wigan athletic vs luton town - Taylor strike hands Caldwell winning return
Joe Taylor's clinical finish late in the game secured a 1-0 victory for Wigan Athletic over Luton Town on Feb. 18, 2026, in Gary Caldwell's first match back in charge. The result lifted Wigan out of the League One relegation places and delivered a blow to Luton's play-off ambitions.
Caldwell return and the decisive moment
The contest remained tight and tense for long spells, but it was a second-half surge from the home side that ultimately decided the outcome. Substitute Dara Costelloe supplied the pass that freed Taylor, who kept his composure to slot past goalkeeper Josh Keeley two minutes after assistant manager David Perkins was booked on his return to the club. The strike — a compact, clinical finish with Keeley closing him down — proved enough to spark wild celebrations among the home supporters.
The victory ended a difficult run for Wigan. Prior to this night they had gone winless in their last eight league outings, a sequence that included four straight defeats. The three points give them a crucial boost and lift them out of the relegation places, offering breathing space and momentum as the run-in approaches.
Game flow, key saves and near-misses
The first half produced few clear chances. Luton's best moment before the break came when Isaiah Jones was fouled just outside the area and Kasey Palmer bent a free-kick over the wall, only for Wigan keeper Sam Tickle to make a strong save. That effort was a rare flash of attacking intent in an otherwise cagey opening 45 minutes.
Wigan dominated the second half. Morgan Fox and Taylor twice forced smart stops from Keeley, keeping Luton's chances at bay. The introduction of Costelloe added threat down the flank and his delivery created the goal that settled the match.
Luton nearly salvaged a point late on. Jordan Clark struck a left-footed shot four minutes from time that fizzed inches past the far post, and in the seventh minute of added time the home side's defence had to clear off the line twice — first Fox and then Will Aimson on separate interventions — to preserve the narrow advantage. Joseph Hungbo also came close to extending the lead when his superb cross was stabbed over the bar by Costelloe from close range.
Implications for both sides
The win is timely for Wigan. Not only does it stop a worrying string of poor results, it also restores confidence around the squad and gives Caldwell an immediate lift in his second spell at the club. Defensive resilience and the ability to convert a late substitute intervention into a match-winning moment will be seen as positive signs as the team fights to climb clear of the relegation battle.
For Luton, the defeat is a damaging setback in their play-off chase. They had beaten Wigan in the reverse fixture earlier in the campaign and will have been hoping to complete a league double, but squandered limited opportunities and were undone by a late break. Their possession and passing rarely troubled Wigan's back line after the break, and missed chances in the closing stages proved costly.
The narrow scoreline masks the drama of the closing minutes, where both sides had the ball in dangerous areas and fine margins decided the outcome. Wigan's ability to hold on despite intense pressure will be lauded, while Luton will head home frustrated at having come so close to rescuing a point.
Matchday: Feb. 18, 2026. Final score: Wigan Athletic 1, Luton Town 0. Time references given in Eastern Time (ET) where applicable.
