Pearson: Playing in front of a crowd at Kenilworth Road was just what Luton's squad needed

Luton goalscorer Matty Pearson felt the return of fans to Kenilworth Road last night was just what the players needed to spur them on to a brilliant 3-1 win over league leaders Norwich City.

For the first time since late February, the Town players could run out on home soil with a crowd in attendance, 1,000 lucky season ticket holders invited to attend the pilot event.

They were to witness an excellent performance from their side, George Moncur, Pearson himself and James Collins on target to end the Canaries' 10-match unbeaten run and give Luton a first win at home since October 3.

On what it was like for the players, Pearson said: “It was what we all needed.

“You know how quiet it’s been in stadiums when we’ve been playing and when it's that quiet, sometimes it’s hard to get an atmosphere, to get a bit of urgency.

“Sometimes you need an atmosphere and I think today was back to normal and that’s what we all want.

“Especially when we’re scoring goals and playing well, we needed them in the second half when the going gets tough, every tackle, they were with us there and it was great to have them back.”

The fact that Luton’s fans could return to a night game, the Hatters so strong under the Kenilworth Road lights in recent times, made it even better for Pearson, who has now experienced many a wonderful evening in Bedfordshire during his 111 games for the club.

He continued “It’s probably the best one (night game) we’ve had in the last six months, having the fans back, I think it’s perfect.

“The first game back on a Tuesday night, it sounds right and I think having them back made a big difference and hopefully the feeling of playing football comes back.

“I feel like the last six months have been going through the motions and not really proper football games.

"It gives you a bit of an atmosphere, a bit of urgency and a perfect night.

“As a footballer you need pressure, football doesn't work without pressure, you're always demanding yourself and demanding your team-mates.

“When there's no fans here, that all goes away.

"It’s still there a little bit but when you've got people cheering, people booing then it definitely adds to it, that’s what we need and that's what football is.

“I just hope it gets back to normal as soon as possible, empty stadiums it’s just not normal, not what we want.”

There is a chance that it will be an even higher gate for the next home game, with 2,000 fans potentially welcomed through the turnstiles when Preston North End visit on December 12.

Pearson hopes that will be the case, saying: "That’s what I want, I want it all coming back to normal.

"We’ve all wanted it for six months, it’s been a tough six months, but we want to get back to normal and hopefully before you know it, we’ve got a packed ground.”

Meanwhile, it wasn't just Pearson and his team-mates who got an excellent reception from the fans inside Kenilworth Road, but manager Nathan Jones, who was reunited with the club's followers for the first time since leaving back in January 2019.

The centre half added: "I think the gaffer's been what we needed and since he's come in, we’ve all bought into exactly what he’s said.

"It’s always been the same, we know what we're getting, it’s a two way thing and I think it works well."