Chris Powell Calls for VAR After Luton Town's Defeat to Stevenage
Chris Powell says Luton Town’s bruising defeat at Stevenage should be “a case for VAR” – and not just a footnote in an early-season wobble.
The Hatters’ assistant manager watched a 2-1 loss at Broadhall Way unravel around two decisions he insists were plainly wrong, on a night that also saw boss Jack Wilshere sent off for his protests.
Fury over Stevenage opener
The flashpoint came with Stevenage’s first goal in their 2-1 victory. Luton were adamant play should have been stopped for a foul on Liam Walsh before Dan Kemp struck the opener, and Wilshere’s anger at the decision earned him a red card on the touchline.
Speaking afterwards, Powell made no attempt to hide his frustration at what he viewed as a straightforward call.
He told BBC Three Counties Radio that the incident involved a “blatant” foul by Dan Phillips, and that the entire stadium seemed to pause, waiting for the whistle that never came.
“Everyone in the stadium is expecting the referee to blow, I know you shouldn’t stop,” he said. “But it’s quite clear what happened, the replays just confirmed what we saw.”
Instead of a free-kick to Luton, Stevenage had the lead. The mood on the away bench darkened, and it never really lifted.
“Clear offside” for second goal
The pressure on the officials only grew when Josh Magennis doubled Stevenage’s advantage. Powell called that goal a “clear offside”, a second major grievance that left Luton feeling the contest had been tilted beyond repair.
“They’ve scored two goals and won a game when actually they’ve had a helping hand,” he said, underlining the sense inside the Luton camp that the key moments had gone against them.
The numbers on the table are now stark enough. Luton have taken two wins, two draws and two defeats from their opening six League One matches. Mid-table form, mid-table position: eighth in the early standings, with the sense that fine margins are already biting.
Stevenage, by contrast, climbed to fourth. Alex Revell’s side defended their lead with the kind of resolve that makes early-season points feel even heavier.
Powell makes VAR plea
Powell did not turn his post-match anger into a personal attack on the officials. He stressed that referees “have a tough job” and pointed out the difference between split-second decisions on the pitch and the benefit of replays in the stands and the studio.
But he did draw a straight line from nights like this to the wider debate about technology in the EFL.
“I get it, referees have a tough job. But surely there is an argument for VAR at this level,” he said. “It can cost teams points, it can cost people jobs.”
That is the heart of his complaint. Not just injustice in isolation, but the potential long-term cost of wrong calls in a division where margins are tight and pressure is constant.
“You just hope that the way they work, there are four of them, with the assessor, that they make these decisions. It’s just a tough one to take,” he added.
Late fightback not enough
On the pitch, Luton did at least summon a response. Kasey Palmer’s effort, diverted in by Mads Andersen, dragged them back into the game and briefly shifted the momentum.
Stevenage bent but did not break. Revell’s side absorbed the pressure, saw out the final stages and banked the points, leaving Luton to sift through frustration and what-ifs.
For Wilshere, the fallout is immediate. His red card means he will be banned from the dugout for Luton’s next League One fixture, at home to Bradford City on 19 September.
A contentious defeat, a manager in the stands, and an assistant calling for VAR. Six games into the campaign, Luton already know exactly how unforgiving this league can be.
