Luton boss Nathan Jones on Oxford win: We totally deserved it

Posted Wednesday, October 03, 2018 by PA

Luton boss Nathan Jones felt his team’s 2-1 victory at Oxford was well deserved, even though it needed a late, late winner from Dan Potts to snatch it.

Potts headed home Alan Sheehan’s free-kick in the eighth minute of stoppage time to bring the Hatters their first away league win of the season.

Potts had seen a headed goal disallowed for a push by a team-mate moments earlier.

Luton came from behind to clinch victory, with James Collins equalising in the 56th minute after Ricky Holmes had fired the U’s in front at the start of the second half.

Jones said: “We totally deserved it. I thought we were as dominant as an away side could be in the first half, we just lacked the composure needed in front of goal.

“It was a bit of quality from Ricky Holmes, but then we came at them.

“The score didn’t flatter us at all, we could have won by more.

“We got in great areas and if we had just had a bit more composure and a bit more guile we would be winning games a lot more comfortably.

“Right at the end I couldn’t believe that goal was disallowed, but Potts put it in the back of the net in the end.

“I’ve looked at it again and again and I can’t see a push.

“Our set-play delivery was awful, but then I sent Alan Sheehan on and he put in that one great delivery for the winning goal.

“I think we were by far the better side. This away win has been a long time coming. But to score in injury time like that and in the manner we did is the best way to win.”

Oxford had 20-year-old captain Shandon Baptiste sent off after 73 minutes for a second late tackle.

U’s boss Karl Robinson was devastated by his team’s fourth loss in five at home in the league this season.

“I’m disappointed, angry and frustrated,” he said. “For the first 20 minutes we matched them and their system but then lost our way.

“I changed it at half-time but then Jamie Hanson makes a bad error for their goal.

“We’d made the decision to bring Shandon off rather than Jamie, but then Shandon gets sent off.

“At the end of the day I take the blame. No-one should blame Shandon – he is the future of this football club. But he has to learn a valuable lesson here.

“Individual errors are costing us. To concede in the 97th minute – it doesn’t get more bitter than that. But I do believe I can turn this around.”