Jones: It's pure 'relief' to lead Luton to a top six spot after beating Royals

Luton boss Nathan Jones described his immediate emotion as one of pure ‘relief’ after masterminding the Hatters to a place in the Championship play-offs this afternoon.

Harry Cornick’s superbly innovative winner on the stroke of half time, hiding behind Reading keeper Orjan Nyland and then robbing him of the ball before slotting into the empty net, was enough for Town to secure a 1-0 victory and a top six berth in only their third year back at this level.

Rather than a huge show of euphoria at the final whistle though, when asked what he was feeling, Jones said: “It’s relief at the minute.

“Every time we get promoted, or we do something, it’s relief.

“It was a little bit more euphoric when we stayed up against Blackburn (in 2020), but today, I’m just so proud, so proud of the group.

“I’m really pleased we didn’t rely on anyone else, lose the game and it be an anti-climax, we had to do it ourselves.

“To get to 75 points which we predicted, it’s a wonderful Championship season.

"Success for us realistically is making sure that we don't go out of the league, well we might have an opportunity to go out of the league, just at a different end.

“I thought we had a really good start, a tinge of disappointment that we didn't get an early goal as that would have settled everyone and then the second goal would have settled everyone even more.

“But it doesn't make a difference, we know we can keep clean sheets, we know we can defend our box.

“They had one chance really, the header late on, and that front four is as good as any in the Championship.

“If (Yakou) Meite, (Lucas) Joao, (Ovie) Ejaria and (Junior) Hoilett are at it, you will struggle to contain those.

“I thought we defended really well, limited them to very little, had some really good chances and I’m really pleased.”

It had looked like Luton would be facing Nottingham Forest in the play-offs when the Reds took the lead in stoppage time at Hull City, only for the Tigers to level moments later as it finished 1-1.

It means the Hatters will instead take on Huddersfield, as the Terriers defeated Bristol City 2-0 to finish third.

Jones added: “I won’t be thinking about that now.

"We’ll have a night tonight, I’ve got a lot of family up, so we’ll have a night.

"I’m hoping to stay awake past eight o’clock, I doubt it will happen but we’ll see and then we can start preparing tomorrow for a massive game, absolutely massive game.

“It didn't matter who we had, I don't care who we play now and if in gods will, we get to the final, I won't care who we play there either.”