A late Ryan Johnson own goal handed Luton Town a fortunate and hard-fought 1-0 victory over AFC Wimbledon in the League One opener on Friday night.
Off the back of consecutive relegations, Luton boss Matt Bloomfield will be pleased with the three points at Kenilworth Road to kick off their 2025/26 campaign, although they laboured and created little throughout before the late breakthrough.
These two sides were two leagues apart just three months ago, and three leagues apart just over a year ago, but the playing field was levelled at Kenilworth Road.
And it remained that way for the vast majority of the game, taking a moment of real misfortune from AFC Wimbledon’s perspective on 85 minutes to break the deadlock, as Johnson rose to loop a header from Nahki Wells’ cross over his own helpless goalkeeper Nathan Bishop.
Bloomfield: We’re not the final product yet
Luton boss Matt Bloomfield:
“We’re pleased to get the win. We’re an evolving group and we’re addings lots of bodies. We’re on the journey to the final product, but we’re not there yet. That’s obvious.
“We still want to be better in the top third of the pitch. We got there a lot and we weren’t clinical enough. There’s lots in my mind now. But we have to be pleased to get off to a winning start.
“We’re still putting the pieces of the puzzle together, and we’ll get better as the season goes on.”
Jackson: A tough one to take
AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson:
“I’m gutted for the players and supporters. To lose the game in that manner was cruel. It’s a fortunate goal from their point of view.
“I thought we defended brilliant and had a good structure and shape about us. They couldn’t get through us. To lose it to an own goal off the underside of the bar was a hard one to take.”
Luton get the job done, but reasons for Dons optimism
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Former Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer on Sky Sports Football:
“Over the last couple of years we’ve not really had that luck on our side. To get a win early you’ll take, however it comes. You want to play fluid football but Wimbledon came with a gameplan and implemented it very well.
“The one time Cauley Woodrow got in behind and you get that little bit of luck. It’s three points and it gets the ball rolling.”
Former Luton Town player Curtis Davies on Sky Sports Football:
“Luton are the big dogs in this league now. They’ve been the underdogs before, but now everyone will come here wanting to get their scalp.
“AFC Wimbledon will be built on defence and that will happen a lot. Matt Bloomfield has to find a way, and that will give him food for thought about how to go about things going forward.”
Former Wimbledon player Jobi McAnuff on Sky Sports Football:
“AFC Wimbledon will be so disappointed. They defended so well all the way through the team. They were magnificent. Ryan Johnson was one of the better players on the pitch, so it’s desperately unlucky for him.
“There’ll be lots of positives for Johnnie Jackson to take out of that game, despite the result.”
