Hatters boss: It would be idiotic not to believe Luton are capable of challenging for promotion once again

Luton boss Nathan Jones feels it would be ‘idiotic’ of anyone to not believe that the Hatters should be talked of as promotion chasers once more this season.

Town went into the current campaign on the back of a superb year in which they finished sixth in the Championship, only just edged out in the play-offs by Huddersfield, when with an injury-ravaged squad they were beaten 2-1 on aggregate.

This season has seen Luton make what Jones described as a ‘slow’ start, but after beating QPR 3-1 at Kenilworth Road on Saturday, the Hatters made it six unbeaten and climbed back to up to seventh in the table.

They then improved their position even further with a wonderful 1-0 victory at Norwich City in midweek, both results labelled ‘statement performances’ by match-winner Carlton Morris.

When asked if the rest of the division should be considering Town as promotion candidates again, Jones, speaking ahead of the trip to Carrow Road, said: “I think they would be, anyone that doesn’t talk of Luton deserving to be where they are is idiotic, because we finished sixth last year and deserved to be there as all our numbers backed that up.

"We strengthened in the summer, we don’t think we were a fluke last year, as we weren’t.

"The league’s similar, big teams go up, big teams come down, but we’re just trying to be better.

"We’ve shown we’re an aggressive side, we’ve shown what we want to do.

"We’re well drilled, the players buy into everything, so I think anyone that’s now thinking, ‘Luton might be a good team,’ hasn’t watched us for the last three years.

“As even when we came back after lockdown, we weren’t the same side, we had 16 points from nine, that’s 1.82 points a game, that’s pretty much promotion form.

“Then the year after we finished 12th and had a big upheaval of players and adjusting, and then we’ve gone bang, and hopefully we can go bang bang again.”

With Town leading 1-0 against QPR on Saturday, Jones made three substitutions midway through the second half as having conceded leads in four of their last five home matches, the Luton chief didn't want to try and settle for what they had.

It had the desired affect too, with all three replacements having an impact, Cameron Jerome deflecting keeper Seny Dieng’s clearance into the net and then once QPR pulled one back in the last minute, Harry Cornick set up Luke Freeman to make the game safe.

Jones continued: “We should have been further up at half time, we really should have, but we don’t suddenly go away from what we do.

"We’re aggressive, we go after the second goal all the time, but this is the Championship, there’s good players, good teams, organised.

"When they’re 1-0 down then they play with a bit more freedom, there’s a phrase, play like you’re 1-0 down as there's nothing to lose.

"You've got to go after the game so when you’re in the lead it’s a real cat and mouse thing.

"But good sides go after the second goal and we always try to go after the second goal.

"We’ve come unstuck once or twice, but we’ve had more wins that we’ve had defeats, had more draws than we’ve had defeats, so we’re doing something right.”

On whether there were any nerves fluttering when the ball rebounded into the net off the unfortunate Ethan Horvath to make it 2-1 so late on, Jones said: “In all realism, you’re thinking the worst you're getting is a draw, but it would have been a travesty if we had a drawn that game, a real travesty.

"We went out and we were aggressive, QPR gambled late on and we could have scored more.

"We had one headed off the line, had real good opportunities to counter attack, had more chances, so it would have been a travesty.

"They've got quality, but it should never have come to that.

"We should have won that game 2-0, but we didn't, we won 3-1.

"We didn't get a clean sheet, but Luke Freeman got a goal against his old side so you can't begrudge him that.”

Jones also felt that his side’s start to the game highlighted just how up for the match the hosts were, as they ended a lengthy wait to finally beat QPR, and was quick to point out their improved defending from deadball situations which had been so poor in the 3-3 draw with Huddersfield during their last home match.

He said: “I thought right from the off, Elijah (Adebayo) wins that first header, then we knock the centre half over, and I think that sets the tone of the game.

“First half we were really aggressive, we were excellent in terms of in and around their box.

"It should have been more, we hit the bar, had a load of good situations and with a little bit more composure and quality, we could have gone in a bit further up.

“But we know these are a tough side to play against, they really are.

“Mick’s (Beale) doing a great job there and they have tricky players, players who can hurt you, but I thought we defended well and were magnificent.

“Apart from the Huddersfield game, we’re the best in the league at defending set-plays and our discipline, Alan Sheehan does a wonderful job.

"That was an anomaly really, that came out of absolutely nowhere on the day, but it was just a reminder that if you don’t do the basics, you get hurt.

"Luckily we scored three on the day, but we’ve showed we can score goals, we’re one of the top scorers in the league and that’s after a slow start.

"We’re in a decent place, but we had to defend our box really well and we did.”

Meanwhile, when asked by one reporter if he felt any of his players dipped below a seven out of 10 rating for the day, Jones added: “I’d give them a hell of a lot more than a seven if I’m honest.

"To beat QPR 3-1, a side that has won three on the spin, five unbeaten, wanting to go top, their fans are singing ‘we’re top of the league,’ so to beat them 3-1 at home, you’d be very harsh to only give them a seven.

"There’s some nines in there, plenty of eights in there, the ref might have had a seven, but apart from that, no-one in an orange shirt had a seven.

“They’re a joy and the club is a wonderful club, we recruit that way, but they give you everything,

“It was just about us winning a game for Luton Town and being the best version of us that we can be.

"We were and I’m proud of the performance.”