Luton chief wants 'tunnel vision' in promotion charge

The Town chief saw Luton knocked out of both remaining cup competitions last week to Premier League Newcastle and League One Peterborough, meaning they have one sole aim now, finishing in the top three, preferably with a title to celebrate too.

They start that aim with a trip to Chesterfield this afternoon, as Jones said: “I’m looking forward to getting back to league action, as it’s a nice distraction, but sometimes it can take your focus away, and I don’t want that. Now we can have tunnel vision until the end of the season, that’s all we want.

“We’d have loved to have continued in the Checkatrade Trophy, we really would have, but we have a process here, our real goal is to get promotion.

“That’s our main focus now, the FA Cup was wonderful, we had a great game, we tested ourselves and we’ll be better for that test.

“As we didn’t come off the gas against a Premier League team and if we can do that against a Premier League team then we should be able to do that to League Two teams.

"So that was a great good test, but now the bread and butter is the league, so we’re going to make sure we bring that home.”

Town have a real chance to extend their gap over the chasing pack this afternoon, with nearest challengers Notts County visiting Lincoln City, while Coventry in third head to Exeter City, just one place outside the play-offs.

Jones continued: “We’re mid-January now, we’re really down to the business end, what we have to do now is make sure we turn the screw and make sure we really concentrate.

“We’ve got to try and have a good January and then come out of that really strongly and then go again for February, because we’re in a wonderful position and we have to really cement that now and put pressure on teams.

“This weekend’s a big weekend with games all around, people playing each other and we really have to capitalise and make sure we take advantage.”

Skipper Alan Sheehan, who misses out with suspension today, echoed his manager’s thoughts, adding: “We’re out of the cups, we’re disappointed, but our main focus is the league.

“Now it’s full duck or no dinner. We go and we polish the league or not, that’s the way it goes.

“We’re looking forward to it, we’re in great form, the boys did great on Saturday, it was a good performance against Peterborough, and if we keep playing well, the cream always rises.”