Town chief knows goal difference is vital as Luton jump into the Championship play-offs

Goal difference remains key for Luton boss Nathan Jones this season after it saw them climb up the Championship table to sit in fifth place following a 1-0 win over Hull City on Saturday.

The Hatters had started the day in ninth, but moved above four sides after Elijah Adebayo’s only goal of the afternoon was enough to sink the Tigers.

It means that all the teams in fifth to 11th are on 21 points, but with a plus five goal difference in their favour, Luton now sit at the top, above Middlesbrough, QPR, Huddersfield, Stoke, Millwall and Blackpool.

Jones said: “We say that and if you end up in plus goal difference, you always finish top 10.

“If you end up with a certain points tally and a plus goal difference, you end up in a certain place, so that’s the targets that we have and we’re very, very happy with those targets.”

Luton’s only goal came from the head of Adebayo, stooping home to finish a free header at the back post from Fred Onyedinma’s cross, the striker capping a first half display in which he dominated the Tigers’ centre halves.

It was a real shame he didn’t reappear for the second period, suffering with a tight hamstring that Jones didn’t want to risk, but on his performance in the opening 45 minutes, the boss added: “He was excellent, I thought he was excellent.

“He’s been fantastic in everything that he’s done, he’s learning his trade, he’s getting goals now, he’s adding that.

“That’s his seventh of the season, which is fantastic.

“We’ve got Harry (Cornick) on six, Luke Berry on four, we’ve got people scoring goals now.

“We must be up there top four of scorers, top five of points, it’s not a bad place.”