On a brisk New Year’s Day at St James Park, Exeter City kicked off 2026 in style, clinching a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Luton Town in League One action. The Grecians, buoyed by a raucous home crowd, extended their unbeaten run at home to an impressive eight matches, while Luton’s hopes of a promotion push took a dent despite their recent festive successes.
Jack Wilshere’s Luton Town side arrived in the southwest riding high on the momentum of back-to-back home wins against Wycombe Wanderers and Leyton Orient. Optimism was in the air for the Hatters, who had rekindled dreams of a return to the EFL Championship. The visitors kept much of their starting XI intact from their recent victories, with only a handful of tweaks as they looked to make it three wins on the spin. Shayden Morris, who started in place of Cohen Bramall in the previous match, retained his spot as Wilshere sought continuity.
Exeter City, meanwhile, were looking to build on their own strong finish to 2025, having edged AFC Wimbledon 1-0 just days earlier. Manager Gary Caldwell opted for three changes: Jack Aitchison and Sonny Cox stepped in as the creative forces behind the attack, replacing Reece Cole and Akeel Higgins, while Sil Swinkels made his first League One start at St James Park since August, taking Luca Woodhouse’s place in defense. The match officials, led by referee Matthew Russell, were ready for what promised to be a tightly contested affair.
From the opening whistle, both sides showed intent. Luton’s George Saville nearly gave the visitors a dream start, breaking into the box only to see his effort bravely blocked by Aitchison. The Hatters pressed forward with purpose, with Cohen Bramall drilling in a pair of dangerous crosses that had the Exeter defense scrambling. Yet, for all of Luton’s early possession, Exeter looked threatening on the counter. Aitchison picked out Jayden Wareham, whose initial low shot was comfortably saved by James Shea, but the real danger came moments later. Cox held the ball up expertly, slipped it through to Wareham, and the striker’s effort beat Shea—only to agonizingly rebound off the post and away to safety. That near miss seemed to jolt both teams into action.
Exeter began to assert themselves, with Jack Fitzwater’s header causing a moment of panic in the Luton box before being cleared by Teden Mengi. The home side peppered the area with corners, as Wareham, Swinkels, and Cox all saw headers blocked in quick succession. Aitchison, lively throughout, volleyed over from the edge of the area as the Grecians looked to capitalize on their growing momentum. Luton responded, with Saville finding Morris in space, but the winger could only find the side netting. Cox and Aitchison continued to threaten for Exeter, but Shea was equal to the task, holding onto a shot on the turn as halftime approached.
With the score locked at 0-0 at the break, neither manager opted for changes immediately. The second half, however, exploded into life just five minutes in. Exeter won a free-kick, which Ethan Brierley swung into the box. Cox’s initial attempt was blocked, but the ball fell invitingly to captain Pierce Sweeney. Unmarked and with composure befitting a skipper, Sweeney curled his finish into the far corner from 12 yards, sending the Big Bank into wild celebration. It was Sweeney’s first goal since December 2024, and it marked his 413th appearance for the club—making him Exeter’s fourth highest appearance maker ever. Talk about leading by example!
“It was a captain’s goal,” noted one local report, capturing the significance of the moment. Sweeney’s strike proved decisive, but Exeter weren’t content to sit back. Ilmari Niskanen nearly doubled the lead, beating the offside trap and cutting inside, only for Mengi to recover and block the shot. The Finn went close again, floating an effort just wide from a corner, as the Grecians pressed to put the game to bed.
Luton, stung by the setback, began to push forward with renewed urgency. Wilshere turned to his bench, introducing Nahki Wells and Jacob Brown in a bid to spark a comeback. But for all their possession, the Hatters struggled to break down a resolute Exeter backline. Joe Whitworth, the City goalkeeper, had precious little to do, with Luton failing to register a shot on target until the 85th minute—a statistic that underlined the home side’s defensive discipline.
Exeter’s own substitutions kept them fresh, with Carlos Mendes Gomes replacing Cox and Reece Cole coming on for Doyle-Hayes. Cole made an immediate impact, seeing a shot from a corner blocked and then dragging another effort just wide. As the clock ticked down, Luton’s frustrations mounted. Nigel Lonwijk fired in a speculative shot, and Wells went down in the box under pressure from Fitzwater, but referee Russell waved away the appeals. Jordan Clark finally forced Whitworth into a save late on, but the chance fizzled out and a goal kick was awarded.
With only three minutes of added time, Exeter managed the closing stages with poise, seeing out the win to the delight of the home supporters. The result lifted the Grecians to 15th in the table, now two points clear of the relegation zone—a significant cushion as they look to build momentum in the new year. Luton, meanwhile, remained in eighth place, their promotion ambitions still alive but in need of a response after a disappointing afternoon in Devon.
Post-match, the mood in the Exeter camp was understandably buoyant. The victory not only extended their home unbeaten streak but also provided a timely boost of confidence heading into a busy January schedule. The Grecians’ next test comes quickly, with a trip to Huddersfield Town looming on Sunday. For Luton, the focus shifts to regrouping and rediscovering the attacking verve that powered their festive run. With the race for promotion heating up, every point will prove crucial.
As the dust settles on a memorable New Year’s Day clash, one thing’s certain: Exeter City’s faithful have every reason to celebrate, while Luton Town must look to bounce back as the League One campaign rolls on.
