Hatters chief pleased with LuaLua's work-rate after rare start for the attacker

Luton boss Nathan Jones was pleased with the efforts of attacker Kazenga LuaLua during Tuesday night's 2-0 defeat against QPR.

The 30-year-old was starting only his second league game of the season, and first since the 2-0 defeat at Millwall on October 20, 2020, while if you go back further, it was just a third Championship game he has begun since February 15 last year.

Despite impressing during his cameos from the bench recently, LuaLua couldn't ever replicate the kind of threat that saw him bag a first goal of the campaign in the 2-1 Boxing Day reverse at Reading, seeing his position chop and change throughout the 83 minutes he was on the field.

Jones said: “Because we had to play him as an extra midfielder in the first half and then second half we went back to our original plan of what we did and we were better, it‘s difficult.

"Sometimes as he does so well when he comes on at Reading and then he wants to gain rhythm, and it’s sometimes difficult for him.

"I was pleased with his overall work-rate, it's just we need to show more quality.”

The lack of quality on show from his entire side when going forward was something that Jones was left to rue, with top scorer James Collins wasting a glorious chance moments after half time, slicing woefully wide when clean through.

George Moncur also blazed over, as did Dan Potts, as Jones added: “We started really well, we got in, James Collins got in, the ball ran away from him, we get in behind, get into good positions, that’s fine, you build and feel it’s going to come.

“But then we just dropped deep, their back three were allowed to have it, their midfield could come in to gaps as the gaps were too big.

"We weren’t brave, we were much braver second half, we were on the front foot, apart from counter attacks when we were over-committed, we were comfortable second half and I felt we were going to get something.

"We had our moments, but we’ve got to show more quality, we got in so many times, sliced shots, shots that didn’t quite hit the target, Collo and Geogre Moncur, if you hit the target then at least you make the keeper save or you score, and that’s just quality.

"We have to show in the moments better quality and if we do that then it changes the game and we’re just chasing everything late on.”