Calf injury keeps Hylton out as Jones admits Morrell was 'unfortunate' to miss Rovers clash

Town boss explains his selections against Blackburn
Danny Hylton missed yesterday's 1-1 draw with Blackburn RoversDanny Hylton missed yesterday's 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers
Danny Hylton missed yesterday's 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers

Town chief Nathan Jones revealed striker Danny Hylton missed the 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers at Kenilworth Road yesterday due to a niggling calf injury.

The 31-year-old has made seven appearances in the Championship, four of them starts, but when asked why he wasn't on the bench for Luton's first game back after the international break, Jones said: "Danny has a bit of a calf thing.

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"He’s had it before, he did it in the Brentford game, he missed the Rotherham because of it, he came back and was still feeling it.

"So with the strength of squad we’ve got, there’s no need to rush and push because there’s a 12-game block and we’re one game down, so no point rushing anyone really."

Midfielder Joe Morrell also wasn't included among the nine substitutes allowed once more after winning three more caps for Wales last week, including starting the final two Nations League clashes.

On his absence, Jones continued: "Joe’s really unfortunate.

"We had a decision to make on the bench and he’s played two 90 minutes.

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"Ideally in a perfect world, (Dan) Potts is back training and Potts would be fit, so I might not have played Rhys (Norrington-Davies) today as I would have freshened up the team with everything, and that allows us to do that.

"Tuesday's a different game, Saturday exactly the same, so Rhys is the only one who had to go through the mire again and he’s putting in great shifts he really is."

Jones did throw a few surprises in his starting line-up, leading scorer James Collins dropped to the bench, coming on in the second half to play a big part in Luke Berry's opening goal, the midfielder turning in his team-mate's left-footed shot.

Town's boss said: "He started for Ireland, has been away, didn't train Thursday, we've had eight days of really structural training, so we've been happy with that.

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"It’s just decisions really and maybe we'd have been better starting Collo and bringing Harry (Cornick) on, but those are the decisions I get paid for."

Jones made all five of his alterations on the day, with Collins, James Bree, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Kazenga LuaLua and Ryan Tunnicliffe all coming during the second period.

Speaking about the EFL's decision to change the rules for the remainder of the season, he added: "Today it won't quite be (a help), but it will be on Tuesday and next Saturday and next Wednesday and next Saturday and next Tuesday and next Saturday and next Tuesday and next Wednesday, so it will be then, because its a sensible thing.

"It's a crazy, crazy fixture schedule, so to be able to do that and to freshen stuff up means it's a sensible decision.

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"I understand people don't want to change the rules, but everything's changed, the world has changed.

"So for football to not move with the times would be silly and a lot of people will see that people are at full stretch at times.

"So to be at full stretch and then to persevere, something would break, so I think you night see a little bit less and I don't think there's much more they can do."