Clark disappointed Luton couldn't pick up Millers win for Hatters hero Harford

Luton midfielder Jordan Clark was left disappointed that his side couldn’t manage to get the win for interim manager Mick Harford during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Rotherham United.

The Hatters, who were being taken once more by the club legend, now working as chief recruitment officer at Kenilworth Road, received an absolutely tremendous ovation from the home support after exiting the tunnel.

However, that died down when the visitors scored after just 58 seconds, Jamie Lindsay firing home after a poor clearance from Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu.

Luton saw top scorer Carlton Morris drag wide from close range in the first half, while after the break, Alfie Doughty’s curler was palmed behind by keeper Viktor Johannson.

The Hatters did grab a point in the final minute though, substitute Luke Berry deflecting Clark’s volley past a wrong-footed visiting Johansson, as speaking afterwards, the midfielder said of the reception received by Harford: “It was a bit hairs stand up on the back of your neck when he came out and the crowd erupted.

“He deserves that, he’s a legend here, everyone knows that.

“He’s been brilliant since he took over for a few days, but he’s always been around, so has just seamlessly stepped into the role.

“I’m just gutted we couldn’t get the three points for him as that would have been the icing on the cake.

“They’ll say good play (for the opener), but it was a bit of luck.

“I think it ricocheted off Pell and dropped straight to their midfielder, but you can’t start games like that, you can’t give leads away so early in the game as it’s such a mountain to climb.

“It’s something to address for the new manager coming in and take it into the back end of the season.”

With Jones having travelled down to Southampton following Luton’s midweek defeat at Stoke, unveiled as the new Saints manager on Thursday morning, it meant the end of his just under two-and-a-half year tenure, of which Clark has been around since August 2020.

The former Accrington winger admitted it has been strange without the Welshman around during the build-up, but the fact that Harford took the game, with academy coaches Alan McCormack and Alex Lawless, plus head of coaching and player development at Luton Town Adrian Forbes, meant there was some normality at the Brache leading into the contest.

Clark continued: “It’s a bit weird as he’s been here for a long time, I know he’s left before, but he’s got such an aura around the club.

“It's been a good week, we’ve had the same people who have always been behind the scenes.

"Mick, Paul Hart, people like Kev Dearden and the young coaches, Macca and Alex Lawless and Forbes has been here a while.

“They've come here and been brilliant with the lads, so it’s just trying to keep positive and implement the same things really.

"We’re just gutted we couldn’t get the win today for Mick but it’s been a good week.”

Although Town were held to a seventh straight draw at Kenilworth Road this term, which has hindered their progress to move up into the play-off places once more, Clark was relieved they were still able to pick up something.

He added: “First half I thought we were good, had quite a few chances, we huffed and puffed and just lacked a little bit of the final pass.

“Mick wanted us to work on through the week, the slide balls, but it just didn’t quite come off.

"So it was a bit disappointing, but we’ll take the point and move on.”