Hatters chief: We can't be avoiding relegation on the last day of the season again

Luton boss targets improvement next term
Luke Berry and James Bree put their bodies on the line to block a cross last nightLuke Berry and James Bree put their bodies on the line to block a cross last night
Luke Berry and James Bree put their bodies on the line to block a cross last night

Hatters chief Nathan Jones has demanded that his side are not in a position where they are fighting for their Championship future on the final game of the season next term.

Luton needed a win over Blackburn Rovers at Kenilworth Road last night to ensure they remained a second tier side next term, which they managed by winning 3-2.

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Jones, who only took over as manager in May, with Town looking dead and buried, their Championship status hanging by thread, said: “We always said that by 2020 we wanted to be a Championship side.

“When I got interviewed for the job, I said ‘by 2020 you will be in the Championship,’ we got there a year earlier, so we had to stay up.

“For me to fulfill my promise we had to stay up otherwise we’d have to go back a year to move forward.

“Now we have to make sure we’re not in the position next year, so in a year’s time we have to be not going into the last game needing survival.

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“The points we’ve had, 16 out of 27, that’s play-off form, that’s nearly two points a game.

“We have to make sure that we carry that forward, that is what we have to do.”

In order to achieve survival, Luton had to come from behind after Adam Armstrong put the visitors in front on just 10 minutes.

They did so thanks to own goals from Hayden Carter and Bradley Johnson to lead 2-1 at half time, as Jones continued: “The goal, we were so disappointed with the goal, as was Tony Mowbray (Rovers boss) probably as the goals, three set-plays, it was one of those nights.

"To be fair to Blackburn, they gave absolutely everything.

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"They were trying to send us down because it’s that type of league where there’s that honesty, that integrity and to be fair to Blackburn they did that, they went for the game.

"They became the most direct side in the world, we had to handle that and didn't handle it on one ball and then we brought Matty (Pearson) on, we handled that and I’m so proud of them.”

Rovers' second goal from Sam Gallagher on 75 minutes came after James Collins had put Town 3-1 in front from the penalty spot.

It was the forward's 14th goal during his debut season at this level, as Jones added: "It was a big moment, but big players step up in big moments and he's been a big player right from the day we signed him.

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"His first game, he scored a hat-trick against Yeovil and he hasn’t stopped since.

"He’s been excellent, but to man they've been superb, they’ve bought into everything, even the ones who haven't played have given me impact and been right at it.

"This is a great group and they deserve all the credit because they’re humble, they work hard, they have talent.

"Yes they are stretched at this level but what a togetherness and I cant be prouder of them."