Luton chief talks up significance of Mansfield win

With 45 minutes to go, the Hatters were trailing 1-0 at Kenilworth Road, and with a number of their promotion rivals winning, it looked like their gap to fourth place could be almost gone.

However, a superb second half performance saw James Collins equalise and then Glen Rea net the winner with his first goal of the season to ensure Town remain eight points in front of Exeter City with just five matches to go.

Jones said: “I’m so pleased and it’s a big win, I’m not going to play down the win, it’s a big, big win.

“The chasing pack all winning games, but we just have to make sure that we do our job and we did that, against a real difficult side and I’m pleased.

“I don’t know how Wycombe are getting on, I don’t know how Exeter are getting on, all we can do is win our games and we’ve come through a real difficult run of fixtures, we really have.

“The Colchester away game, on the whole we were the better side, it’s just the injury really rocked us I think and that was unfortunate.

“But to bounce back and have a little kick in the goolies and then come back, showed a real, real character and we thoroughly deserved it, I’m convinced of that.”

Even though Mansfield have been going through a dip of their own, with manager David Flitcroft not winning since he took over some six games ago now, Jones was had been wary of their opponents.

However, he felt his side’s courage shone through on the day, as he added: “These are a good side, they’re not in great form at the minute, but these are a good side, with enough good players to win any football match at this level and I thought we were wonderful I really did.

“We created some wonderful chances second half, Olly Lee had a chance we expect him to hit the target, he put it into the stands, Elliot Lee, has pulled off a wonderful save from the goalkeeper.

"We’ve had a number of other opportunities in and around and I genuinely thought we were wonderful, I really do.

"Look at the pitch, it’s heavy, it’s not conducive, you see Man City playing some wonderful football, but they play on bowling greens every week.

"So for us to try and do it, shows a real bravery and I’m proud of them.”