Luton boss Jack Wilshere says the referee was wrong to disallow Mads Andersen’s late winner against Lincoln on Saturday afternoon.
The Hatters fought back from 2-0 down to level at 2-2 by half-time, with Gideon Kodua scoring his 10th of the season and Nahki Wells smashing in a brilliant 25-yard equaliser in stoppage time.
In the second half, the Hatters were on top and thought they’d taken the lead on 72 minutes when Mads Andersen headed in after keeper George Wickham dramatically dived theatrically with no contact.
Referee Scott Oldham awarded a free-kick to Lincoln instead, disallowing the goal – a decision Wilshere felt was wrong.Wilshere was also frustrated with the ref’s leniency towards Lincoln’s time-wasting as the visitors held on for a point.
— Steve McKenna (@1SteveMcK) January 17, 2026
To be fair that was a pretty vicious attack on the Lincoln keeper. Goal rightly chalked off 🤥 pic.twitter.com/zGi4eGNnj5
— Elliott Quince (@ElliottQ) January 18, 2026
On the disallowed goal, Wilshere said, per Luton Today: “It’s not a foul, it’s definitely not a foul and I need to speak to the ref to get his opinion on it because you see they’ve done it to us, how much in set-pieces now, teams are trying to create chaos.
“They’re trying to get around the goalie and I think if you make that decision, you have to be really, really clear and consistent with both teams, and I’m not sure it was a foul.”
Wilshere added: “I said to the players, if we play like that more often than not we’ll win games.
“However, this league, you’ve heard me say it so many times, it’s about moments.
“They have two moments and that’s it. We allowed them to score two goals, okay they had the moment at the end where Josh (Keeley) made a top save and you need your goalie in those moments, but in terms of how we played, the intent we played with, the aggression we played with, I’m really proud of the players.”
Lincoln’s Michael Skubala said, per East London Advertiser: “In your overall story of the game, probably, but in some ways no, because we started the game so well.
“You never want to go 2-0 up and then go to 2-2, but they’re a good team, they’re a play-off-chasing team. They’ve got a good squad, everyone knows about Luton Town and I’m pleased that we took four points off them this season.
“It was a blistering start. We start fast, we start well, get in front and then we just came off the gas a little bit and that just gave them the upper hand for about 15-20 minutes and then we went into half-time at 2-2.
“We’re probably disappointed with the goals, but that’s football and then second half it was a lot calmer, we were a lot calmer. In the last 10 minutes we were pushing for the goal and were the ones trying to win it.”
Nahki on yesterday’s draw against Lincoln. pic.twitter.com/C4yUqgWBzC
— Luton Town FC (@LutonTown) January 18, 2026
Twitter users reacted as Luton boss Jack Wilshere says the referee was wrong to disallow Mads Andersen’s late winner against Lincoln…
@OakRoadHatter: Shambolic decision by Scott Oldham. He also missed a clear foul on Naismith in the build up to Lincoln’s first goal.
@LTFC_Dave: Even worse from this angle
@BrixtonHatter: Poor Lincoln City goalkeeper George Wickens is in hospital after this horrific attack at Luton where he punched himself in the chest. Get well soon George x
@sjdhatters: Watched this about 5 times. Can’t see anything wrong with it
@GraemeBandeira: This is one of the most embarrassing things I’ve seen in football
@DANNIIMCM87: What a F’ing joke… terrible terrible decision!!! Cost us vital points..
@Richarmphotos: This is utterly ridiculous! Awful decision! #LTFC
@LutonEye: This is the best angle yet 😅 @FA_PGMOL – for your records when reviewing hapless Scott Oldham’s performance yesterday. A reminder that this ‘foul’ on the goalkeeper was given and the goal overruled.
@FanHubHatter: How is this a foul?
@LTFC_Dave: How are your officials allowed to be continually inept? @EFL
@ltfcat: Keepers are SOOOOOOO protected
@Andy_Peacock: We have been absolutely robbed of 3 points here
@jwayball: He’s punched himself in the chest 😭
@lilley1_roy: We’ve got away with one there 😂
@BurgessGrant: Where is the foul 👀. The keeper dived backwards
@adamcmb_: This is one of the worst pieces of officiating I have ever seen. Worth mentioning that this referee also gave a penalty to Sunderland at the SoL after Amad Diallo’s amazing Tom Daley impression
@ElliottQ: Watch the keepers right glove and see how he punches himself in the chest – you can’t teach that
@Al_Cooper7: What on earth has the ref seen there?! Keeper should be sent off for punching himself 😂😂😂
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