Hatters boss not giving up on top spot just yet

Striker Isaac Vassell in action against Cambridge

Victory for the Hatters over Cambridge yesterday saw them remain some 16 points behind leaders Doncaster Rovers whose 3-0 triumph at Yeovil made it seven wins from their last eight matches for the table-toppers.

Second placed Plymouth weren’t in action, as Luton were able to cut the gap to nine points on the Pilgrims, while they are now just four points adrift of Carlisle in third, with a game in hand over the Cumbrians.

However, Jones said: “We’re going for first. How realistic that is I don't know, but if we strive for first and fall just short then it will be a good season.

“But we don’t give up hope. Doncaster are in wonderful, wonderful form and if they continue that, no-one’s catching them evidently.

“But we want to continue making inroads into any deficit that we have at the minute, and all we can keep doing is keep trying to win games and do well.

“We’ve got a good squad. We’re fit, have a decent structure about us, a wonderful club, have the best fans, so it’s an exciting 20 games.”

Goalscorer Isaac Vassell believes that the display against Cambridge on Saturday in which Luton ground out a 2-0 victory, was one of potential promotion winners, as he said: “I don’t necessarily think there was a lot of great football played (against Cambridge) which is a weird one to say.

“It was a bit of a scrappy one, but those are the sort of games we need to win if we’re going to be pushing for promotion.

“Those are the ugly ones, where everyone did their jobs well and we got the win.”

With struggling Cheltenham visiting Kenilworth Road on Tuesday night too, then Vassell knows it’s a great chance to move within touching distance of Carlisle.

He added: “That’s what we’re looking to do now, we want to get up to those automatic promotion positions and then kick on.

“If we can get another three points, it will put us right up in the mix.

“Momentum is a strong thing, so if we can just keep it going, and put together a run of games then we’re going to give ourselves the best chance we can.”