Scan results are positive for Hatters winger following stress fracture

Luton boss Matt Bloomfield has revealed wingback Izzy Jones received some positive news regarding his recovery from the stress fracture to his back this week.

The 26-year-old has been out since suffering the injury during Town’s opening pre-season trip to Boreham Wood on July 5, with Bloomfield stating last week that the Guyana international was due to have a scan on the affected area on Monday. That has now taken place and asked just how that went in his pre-Cardiff City press conference, Bloomfield said: “I can give you an update, the scan has been good, it’s healing, the stress fracture in his back.

"So it’s got to be a slightly slower return to playing than what we hoped for, but that’s just because where the healing process is at. He’s still a little bit away, it’s still going to be six to eight weeks before we’ve got him back amongst the training group, but the good thing to report is that it’s healing. It’s heading in the right direction, probably not as fast as we all hope, but it’s heading in the right direction. We need to give him time to let that heal but we want to have him back under consideration as soon as we can.”

With Luton having struggled for wingbacks this season, Reuell Walters starting on the right against AFC Wimbledon in the opening fixture of the campaign, but then struggling in the 2-0 victory over Peterborough United where he suffered a groin strain in the first period that has kept him out since. Nigel Lonwijk took over at half time at the West Homes Stadium, before Milli Alli played there for the first 25 minutes in last weekend’s 2-1 defeat at Bradford City until he was substituted having been booked.

That saw summer signing Gideon Kodua given an opportunity having impressed in the Carabao Cup exit at Coventry City, as the West Ham loanee netted his first goal for his new club at Valley Parade, while even Zack Nelson was given the nod midway through the second period in Tuesday night’s 1-0 victory over Wigan Athletic when Kodua was forced off with cramp.

On Jones’ efforts for the Hatters thus far, playing 17 times in the Championship after joining from Middlesbrough in January, completing 1,315 minutes at an average of around 78 minutes per game, having made 21 appearances while at the Riverside ahead of his move, but managing around 37 minutes per outing, Bloomfield added: “Maybe he played too many minutes, because he hadn’t played at the start of the season and that contributed to a stress fracture, who knows? But he was really good for us Iz and he’s someone I do think a lot of as a person as well. We love him, so it’s a shame to miss him.”