Potts urges Luton put their stamp on play-offs during first leg trip to Stadium of Light

Town defender Dan Potts has urged his side to put their stamp on this evening’s play-off semi-final first leg clash with Sunderland to make sure they head back to Kenilworth Road on Tuesday night with the tie very much alive.

The Hatters head to the Stadium of Light to face a team not many had expected to be coming up against at this stage of the campaign, the Black Cats going into the final day of the season sitting outside of the top six.

At half time on Monday, it looked even more likely they wouldn’t be playing each other, Millwall 3-1 up against Blackburn Rovers at the New Den, but their capitulation to lose 4-3, plus Sunderland's 3-0 success at Preston North End, elevated Tony Mowbray’s team above the dotted line in the second period.

It means the two sides now come up against each other over two legs in a bid to get to Wembley on May 27 and ultimately the Premier League, as Potts said: “Before the game, they were the team we least expected.

"They needed everything to go together and I didn’t really realise what had happened between Millwall and Blackburn, it was so tight as well between those five teams.

"We’ve played them twice this year and the game at their place I think we should have won, just from watching it, with the penalty.

"They've got good individuals, good players, but we know what we’ve got and we know what we’re good at.

"Hopefully we can really put our stamp on the game and go up there and give a good account of ourselves and come back here, I’m positive, for sure.”

Having been part of the squad that reached the play-offs last year, Potts an unused substitute in both games against Huddersfield as the Hatters were cruelled knocked out 2-1 on aggregate, he took some lessons from the Terriers’ approach at Kenilworth Road in the opening game, returning home with a 1-1 draw.

He continued: “There is a balance to the first leg.

“You look at last year, I think Huddersfield, they just wanted to make sure they got back there without losing the game, so you’re at half time in 90 minutes, that was the feeling I got from it.”

Although Potts was back from injury and starting against Hull on Monday, with Edwards resting players, there is every chance he could be on the bench, or even in the stands for the trip to Wearside this evening.

If that is the case, he will back his team-mates to the hilt though, following yet another season of improvement, Town’s seventh in a row of finishing a position higher in the table, saying: “If we get promoted we’ll finish higher again next season for sure!

"I don’t think many clubs have done that, if any, I’d like to know.

"Seven seasons in a row finishing higher, I’m not surprised though, as much as the recruitment of the club is up there in terms of players.

"I think the staff as well, credit to Gary (Sweet, chief executive) and the board, the people they bring in, there’s just such a good feeling around the place.

“You go into training every day and everyone gets on well, there's no bad eggs.

"It doesn't matter who comes in player-wise, staff-wise, I don't think anyone feels like they’re coming like, ‘we’ve got to work today.’

"That’s the feeling I get and I’ve probably felt like that since I’ve joined.

“When I’ve been in the team, the players that aren’t playing have always encouraged and I always do the same for the lads that are playing if I’m not playing.

”That’s a major part to be so successful as a squad as this season, there’s always going to be changes, you just make sure you’re ready to stay up.”

Meanwhile, with Luton back at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday night, then Potts, who has been at the club for almost years now, playing 215 times, is ready for what he hopes could one of the best nights of his life as a Hatters player on Tuesday, adding: “There’s been some good games here, but I’m sure that’s going to be up there.

"There’s always one or two a year that stand out for me, but that one on Tuesday will be up there for me, there’ll be some atmosphere!”