Hatters boss doesn't expect Thomas-Asante ban to faze Baggies

Luton boss Rob Edwards doesn’t expect the loss of top striker Brandon Thomas-Asante to be a huge blow for tomorrow’s opponents at Kenilworth Road, West Bromwich Albion.

The 24-year-old top scorer had started four out of the 10 league games since Carlos Corberan has been in charge for, scoring three goals in that time.

He was included in Albion’s FA Cup third round trip to non-league Chesterfield on Saturday, as the Baggies boss made a raft of changes for the tie, Thomas-Asante putting the visitors ahead on two minutes.

With the hosts hitting back to lead 3-2, the former Salford City attacker scored a stoppage time leveller, his seventh for the club, but the equaliser came moments after he was involved in an off the ball clash with Spireites right back Jeff King.

Although the incident was missed by the officials, the FA chose to hand out a three match ban for violent conduct on Wednesday, ruling the striker out for three matches, starting with the trip to Luton.

Hatters boss Edwards expects a club that still has a number of Premier League players in the squad to be able to cope with his absence though, as he said: “They’ve got good players who can come in.

“(Daryl) Dike has been starting games anyway, and then they’ve got others who can play, so the depth they’ve got in their squad.

“I know he’s had a good season, he’s a good player, and he’s not available for our game now, but they’ve just got another really good player who can come in, as Dike might have started anyway.”

Speaking to the Express & Star, Baggies boss Corberan hadn’t expected his forward to be banned, but wasn’t about to complain, saying: "I was surprised because, I promise you, I didn't see anything in the game.

“I didn't read anything or listen to anything, I was just preparing this week as normal, and then arrived the declaration of the referee, understanding he'd have a three-game suspension, by one action which I watched, and I understand the criteria.

"There are rules that I cannot argue with if a player receives a foul before to make this foul, or there were things that in the end were not part of this criteria.

"All I can do is accept the decision, and to adapt to the decision in terms of our plans – not only for this game.

"We have alternatives. Always you must adapt to the circumstances and try to find the solutions."