Hatters ring the changes for County as Wells aims to continue scoring run

Luton boss Jack Wilshere has rung the changes from Sunday’s woeful 5-2 pasting at the hands of Mansfield for this evening's home game against Stockport County, giving an instant debut to Manchester United loan signing Dan Gore.

The Town chief has also changed formations as well, swapping to a three-man defence, Mads Andersen coming in to partner Hakeem Odoffin and George Johnston, as did Harrison Ashby and Benny Bengar are both recalled to move out the wingback berths. Nahki Wells was rewarded for his late double at the weekend with a start upfront too, as Kal Naismith, Jake Richards, Callum Marshall and Izzy Jones dropped to the bench, where they were joined by deadline day addition from Ipswich Town, Tudor Mendel, Emilio Lawrence dropped completely.

Striker Wells is glad to be back in the starting line-up after admitting to the Royal Gazette, he had hoped to get the nod at the One Call Stadium, as despite the defeat, he was happy to move up to four goals for the campaign, especially when struggling last term, saying: “I was disappointed not to start the game considering I didn’t start against Chelsea. I had assumptions I would start the league game, but it wasn’t to be.

"One positive was I was able to come on and make an impact; win the penalty, take it and then get another one in added time. It still stings that we lost, but it’s a small plus that I can take from the game and keeps the run going. We’re disappointed we weren’t able to get the points as that’s the most important thing, but we just weren’t ourselves for one reason or another. Credit to Mansfield, but we didn’t turn up and show what we are capable of and what we have done over the last four or five.

"It’s football and that happens sometimes off the back of a tough game against Chelsea. We’ve got back-to-back home games so we need to make a statement and have a really good reaction on Wednesday night and hopefully I can go and get number five and keep the run going.” Games come thick and fast so we can’t dwell. We have to move on quickly to stop Stockport on Wednesday night. We go again, so I’ll hopefully look to continue the run that I am on and hopefully we can bounce back in front of our home crowd.

Having come on late in the game at Stamford Bridge, on the experience, Wells added: “The Chelsea game was obviously somewhat of a free hit for us. We went out and did our best, but they were far superior to us and we were not able to do it. “But we gave a good account of ourselves and for me it was a pleasure to be on the same pitch with some of those world-class players and get to test myself against them at a stadium I have never been to.

“A proud moment for myself in that regard, but disappointed to come out of it not having really been able to affect the game like I would’ve wanted. But it’s what you can expect against sides at that level.”

Hatters: Josh Keeley, Hakeem Odoffin, Mads Andersen, George Johnstone, Harrison Ashby, Liam Walsh, Dan Gore, Kasey Palmer, Jamie Donley, Benny Benagr, Nahki Wells. Subs: James Shea, Kal Naismith, Jake Richards, Callum Marshall, Tudor Mendel, Izzy Jones, Gideon Kodua.

Hatters: Ollie Whatmuff, Josh Dacres-Cogley, Lewis Bate, Ethan Pye, Eoghan O’Connell, Jack Diamond, Ollie Norwood ©, Tayo Edun, Harry Wood, Kyle Wootton, Kyron Gordon. Subs: Benony Andresson, Tom Wilson-Brown, Ryan Glover, Lewis Fiorini, Jason Adigun, Mikael Mandron, Ben Osborn. Referee: Craig Hicks.