The return of Frenchman Claude Gnakpa is the only bright spot for the Hatters ahead of their League Two trip to Grimsby Town on Tuesday night.

With an already extensive injury list, the news that Garreth O'Connor is out with a thigh injury and striker Ryan Charles in sidelined for a few weeks with an ankle injury was the last thing beleaguered manager Mick Harford needed.

He said: "We are a very young team and quite naive at times. The whole spine of the team has gone. The experienced players are injured.

"The lads who are out of the team are so disappointed and desperate to get back."

He also revealed that the older pros have been passing on their knowledge and know how to the youngsters and hopes that it will start to pay dividends.

Harford also bemoaned his side's last two performances and admitted the results so far have not been good enough.

He said: "We need to be winning at home, we need to be winning away. We need to start getting some results and putting in some performances.

"We need to start picking up some points somewhere along the line and hopefully it will start at Grimsby.

"When you are in this job you are judged on results. I'm man enough to sit here and say judged on results so far it's not good enough. It's part and parcel of the job.

"I will keep chipping away at what I think is the right thing to do and see how it ticks over. I can promise I will give 100 per cent and have the backing of the people at this club."

He said Challney High School pupil Jordan Patrick will be given the day off school for the game and will once again feature in Hatters's squad, while fit-again left-back Sol Davis is also pressing for a place.

Harford said: "Jordan has adpated very well and done himself credit. He scores goals this kid. He has scored regularly throughout his life, at school at U14s and U16s.

"Sol had only trained for a couple of days when he came on to the bench on Saturday but he is back in contention for the team."