Jack Wilshere hopes come-from-behind win over Stevenage gives Luton belief

Luton boss Jack Wilshere was eager to praise his side’s character as they hit back from behind to beat Stevenage 2-1 at Kenilworth Road.

The Hatters trailed to Lewis Freestone’s header early in the second period but Jordan Clark, who had missed a first-half penalty, equalised two minutes later.

And Gideon Kodua scored what proved to be the winner in the 64th minute to move the Hatters above their opponents and within a point of the play-off places in League One.

Wilshere said: “I’m glad that the players are starting to believe in it now because we’ve got some really big characters in there, some really big personalities.

“I said to them after, not many teams will go behind to a team like Stevenage and how they play and how difficult they make it – especially what it felt like with the energy in the stadium – and the players should be proud as they’re the ones who brought everyone up.

“They started to play with a little bit more purpose, be on the front foot and I think they then got energy from the crowd when the crowd started to be with us.

“You can see what it can create and I’m proud of the players for that.

“When you actually get it over the line against a team that will be difficult to do that against, it gives the players more belief and it gives them more confidence.”

After Stevenage started strongly, Luton missed a glorious chance to take a 29th-minute lead when Clark saw the penalty he had won saved by Filip Marschall.

Stevenage took the lead in the 53rd minute when Freestone headed in.

But Clark quickly levelled from Joe Johnson’s free-kick and a fine break then saw Kodua sidefoot in after Nahki Wells’ pass for his ninth goal of the season.

A frustrated Boro manager Alex Revell said: “For an hour we were excellent. First half we gave them nothing at all (and) we created chances.

“We should have come in maybe one or two up with the moments that we had and the chances we created.

“In the second half I asked them to continue what we’re doing, which they did, got the goal and then after that you have to manage the game.

“You have to see out the first five minutes after you score which we didn’t do and then you give them oxygen.

“It’s a really poor goal to concede for us in terms of coming here and putting on the performance that they did.

“You give good players oxygen, confidence and belief, they build and we have to manage that.

“We’re not managing those moments well at all, and that’s now quite a few games where we’ve gone up and haven’t come away with all three points.”