wigan athletic vs luton town: Joe Taylor strike earns Wigan vital 1-0 win
February 18, 2026, 4: 42 PM ET — Joe Taylor's late finish sank Luton Town as Wigan Athletic secured a priceless 1-0 win in Gary Caldwell's first game back in charge. The narrow victory, delivered deep in the final quarter, moved Wigan out of the League One relegation places and handed a setback to Luton's push for the play-offs.
Tense opening, Wigan take control after the break
The first half offered very little for the crowd, with Luton registering the only real chance before the interval. Isaiah Jones won a dangerous free-kick just outside the area; Kasey Palmer curled the set-piece over the wall but Sam Tickle was equal to it, keeping the scores level. From that point the match opened up only slightly, and both sides went into the break on even terms.
The second half belonged largely to the hosts. Wigan turned up the pressure and forced several saves from Luton goalkeeper Josh Keeley, with Morgan Fox and Taylor himself firing attempts that Keeley had to tip away. Substitutions and an increasingly vocal home support lifted Wigan's intensity as they hunted a breakthrough.
Substitute Costelloe sets up decisive moment, late drama secures three points
On the return to the dugout for Caldwell, emotions ran high: his assistant was shown a booking with around 20 minutes remaining, and two minutes after that the deadlock was broken. Dara Costelloe, introduced from the bench, fed Taylor with a precise pass; Taylor's clinical finish beat Keeley despite the keeper's attempt to close him down and put the hosts in front.
Luton pushed for an equaliser late on and thought they had one with four minutes remaining when Jordan Clark struck a left-footed effort that flew narrowly past the far post. Wigan went close to doubling the advantage when Joseph Hungbo's superb cross was stabbed over from close range by Costelloe. In stoppage time the home side needed two desperate goal-line clearances — first from Morgan Fox and then Will Aimson — to ensure the three points remained at the DW Stadium.
Implications and squad notes
The win ended a frustrating run for Wigan, giving the manager a winning start in his return and sparing the side from dropping deeper into the relegation zone. For Luton, selection changes before kick-off saw Ali Al-Hamadi make his full debut while captain Kal Naismith returned to the matchday squad; those tweaks were not enough to secure a result away from home and will be a disappointment for a side targeting the play-offs.
Both teams will take lessons from a tight contest decided by a moment of individual quality. Wigan will be buoyed by the resilience shown in the closing stages, while Luton will rue the missed chances that might have salvaged a draw on the road.
