Nathan Jones thrilled with ‘wonderful’ Luton performance - 7M sport

Nathan Jones thrilled with ‘wonderful’ Luton performance



Posted Tuesday, April 03, 2018 by PA

Nathan Jones thrilled with ‘wonderful’ Luton performance

Luton boss Nathan Jones was bursting with pride after watching his team overturn a deficit to beat Mansfield 2-1 and enhance their promotion prospects.

The Hatters, who had lost their last match to Colchester on Friday, were trailing at the interval at Kenilworth Road to Kane Hemmings’ first-half strike.

However, second-half goals from James Collins and Glen Rea meant second-placed Luton were able to maintain their eight-point advantage over Exeter in fourth.

“We were excellent first half – they scored against the run of play from just one direct ball that we should have dealt with better,” Jones said.

“Then after that they had a couple of minutes where we had to scramble a few things, had to make a couple of saves, had to put our bodies on the line, but apart from that I don’t think we had any problems, I really don’t.

“We controlled the game, played some wonderful football first half and I thought we deserved to be in front on the balance of play and the balance of chances.

“Second half, I’m so proud of them. The crowd was edgy; they’ve taken a real knock on the weekend, they’ve taken another knock today and they’ve come out second half.

“Just the manner of the performance I’m just so proud of because it was wonderful from start to finish.

“They’ve got it down, they’ve played, they’ve passed, created chances and apart from their keeper (making saves) it could have been more.”

The Stags had gone ahead 11 minutes prior to the interval when Hemmings fired through the legs of goalkeeper James Shea.

Luton levelled in the 61st minute when Collins slammed in his 20th league goal of the season and substitute Rea netted the winner after Alan Sheehan’s free-kick had squirmed away from goalkeeper Conrad Logan.

Mansfield boss David Flitcroft, who is yet to win any of the six games he has taken charge of, did not lay any blame at Logan’s door.

“Conrad spilled it but I wanted him to have back-up,” Flitcroft argued.

“Two Luton players were alert to go and score the goal but I want my players to get a block on and make it clear to the opposition that they score over our dead bodies.

“That’s how it has to be when you come to a place this like this. Not many teams have come here and caused the problems we caused for Luton with the chances we had.

“But if your work isn’t pristine then you are going to undo all the hard work that the lads put in.

“They gave each other everything but they just didn’t see it through in the defining, match-winning moments.

“We dominated Luton in the first half but we didn’t finish our work in the second half when we had opportunities to kill the game off.”

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