Jones will use Yeovil's stunning win over Forest as motivation for Luton squad

Hatters boss Nathan Jones has pointed to his own experience of the play-offs as a perfect example of just how Luton can go through from a losing position against Blackpool his evening.
Luton Town chief Nathan JonesLuton Town chief Nathan Jones
Luton Town chief Nathan Jones

When with Yeovil Town as a player, Jones took on Nottingham Forest in the 2007 League One play-offs, going down 2-0 at home in the first leg, before winning the return fixture 5-2 in extra time at the City Ground.

Luton only have to overturn a one goal deficit this evening after being beaten 3-2 at Bloomfield Road on Sunday night, as Jones said: “It could make for an absolutely rousing tie. I’ve been in the play-offs, I’ve been 2-0 down and come back to win 5-2.

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“They’re great nights and you remember these nights and that’s what we’ll be getting into the players.

“Lets just not forget, we’re one goal behind, we have to go into the game, have to try and win the game.

“If we win the game, we’re still in the tie, so that’s what we’ve got to do.

“It should be a wonderful night at Kenilworth Road, but we’re going to have to be better on Thursday than what we were defensively on Sunday.”

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Town’s boss was quick to give a note of caution to his defenders after they conceded three goals for the first time away from home in the league this season. He continued: “For the neutral is was a cracking game in terms of it was end to end. But for me, it was frustrating because we came into the game with the second best defensive record in the league and I didn’t envisage us conceding three goals, especially from the manner in which they scored them.

“We did it against Oxford, but even coming up against Leeds and Aston Villa, we didn’t concede that, so it’s a strange night,

“It was a cracking strike from Mark Cullen for the second one, but everything else was just a little bit of a calamity to be honest with you.

“I don’t know if it was nerves or anything, but we’ve done things that I didn’t recognise.

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“They were naive, but certain things happen that shouldn’t have happened, that don’t happen to us normally. I said about it this week, I’ve been in play-off games where strange things happen in one-off games.

“Because they’re important, because they’re in front of the cameras.

“You look at the Championship and they’re really tight games, very little mistakes, because of the quality and level of player.

“Here at League Two, there’s been 11 goals (Exeter and Carlisle drew 3-3), cracking games, but whether that’s brilliant play or lack of discipline, or whatever.

“But we’ve got to be more disciplined as we can’t defend like that on Thursday and expect to end up at Wembley.”