Hatters boss: Fine start to the Championship campaign doesn't flatter us

Town manager Nathan Jones doesn’t believe that his side’s good beginning to the Championship season flatters them in any way.

The Hatters’ climbed up to ninth in the table on Wednesday night following a 1-0 win at Rotherham United, their fifth victory of the campaign so far from 10 games.

It moved them to within one point of the play-offs and three away from second place, a far cry away from last season when Town were battling against relegation for large periods, eventually surviving on the final day.

When asked if the start had exceeded his expectations, Jones said: “No, because we want to push boundaries here.

“I would hate to turn round and say we’re exceeding, because if I’m honest, the end of last season, we picked up 16 points from nine games, we’ve now picked up 16 from 10, so it shows we’re relatively consistent over 20 games really.

“From 19 games we’re looking at having 32 points which is a wonderful return, so I don’t think we've over-achieved, but we know where we are and we know that we have to continue with these levels and continue to do that.

“We’re winning games that we need to win and that's all we can do, we’re in a decent position, 10 games is a gauge, you can't lie after 10 games.

“You can't be in an extremely false position, you can slip away or you can get some momentum, but we’re in a decent position and it doesn’t flatter us.

"As against Stoke and Nottingham Forest, our second half performances, if we had just turned up in one of those second half performances, we’d actually have a minimum of another two points, so I don’t think it does flatter us.”

Town’s victory at the AESSEAL New York Stadium came courtesy of yet another clean sheet for keeper Simon Sluga, his third on the road already and fourth of the season to date.

The Croatia made a superb save from Jamie Lindsay in the first period, also denying the midfielder again from closer in shortly afterwards.

Jones continued to expect more though, as he said: "That’s what you want your keeper for when you need it as we were sluggish first half.

“We were energy-less, we didn’t win second balls, we got overrun in midfield, and that’s not something that we normally have, so when he was called upon, we needed that.

“That’s not so much kept us in the game as we had a glorious chance with George (Moncur) that we should have scored.

"When we came in at half time, at least you’re 0-0 and you think, 'right okay, can we lift our levels in the second half?'

"We lifted our levels, we went up a gear and I think justifiably got the win.

“We never settle though, because we think we could have probably had even more clean sheets.

“Against Forest we should have had another clean sheet, we didn't defend one cross well.

“I can’t say we would have taken it, as we never settle for anything, but it’s a good start early on in terms of 10 games.

"For us to be ninth in the Championship, any realist would have taken it, dreamers might not.”

The win over Rotherham was achieved with a makeshift back four as well, with Town having Martin Cranie at left back, Matty Pearson right back, a new centre half pairing of Glen Rea and Sonny Bradley.

Jones added: “You think about the back four, it was pretty much all the four defenders I could pick.

"One thing you think that back four would compete as they’re experienced.

“They put their head on it, they defend well, Sonny Bradley and Glen Rea, excellent, Matty Person, superb, Cranie just keeps rolling out games.

“I wouldn't say that's the most fluent back four, but when you come away and you need to put your head on it, that back four did and we’re very proud of them.”