Positive reaction from Town's fans to Leeds display leaves Hatters boss with a 'smile on my face'

Luton boss Matt Bloomfield admitted he has been left with a ‘smile on his face’ following the widespread positive reaction from supporters to his side’s 1-1 draw against promotion-chasing Leeds United on Saturday.

Although Town couldn’t get the three points they were craving, Izzy Jones’ first goal for the club on 15 minutes swiftly cancelled out by Dan James’ clinical response, the Hatters more than matched a team who had come into the game sitting in the top two with just one defeat in 21 matches, also scoring 79 goals in the process, easily the highest in the division.

Any newcomer to Championship football would have been surprised to learn the hosts are facing an almighty battle to escape relegation this term as having gone toe-to-toe with their opponents, they still remained second bottom at the full time whistle. Enthused by what they had witnessed, the Luton fans roundly applauded off their players during the lap of appreciation, with many taking to social medial to laud the display they had witnessed, giving renewed optimism that they could actually stay in the second tier come May.

Bloomfield himself had been speaking prior to the contest about seeing plenty of signs for optimism, even when the results weren’t going the Hatters' way, but on finding out the kind of response it had received, some fans going as far to say they had finally got the kind of Luton team back they were waiting all season to materialise, said: “I’m really pleased. We’re here to represent our supporters, I’m here to represent the supporters and the football club and I want them to recognise their team as a team that they’re proud of, playing in the manner that they’re proud of.

"My employment here is to represent the football club to the best I possibly can and to retain the heritage and the characteristics that this football club stands for, so it brings a smile to my face. I want our supporters to be proud and pleased with their team. I think it’s been building, I absolutely believe it’s been building over the last little while and I’m really pleased that they’re starting to see that work coming through.

"There’s plenty more still to be done, we want to keep creating more opportunities, but first and foremost we needed to tighten up at the back and get that grit and determination back in a Luton performance and the boys are showing that at the minute. I can’t say how pleased I am with the work they’ve done, especially out of possession. In possession as well, we’ve been carrying a real threat, maybe not so much on Saturday because of the calibre of the opposition.

"But we created and scored a really good goal, a team goal, that started with our out of possession work that quickly turned into a transition moment for us, so we need more of that, we absolutely need more of that and the lads are showing it at the minute. They’re showing that fight and we want to retain that between now and the end of the season, we have to.”

Having watched the game back since the weekend to analyse his side’s showing with his own eyes, asked exactly what he felt were some of the best moments from his players, Bloomfield continued: “I think the distances in our block were very good. The moments of when to press and when not to press, there was some really good decision making. We’ve seen that evolve in the last little while. When we got the opportunity to press up the pitch we had some good turnover moments, but then when we had to be disciplined, we were also very good in those moments.

"That was really, really pleasing as we’ve done an incredible amount of work on that, so that was very, very good. We did carry a threat, there were a couple of moments where we could have carried even more as I really wanted to go and win the game. I really wanted that big home win against top opposition, I really wanted to have that moment in front of our supporters, but analysing it there was lots to be pleased about.

"I’m disappointed with the goal. We felt like we could have had a clean sheet but we limited Leeds to very little considering the amount they usually create, so defensively there was definitely a lot to be proud of. Plus if you just look at the running stats, the distances the boys covered, their body language is a big thing as well. You can see that they’re all at it, they’re all fighting for the shirt, for the club, for the badge and our supporters certainly responded to that, but loads to be pleased about.”

A quick glance at the stats afterwards showed that Leeds did dominate possession by a fair amount, but when it came to touches in the opposition area, a factor that usually shows who is the most likely to score, Town had more, with 27 to the visitors' 24. It was something that Bloomfield felt was telling too, as he added: “Without being obsessed with the numbers, that’s some of the things we do go after as they are crucial to putting on a winning performance.

"The way we are setting ourselves up at the moment, allies to our strengths as a team. We’ve got some good wingbacks, attacking wingbacks, got some players in the centre of the pitch. Thelo’s (Aasgaard) a top creator for us and the front two do carry that threat, so we’re trying to play to the strengths of the group, being really disciplined out of possession and trying to be creative as much as we can in possession.

"That can be in different forms, so a lot to be pleased about. We didn’t get the win, we want wins, because of where we are right now, but a point to add to our total against possibly the best team in the league. They’ve got some incredible players, and Daniel Farke said he expects them to be playing Premier League football next year and I don’t think he’s far wrong.”