Pearson's record in doubt against Baggies due to hip injury

Centre half's long run of starts might come to an end
Matty Pearson picked up a hip injury on Tuesday nightMatty Pearson picked up a hip injury on Tuesday night
Matty Pearson picked up a hip injury on Tuesday night

Defender Matty Pearson is in danger of missing his first league game since signing for Luton when the Hatters head to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

The 26-year-old has started 75 consecutive matches for Town since arriving from Barnsley in the summer of 2018, while he hadn't missed a minute of Town's Championship campaign until Tuesday night.

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However, he was forced off in the second half against Derby County after injuring his hip when colliding with Rams keeper Ben Hamer before the break.

On how he's been in training since, boss Graeme Jones said: “Sore. He’s ended up getting a pocket of blood on the hip, which anybody who knows Matty Pearson, there’s only Matty Pearson who could have carried on an extra 25 minutes, get through half time and stiffen up.

“His character’s just an exceptional character, but he's sore with it, so we’re assessing him, Sonny (Bradley) and Ryan Tunnicliffe in the next 24-48 hours.

"Tunni’s took a bit of a watch on his ankle, so we’ll see.”

Skipper Bradley looked like was hampered during the 3-2 victory, particularly second half, with Jones admitting he had been a doubt to actually start.

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The Luton boss continued: “Sonny struggled in the warm up, it's just credit to the lad, I’m telling you, not many people would have gone out and played.

“I’m shouting across to him, five times, ‘Sonny are you okay,’ (he says) ‘yes I’m okay,’ that's the type of characteristics that gets you out of the situation we’re in.

“Sonny’s had to fight to get to that level in terms of that mental strength but he's here and again we need to measure it.

“I was so proud of what he did on Tuesday night, that gives me great, great heart going forward.”

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There was better news over defender Martin Cranie who hasn’t played since the 3-1 defeat at Millwall on New Year's Day.

Jones said: “He’s trained again today, so we've got good choice and well have to assess where we are at the weekend.”

With Cameron Carter-Vickers and Donervon Daniels in the squad too, then Jones believes he has the options to cope against the second-placed Baggies.

He added: "We've been short, remember you try to work to get a like-for-like quality in your squad and we've improved the depth and improved the quality.

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"Donervon came in and gave us a good level the other night when he came on, so I'm delighted with it.

"We've got four three game weeks coming up, you need a squad to be able to compete in those three game weeks and finally I feel like we're getting a point where we've got a bit of depth.”