Hatters boss happier with points over plaudits despite fourth placed Luton not getting the credit they deserve

Hatters boss Nathan Jones is more interested in gaining points rather than plaudits this season despite the lack of credit Town have been getting for their efforts in all but securing a Championship play-off place recently.

After going three games without a win when the season resumed following the final international break, Luton produced a superb performance to see off top six rivals Nottingham Forest 1-0 at Kenilworth Road, ending the Reds’ 10-game unbeaten run in the process.

Following the contest, opposing manager Steve Cooper stated ‘there was no doubt the best team lost’, pointing to his side’s missed chances and Djed Spence’s disallowed goal as the reason behind their defeat.

Town then headed to Wales to take on a Cardiff City side who have struggled badly this season on Easter Monday, leaving with all three points thanks to Harry Cornick’s header.

In a similar theme, Bluebirds boss Steve Morison insisted the hosts had ‘dominated the game from start to finish’ something that wasn’t apparent to those who were watching from the press box and in the stands.

With Luton now fourth in the table, and having picked up the most points in the Championship since the turn of the year, an impressive 42 from 63, when asked if his side weren’t getting the praise they deserved, Jones said: “I know Steve Cooper, I don’t know Steve Morison and Steve was at home, rested a lot of players, sacrificed a bad result at Hull because he felt probably that our game was more important and that happens.

"So the fact that we went to Cardiff and won, they had limited amount of opportunities after playing with a real freedom, maybe he thinks that way.

"Steve Cooper, look, they had a couple of good chances to be fair, and they’re a fantastic side.

"Maybe in that game, they’re free-flowing, free-scoring and they drew a blank against us, so it shows we’ve done something right, but I don’t care what opposing managers say about me, or about us, that doesn’t concern me.

"I look at our games, I know what we do and I’m humble enough to say when we’ve been beaten, regardless if we’re the better side or not, so that doesn't really concern me.

"I’d sacrifice six more disastrous performances if we’ve won every game, absolutely.

"If they think they’re the better side, we went away to Forest, missed a penalty, should have had six points from Forest this year, and a lot of things get said.

"Maybe we don’t get the credit, but that’s fine by me, we’re not looking for plaudits, we’re looking for points.

"We play a certain way, have a certain way of doing things that gets us points, so if we don’t get plaudits for that then fine.”

Town’s back-to-back wins has seen them break 70 points in the second tier for the first time since the 1981-82 season when they won the division with a mighty 88 to their name.

They are already nine ahead of last year’s tally of 62 as well, although when discussing their achievements so far, Jones added: “We’re lucky apparently, we’ve been very, very lucky for nine months.

"We’ve rode our luck, we’ve had referees, linesmen, everyone on our side.

"It’s nothing to do with good processes, nothing to do with hard work, nothing to do with being organised, disciplined and hard working, we’ve just been lucky.

“That’s the disappointing stuff if you think about other managers as their side is always the best team, for Luton to win they’ve got to play badly.

"Hopefully we can be lucky for the next few games and see how far our luck can take us.”