflected in the 9 fouls committed by Luton and 11 by Bradford, with the visitors picking up two yellow cards.
Set pieces offered moments of tension. Luton racked up 5 corners to Bradford’s 3, and the aerial duels were evenly matched—11 won by the Hatters and 13 by the Bantams. The home side also struck the woodwork once, coming agonizingly close to breaking the deadlock. Defensively, Luton were resolute, making 22 clearances to keep Bradford at bay, while the visitors managed 14 clearances of their own.
Both managers looked to their benches in the second half to change the game’s complexion. For Bradford City, Stephen Humphrys replaced Tyreik Wright in a bid to inject fresh attacking impetus. On the Luton side, the likes of Nahki Wells and Davy van den Berg waited in the wings, ready to make their mark if called upon. The overall tactical chess match between Jack Wilshere’s 4-1-4-1 and Graham Alexander’s 3-4-2-1 formations kept fans guessing—would either side find the breakthrough?
Historical context added extra spice to the encounter. Luton Town had not lost at home to Bradford in their last four league meetings (three wins, one draw), and the last time these teams met at Kenilworth Road—in November 2018—the Hatters ran out emphatic 4-0 winners. Bradford, though, had taken the spoils in the reverse fixture back in August, winning 2-1 and fueling hopes of a rare league double over Luton, something they’d only achieved once before, way back in the 1967-68 season.
But recent away form was not on Bradford’s side. The Bantams had lost four of their past five league games on the road, with a staggering 79% of their league defeats since the start of last season coming away from home. Luton, meanwhile, were unbeaten in their last nine home league games—a run stretching back to October and their longest such streak since a remarkable 28-match sequence between March 2018 and August 2019.
As the match wore on, both sets of supporters grew increasingly vocal. Every tackle, every clearance, every half-chance was met with a roar or a groan. The debut of Devante Cole was a particular talking point, with fans eager to see if the new signing could cap his first appearance with a goal. Manager Jack Wilshere’s faith in his January recruit was evident: “He’s played a lot of minutes this season, he’s a robust kid who’s played a lot of games in his career and he’s hungry to go.”
With the score still level as the game entered its closing stages, tension mounted. Would Luton make it two wins in a row and keep their playoff charge alive? Could Bradford City snatch a crucial away result to maintain their promotion push? The questions hung in the air as the referee’s final whistle approached.
In the end, the contest at Kenilworth Road was a showcase of grit, tactical discipline, and the unpredictable drama that makes League One football so compelling. With both teams fighting tooth and nail for every inch, the Hatters and the Bantams left everything on the pitch. The promotion race is far from settled, and with new signings eager to make their mark, the story of this season is only getting started.