Ainsworth will 'eat his words' if Luton don't get promoted

The Chairboys chief saw his side become the latest to be swept aside by the Hatters' bandwagon, as Town eased to a 3-0 victory at Kenilworth Road yesterday afternoon, making it a club record equalling 19 Football League games unbeaten.

Speaking afterwards, a highly complimentary Ainsworth said: "For 20-25 minutes, we had some good play second half and I thought if we had nicked one, it may well have been backs to the wall and try and get a draw.

“They’re a good side though, they’re a very good side.

"I've just said to the boys, ‘I'll eat my words at the end of the season if this team doesn't get promoted,’ because they've even kicked on a level.

“Fair play to them, Mick's (Harford) done a fantastic job, I'm really pleased as he's a really good friend as well Mick.

“It's a good side he's got here. Their rotation in midfield, the full backs are superb, two of the best full backs that get forward in the league and they kept us quiet for big periods of the game.

“I just said to the boys, 'you stayed in the game right up until 82 minutes' and I think we started getting a few nervous fans in the place.

“But their strength is too much, they’ve got some great subs to put on.

"They’ve got some good people sat in the stands that would get in most teams, never mind on their bench, they’re a great side and I think they’ll get promoted this season.”

With Wycombe having the better of recent league encounters in Bedfordshire, Ainsworth felt it showed just how much Town have improved with the manner in which they went about their business, keeping the visitors' threats to a bare minimum.

He continued: "We rode our luck a little, again I thought we started the game well, first five, 10 minutes and then they really grew into it.

"We had a plan, it’s a similar plan we had for the last four or five times and I think that shows how much Luton have grown as a club, as four or five years ago, we really matched them.

"We’ve had some good times here, we’ve had some good moments at Adams Park against them, now they’ve become a cut above and I think in this league they will really kick on and they’ll beat some teams.

"You get some the odd game where you can’t understand when somebody gets beat and I’m sure that will happen, but consistency, they’ve got some good players and I’m sure they’ll go on to be the club they once were and fair play to them."

The Chairboys boss went on to declare that Town were the toughest opponents at this level, as he added: "We've got Barnsley away next week, so it doesn’t get any easier, but I think that Luton are the best side in the league and it's no bad thing getting beat off that away from home.

"I’m sure they’ll want us to win next week, isn’t football strange?

"We’ve come here and give it a go, but on the day Luton were just too much for us and that’s the story of the game.

"They (Luton supporters) don’t have to give me stick, they’ve got a good team, get behind them, because you’ll get promoted if you do that."