Exeter City 1-0 Luton Town: Late goal sees League One side knock out top flight Hatters

Demetri Mitchell scored a late winner and was then sent off as League One Exeter City upset Premier League Luton in the third round of the Carabao Cup.

Mitchell had a great chance saved by Luton keeper Tim Krul after an hour as Exeter posed more of a threat after the break.

Luton’s Jacob Brown twice went close with headers before Mitchell struck in the 83rd minute as the former Manchester United youngster finished Yanic Wildschut’s cross at the far post.

Mitchell was sent off five minutes later for a second yellow card, but Exeter held on to progress to the fourth round for the first time in 34 years and earn their first victory over a top flight side since beating Leicester 3-1 in the FA Cup in 1981.

Exeter made five changes from the side that lost 3-0 at Oxford United on Saturday while only Alfie Doughty stayed in the side as Luton – who face Everton in a key game at the bottom end of the Premier League on Saturday – made 10 changes from the team that drew 1-1 with Wolves for their first point since promotion.

Luton dominated the possession from the first whistle as Woodrow rattled the near post from a tight angle after 11 minutes having seen Luke Berry’s long-range effort tipped over just before.

James Scott fired a long-range effort just wide of Krul’s post after 20 minutes while Luton’s Dutch goalkeeper got down to hold a Mitchell shot five minutes later before Mads Andersen, Berry and Elijah Adebayo all went close for the Hatters as the half wore on.

City could have been ahead when Mitchell dispossessed Joe Johnson and sprinted down the right flank before his low effort was saved by Krul, with Kyle Taylor putting the rebound wide.

Luton responded with a quadruple change that saw Amari’I Bell, Issa Kabore, Chiedozie Ogbene and Brown come on, and Brown twice almost put his side ahead – first with a close-range header that was saved by Viljami Sinisalo and the second with a flicked header from Ryan Giles’ cross.

But Exeter never gave up and took their chance when it came as substitute Wildschut – who joined as a free agent earlier this month – crossed from the right and Mitchell was there at the back post to finish well and cap off an impressive display.

It was only tarnished by his red card for a second booking shortly after, but with 10 men the Grecians held out under a barrage of pressure from Luton, who could not find a way through.