Hatters boss concerned as Luton defender is forced off with an injury

Luton boss Jack Wilshere admitted that centre half Teden Mengi’s injury doesn’t look good on first glance after he was forced off during last night’s 2-1 Vertu Trophy quarter-final victory over Plymouth Argyle at Kenilworth Road.

The 23-year-old centre half, who had been on the bench for Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Burton Albion, was recalled to the team to partner Mads Andersen against the Pilgrims, Kal Naismith moving to left back with Joe Johnson dropping out. However, with 33 minutes gone, then sprinting to try and beat ex-Hatter Bim Pepple to the ball, the defender pulled up and hit the turf by the advertising hoardings, as he received medical treatment before hobbling gingerly back to the changing rooms, replaced by Nigel Lonwijk.

Asked afterwards if he had any idea about the severity of the injury, Wilshere said: “I don’t know, I need to speak to him, speak to the medical staff. Obviously it doesn’t look good when it happens like that, but let’s wait and see. When it’s muscular you probably have to wait 24, 48 hours, give it the best chance before you look at it or scan it whatever it is, so that’s probably one of the disappointing things from tonight.”

Worryingly it wasn’t just Mengi who was forced off on the evening for Luton either as joint top scorer Gideon Kodua had to receive two visits from the Hatters’ physios in the first period, as he also didn’t reappear after the break, along with Andersen who took a kick just before half time, Joe Johnson and Shayden Morris coming on in their places.

With Town back in action at the weekend when visiting League One’s bottom side Port Vale and then hosting third tier strugglers Northampton Town in the Vertu Trophy semi-final next Wednesday evening, neither were quite as concerning for Wilshere, who added: “That’s (Kodua) an impact, so I always think it’s better when it’s an impact.

"I don’t know too much about it, but I think he landed on his hip, so we’ll have to wait and see again, hopefully it’s not too bad. Mads’ foot is another impact, we’ll have to wait and see with that one as well as I don’t know. The good thing is its impact rather than Teds’ one which is muscular, but we don’t know yet.

"At half time we spoke to the staff about do we change the structure? Do we change this? And maybe a few players were probably playing a little bit out of position, Shayden (Morris) as a right wingback who’s probably not done that much in his career, but credit to them, they took on the challenge and they helped us see it through.”