Jones feels Luton need to be 'above the referee' after penalty appeal rejected at Wigan

Luton boss Graeme Jones has called on his side to be ‘above the referee’ after they were denied what he felt was a clear-cut penalty against Wigan Athletic on Saturday.

During a low key first half, centre half Matty Pearson appeared to be pulled to the ground when trying to head in Izzy Brown’s free kick, as he and his team-mates pleaded with official Gavin Ward to blow for a spot-kick.

The referee gave nothing though, leading to a frustrated Jones saying afterwards: “We don’t get penalties, it’s Luton, we’re not going to get those kind of decisions.

“I speak to the boys and we need to be above the referee, we need to be so good that we earn the win and you can't rely on referees.

“They tell me it was a penalty, I haven’t seen it back, I’ll have to have a look.”

Although Ward and his assistants had peculiar afternoon's, with a number of questionable decisions, in the referee’s defence, he has given Luton two spot-kicks already this season, against Preston in December and also Sheffield Wednesday recently.

Captain Sonny Bradley felt it definitely had to have been a third though, adding: “We should have a penalty, I’m right there, I can see it.

“Matty Pearson’s as honest as they come and if Matty Pearson has a chance to head the ball in the back of the net from five yards out, he’s going to take it.

"He’s not going to fall to the floor, but he’s been impeded, he’s been taken to the floor and I think the referee's got a bad view, that's the only reason I can think."