A diving header from Liam Hatch proved decisive as Luton ground out a well-deserved victory at Barrow on Saturday.

The Hatters have hugely missed the 27-year-old target man all season and he proved the difference with the winner seven minutes from time – just five minutes after it was announced over the tannoy that he was being replaced by Craig Nelthorpe.

However, an injury to the impressive Claude Gnakpa forced manager Richard Money to recalculate and it proved to be just the slice of luck Luton needed to down the Bluebirds.

Hatch said: "I saw my name go up and thought here we go. Then Claude's gone down with an injury and they kept me on and from the next corner I get the goal.

"It's always nice to get a few goals and two in two is absolutely fantastic."

And he is pleased with the way his comeback has gone after recovering from his second ankle operation, even though a tight hamstring almost forced him off at the weekend.

He continued: "I'm hoping to keep as fit as possible. The hamstring tightened up a little bit. It's been six months out and three games in a fortnight.

"It's been nice getting back and getting 90 minutes under my belt and to get the winner.

"Definitely it was a fantastic result. There are some higher teams in the league that have come here and struggle. It's a hard place to come.

"We all knew in the changing room we had to up our performance from last week. That's why the gaffer stuck with the same side, to try and get a better result."

For the full story see this week's News/Gazette.