Hatters chief wants Luton to continue their proud record under the lights at Kenilworth Road

Luton boss Nathan Jones has urged his side to continue their remarkable record at Kenilworth Road under the floodlights this evening.

The Hatters have gone almost three years without being beaten in a night league game on home soil, their last defeat when going down 3-2 to Wycombe Wanderers in League Two on January 30, 2018.

Since then, Town have won 10 and drawn six encounters, beating Blackburn Rovers, Brentford, Sheffield Wednesday, Derby County, Charlton Athletic, Portsmouth, Bradford City, Accrington Stanley, Southend United and Crawley Town, held by Nottingham Forest, QPR, Barnsley, Millwall, Middlesbrough and AFC Wimbledon

On why he thinks they are so strong in evening fixture, Jones said: “Fans help, a full house, under the lights at the Kenny really does help and we do miss that but we do like playing night games there.

“It’s one of the traditional football grounds that’s wonderful to play in.

“We really do miss our fans, because they love the night games.

“That’s not to say they don’t love the Saturday games, but the night games really are special, we’ve had some fantastic results and hopefully we can continue that.”

Although Town were held to a 1-1 by Blackburn Rovers at Kenilworth Road on Saturday, it took them to 18 points from their opening 12 games, four better off than at this stage last year to sit 10th in the table.

Discussing their current haul, Jones said: “I don’t think it flatters us because in all realism, we’ve lost leads and drawn a couple of games where at least one of those we should have gone on and won.

“It’s not like we’re clinging on, we’re on the front foot so I don’t think it flatters us.

“Maybe two more points would probably be a fair reflection on where we are but would we have taken it?

“I’m not sure because we’re in a decent place, top half of the table, closer to the top than we are to any of the relegation places so that is the first minor thing.

“We have to make sure we continue that because there is only 12 games gone and nothing has been achieved yet.

“If we continue in this vein and this form we have shown over the last 21 games, then we showed we are growing as a club.”

After watching his side more than match a Rovers team who have ambitions of returning to the Premier League this term, then Jones feels a touch more belief is needed for Town to continue looking the part in the Championship.

He said: “We’re ambitious, we’re also realistic, we know we can’t spend millions and get a striker that’s going to get us 25-30 goals a season, that has pace, power, and quality and should be in the Premier League.

“We know we can’t do that but we’re in a good place and we’re evolving all the time and it’s a group that’s giving me absolutely everything.

“We’re in every single game, we have opportunities to get the first goal in most games, it’s just about a bit more belief to really go on and get the second as once we get the second, then we can be a different animal.

“I think the group is in a real good place, people have only got to watch training over this international break and it’s gone up a level.

“We’ve got five internationals in the squad - when’s the last time Luton could say that?

“We’re evolving as a club, great board, fans have been brilliant in terms of the backing they’ve given us to be able to do this and we’re in a really, really good glace squad wise.

"We’re evolving, we are getting better, we are looking to push boundaries and that just goes to show where we are after 12 games.”

To improve even further, Jones wants to see his side show that bit more in the final third, something that he believes will come, adding: “We felt we could become a really good counter-attacking side (against Blackburn), that’s why we played Harry (Cornick), as they’re a very expansive side.

“They leave gaps and we thought we could expose that, we didn't expose that as much as I would have liked, but the game plan I think worked.

“I wouldn't have taken a point, but to be competing with a team like Blackburn, who are perennial Championship and with ambitions of being a Premier League side very quickly then it shows we’re in a good place.

“It was a good goal, a midfielder in the box which we preach, an impact from a game-changer coming on and doing that.

“Some people don't like being changed, but we’ve got a humble squad here that pulls together for the team.

"There was a lot of good moves first half, that maybe just a little bit more cutting edge, a little bit more quality, we would have gone in ahead.

“I said in the changing room, it’s a point, we would have liked three, but it’s a point and we came out of the last international break with a defeat, so we're one point ahead of where we were,

“It’s all about picking points up when you can, and if you don’t play well, picking points up.

"I thought for 60 minutes we were very good, it's something to build on, we’re not getting carried away with anything.

"We’ve shown we are a solid side that can defend, we are evolving as a team that’s becoming slightly more expansive

“If we come out and tried to be expansive, tried to be the best team in this division, there's potential to get hurt.

"We don’t do that, but we are evolving, so little by little we will get there, we will get there, it’s just about doing it at the right pace.”