Article body analysed
League One side Luton led 3-0 after Fanne opener and Wells double but pegged back to 3-3 Knowles pulls superb goal back for Robbie Savage's National League visitors, Mc Allister penalty makes it 3-2 and Dausch bags equaliser However, Kodua fires winner for Jack Wilshere's Hatters in stoppage time Opening game of 40 FA Cup first round fixtures Matthew Cresswell and Oliver Brindle Luton 0-0 Forest Green Rovers Following a slightly iffy start, Rovers have really grown into this Cup tie. A long ball from the goalkeeper finds Jili Buyabu who looks like he is going to race clear in on goal but the linesman has his flag up and replays show that was the right deision. Just a quick reminder, and I'm sure music to the ears of many of you, that there is no VAR in place tonight. Old school. Luton 0-0 Forest Green Rovers The rain is coming down quite heavily at Kenilworth Road at the moment as a pass skids through for a goal kick to the home side. The surface is making this a little bit tricky for the players. No more trick or treat jokes from us tonight though. Promise. Luton 0-0 Forest Green Rovers Alfie Ryan BBC Radio Gloucestershire summariser Forest Green have got to be as defensively resolute as possible. They need to make sure they don't concede early on, and then they can build their way into the game. If they can get an early goal though that could be massive. Luton 0-0 Forest Green Rovers A terrific cross from the right finds Sheffield United loanee Jili Buyabu but at the back post he is unable to direct his finish on target with Luton goalkeeper Josh Keeley scrambling. Good, lively start this. Luton 0-0 Forest Green Rovers Geoff Doyle BBC Three Counties Radio commentator I have seen Kenilworth Road fuller and that is putting it nicely, it is nowhere near full at the moment. This game might have tricked a few people. .. get it? Mainly because it is a 19: 30 kick-off, not a 19: 45 match. So far Robbie Savage isn't getting the normal bit of stick he would, and he has walked on to the sideline with no real noise at all. Luton 0-0 Forest Green Rovers Thirty seconds into the match and Luton earn their first corner. The ball is whipped in with pace from the left and Forest Green keeper Fiachra Pagel flaps at it but the ball is scrambled away from danger by Tre Pemberton. Early chance for the Hatters. Luton 0-0 Forest Green Rovers The 2025-26 FA Cup first-round proper is officially underway! Use button at top of page, #bbcfacup on X, via Whats App on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply) On the eve of their FA Cup first-round managerial debuts, who will have the better career as a head coach? Jack Wilshere, who took caretaker charge of Norwich City at the end of last season before taking over at Luton? Or Robbie Savage, who has decided to start his managerial career in non-league with, first, Macclesfield and, now, FGR? Let us know your thoughts on that - and also your views on the game as it goes on via the methods outlined above. Luton v Forest Green Rovers (19: 30 GMT) Luton boss Jack Wilshere makes two changes from the side that beat Northampton 1-0 in League One last Saturday. Jordan Clark and Gideon Kodua make way for Liam Walsh and Isaiah Jones while last weekend's goal scorer Lamine Fanne keeps his place in the starting eleven. As for Rovers, Robbie Savage rings the changes - five in total from the side that beat Boreham Wood in the National League last weekend. Out go goalkeeper Luke Mc Nicholas, Ryan Inniss, Jordan Moore-Taylor, Tom Knowles and Jayden Clarke. In come Fiachra Pagel, Laurent Mendy - who captains the side tonight, Abraham Kanu, Neil Kengni and Sean Etaluku. Luton v Forest Green Rovers (19: 30 GMT) You can also listen live to tonight's match by tuning in to either BBC Three Counties Radio or on BBC Radio Gloucestershire. All you need to do is click on the 'watch & listen' tab and log in to tune into local radio commentaries Luton v Forest Green Rovers (19: 30 GMT) If you, like us, have caught FA Cup fever this week you may well want to read more on the other action happening across the 40 first-round ties. Click here for five things to look out for in the FA Cup this weekend. As a non-league side seeks to spring a shock, we have some sad news to bring you about the man behind arguably the greatest FA Cup upset of all time. It was announced this afternoon that former Hereford United manager Colin Addison - who was in charge when the Bulls beat Newcastle United in the FA Cup in 1972 - has died at the age of 85. Ronnie Radford's famous equalising goal took the match into extra time before Ricky George grabbed the winner as Hereford became the lowest-ranked non-league side to beat top-flight opposition in English footballing history. Addison also took Hereford into the Football League for the first time in the club's history. Everyone at BBC Sport would like to send their condolences to Colin's family and friends at this very difficult time. This video can not be played Radford scores screamer as non-league Hereford beat Newcastle #bbcefl Following tonight's action, we have another 39 FA Cup first round proper ties to get our vampire fangs stuck into across this Halloween weekend. They are as follows: (15: 00 GMT kick-off unless otherwise stated): Saturday 1 November 2025: Chelmsford City v Braintree Town (12: 00pm) AFC Wimbledon v Gateshead Barnsley v York City Blackpool v Scunthorpe Bolton v Huddersfield Boreham Wood v Crawley Bromley v Bristol Rovers Burton Albion v St Albans City Buxton v Chatham Town Cambridge United v Chester Cheltenham v Bradford Colchester United v MK Dons Crewe v Doncaster FC Halifax Town v Exeter City Fleetwood v Barnet Grimsby v Ebbsfleet United Macclesfield v AFC Totton Mansfield v Harrogate Town Newport County v Gillingham Oldham v Northampton Peterborough v Cardiff Reading v Carlisle Rotherham v Swindon Salford City v Lincoln City Slough Town v Altrincham Spennymoor Town v Barrow Stevenage v Chesterfield Sutton United v AFC Telford United Tranmere Rovers v Stockport County Wealdstone v Southend Weston-Super-Mare v Aldershot Town Wigan v Hemel Hempstead Town Wycombe Wanderers v Plymouth Argyle Brackley Town v Notts County (17: 30 GMT) Sunday 2 November 2025: South Shields v Shrewsbury Town (12: 00pm) Eastleigh v Walsall (14: 15 GMT) Port Vale v Maldon & Tiptree Gainsborough Trinity v Accrington Stanley (17: 15 GMT) Monday 3 November 2025: Tamworth v Leyton Orient (19: 30 GMT) Luton v Forest Green Rovers (19: 30 GMT) Luton v Forest Green Rovers (19: 30 GMT) This video can not be played Watch Wilshere & Savage's FA Cup goals Watch the three FA Cup goals scored by the men in tonight's dugouts - Jack Wilshere (for Arsenal and Bournemouth) and Robbie Savage (for Leicester). Wilshere twice won this competition as a player with the Gunners - in successive years in 2014 and 2015. Luton v Forest Green (19: 30 GMT) It is fair to say previous visits of Forest Green to Kenilworth Road will evoke fond memories for Luton fans. In 2014, the Hatters thrashed Rovers 4-1 as their final home game of the season turned into a champions' celebration, having won the National League title by virtue of results elsewhere a few days prior. And it was a similar scenario four years and seven days later, albeit a division above, as a 3-1 win over FGR put the icing on another promotion campaign as the Hatters finished second in League Two. Luton v Forest Green (19: 30 GMT) Rovers boss Savage has also been vocal about the "vile abuse" directed towards him from some opposition fans this season and has spoken about mental health. An NHS pilot scheme in Gloucestershire allows GPs in the area to prescribe tickets to Forest Green home games to patients with depression. "People do struggle mentally in life, " said Savage. "This initiative is not just about watching football. It's about the day itself because when you come to a match, you meet new people, friends, engage with family. " Read more here. Luton v Forest Green Rovers (19: 30 GMT) In the build-up to tonight's match, perhaps unsurprisingly, Robbie Savage has turned up the heat on opposing manager Jack Wilshere, saying the pressure is firmly on the hosts. Savage stressed that tonight's clash is a "free-hit" but, nevertheless, they are going to Kenilworth Road to cause an upset. "I'm delighted for Jack and he'll go on to have a wonderful career, I'm sure of it, but there's more pressure on him than there is me, " Savage told BBC Radio Gloucestershire. "My players are going there with a belief and a desire to go and be the best they can be and show the nation how good they are. It's a great platform for them and they're very confident. " Read more about the pre-match build-up by clicking the link here. Luton Town v Forest Green Rovers (19: 30 GMT) Two former Premier League midfielders meet in the dugout tonight at Kenilworth Road in the first of 40 FA Cup first round ties to be played across this weekend as Luton Town, managed by Jack Wilshere, host Robbie Savage's Forest Green Rovers. Wilshere takes charge of just his fourth match for the Hatters after succeeding Matt Bloomfield, who was sacked earlier this month. The former Arsenal and England midfielder lost his opening game against Mansfield Town but bounced back with a 1-0 victory at Northampton Town, which lifted Luton up to 10th in League One. Sitting 43 places below them in the football pyramid are Forest Green Rovers who are fifth in the National League. Robbie Savage's contentious move from Macclesfield to Forest Green in the summer raised many an eyebrow but he has settled in to life in the fifth tier well. In case you were wondering, we will need to reach a result tonight so if the match ends in a draw, it will go to extra time and, if needed, the dreaded penalty shootout. Will the Hatters avoid a scare this Halloween or will Savage's Rovers spook them in their own backyard? Luton v Forest Green (19: 30 GMT) Hello and a happy Halloween to you all! We are thrilled to be able to bring you live text coverage of Luton v Forest Green Rovers tonight as the 2025-26 FA Cup first round proper gets underway. The players will be providing plenty of tricks - but who will take home the treat of a place in the second round? Let's get into it, shall we? This video can not be played Luton beat Forest Green in rollercoaster seven-goal tie League One Luton Town survived a scare to beat National League side Forest Green Rovers 4-3 in the FA Cup first round. Gideon Kodua came off the bench to win it in stoppage time after the visitors came from 3-0 down in the second half to level the match. Lamine Fanne and Nahki Wells had put Jack Wilshere's side in control at the break, and Wells thought he had secured victory with his second goal of the game early in the second half. However, substitutes Tom Knowles, Kyle Mc Allister and Aidan Dausch pulled Rovers back into it before Kodua struck with a decisive finish on a night of high drama at Kenilworth Road. Both sides traded early chances before Fanne curled an effort just wide. Moments later, he found the net with a similar chance from the edge of the area after being fed by Wells, despite being off balance. Wells pounced to double the lead on the half-hour mark after Fiachra Pagel spilled Cohen Bramall's free-kick into his path. The striker should have had another goal a second a minute later but he fired over after springing the offside trap. Jili Buyabu thought he had halved the deficit with half-time looming. A well-worked corner kick found him in space but his attempt at goal was blocked by Teden Mengi. Wells made it 3-0 with another close-range finish as Fanne repaid the compliment from his earlier assist after Tre Pemberton was dispossessed high up the pitch. On the hour, Knowles pulled Rovers back into the game with a curling effort from the edge of the Luton box, which wrongfooted keeper Josh Keeley after a deflection off Mengi, but few in the ground could have foreseen what was to come. Mengi's night took a turn for the worse just seven minutes later when he brought down Harry Whitwell in the area to concede a penalty kick, and Mc Allister stepped up to make it 3-2. With 11 minutes remaining, the ball fell to debutant Dausch after Luton failed to clear and he levelled the scores, sending Forest Green boss Robbie Savage and the travelling fans wild. Rovers captain Laurent Mendy almost completed an amazing turnaround but his header hit the crossbar with four minutes to go. Kodua broke Rovers hearts in stoppage time when he smashed home from close range, but there was still time for Dausch to squander a wonderful chance to take the tie into extra time. Luton Town's Nahki Wells scored his second and third goals of the season in the FA Cup tie against Forest Green Rovers Luton Town manager Jack Wilshere told BBC Radio Three Counties: "It was a tough second half. It is hard to analyse right now because there was so much happening. But it is three wins in a row [for us] and I'm not sure when that last happened. "That is important for the players, that they see we are about winning. We have to be better in the second half but we will look at that. "Credit to them. We expected them to be like that, a Robbie Savage team. In the first half we did well with killing their spirit. We kept the ball well and it is difficult when they get a bit of momentum. "We found a way and sometimes you have to find a way. " Forest Green Rovers manager Robbie Savage told BBC Radio Gloucester: "It is one of the proudest moments of my footballing life. "For my team to do that at 3-0 down, to have the courage, the application, the desire, the willingness to work, to go 3-3 and hit the bar. "Dauschy was in tears at the end, walking off. The Luton fans gave us a round of applause, clapping us off as a team. They know. I love this team and they were magnificent. "We knew they would get tired. Three subs all scored. I'm so proud of them. " After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users. Comments can not be loaded To load Comments you need to enable Java Script in your browser Manager: Jack Wilshere Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 Manager: Robbie Savage Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 Manager: Jack Wilshere Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 Manager: Robbie Savage Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 FA Cup All competitions All competitions All competitions Luton and Forest Green Rovers last faced in 2017-18 in League Two, with the Hatters winning both meetings (2-0 away, 3-1 home). They’ve never met in the FA Cup proper (first round onwards). Forest Green Rovers have been eliminated in 13 of their last 14 FA Cup ties against Football League opposition – the exception was a 2-1 win at AFC Wimbledon in 2015-16. This will be League One side Luton’s third consecutive FA Cup tie playing in a different division – they were a Premier League side in February 2024 (lost 6-2 to Man City) and a Championship side in January 2025 (lost 2-0 to Nottingham Forest). Bolton were the last EFL side to play three ties in a row in three different divisions (Championship, League One, League Two between 2018-19 and 2020-21). Luton manager Jack Wilshere is a two-time FA Cup winner as a player with Arsenal (2014 and 2015), with his last FA Cup appearance coming in March 2021 for Bournemouth; this is his first FA Cup game as manager. Forest Green manager Robbie Savage is also managing his first game in the competition proper, and his last game as a player was for Derby in a 2-1 defeat to non-league Crawley in 2011. Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.

