Luton Town lift Vertu Trophy at Wembley
30,000 local fans attended the final
Nahki Wells’ dramatic extra-time finish was enough to secure the Vertu Trophy for Luton FC in a thrilling 3-1 victory at Wembley Stadium in front of 30,000 Hatters fans.
Wells initially put the team ahead before the half-time whistle, following Emilio Lawrence's levelling goal, and later solidified the win with a third goal in stoppage time.
The win induced an orange-fuelled mania among the majority of attendees, marking a significant achievement as the trophy had last been won in 2009.
Stockport took the lead early in the match when Adama Sidibeh capitalised on a long ball, driving his shot past Luton goalkeeper James Shea in the 11th minute.
However, Luton FC responded admirably, with Lawrence equalising just 10 minutes later through a well-placed effort between Stockport's goalkeeper, Corey Addai's legs, after a clever assist from Jordan Clark.
Captain Kal Naismith then demonstrated a moment of quality, finding Wells on the edge of the area, and with his composed skill, Wells scored to reverse the lead before halftime.
The second half proved nail-biting as Stockport threatened several times, but Shea made crucial saves to defend his team's advantage.
A remarkable one-handed save by Shea following Josh Stokes' header from Oliver Norwood's free-kick preserved the scoreline.
In the closing minutes, Wells completed his brace, controlling the ball before firing a reverse shot into the net, ensuring the trophy for Luton FC and the first trophy for manager Jack Wilshere.