Town chief elated to give Luton fans an evening to remember for a 'long, long time'

Luton boss Rob Edwards was elated to be able to give Town’s fans something they will remember for a ‘long, long time’ after securing a place at Wembley in the Championship play-off final following last night’s outstanding 2-0 second leg victory over Sunderland at Kenilworth Road.

The Hatters had been 2-1 behind from the first leg at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, but wiped that deficit out after just 10 minutes when Gabe Osho pounced from a corner.

Tom Lockyer then headed Town into the lead just before the break, the hosts then able to navigate the second half to keep their opponents out, almost scoring themselves on more than one occasion too, and will now take on Coventry or Middlesbrough in the final on May 27.

A good natured pitch invasion followed the final whistle, with Edwards and his players mobbed by Town’s fans who had whipped the atmosphere into a frenzy from before the first whistle, carrying on throughout the entire 90 minutes.

As Kenilworth Road was then turned into an impromptu dance floor, supporters bellowing out songs from Madness, Doris Day their tribute to Marvelous Nakamba and also Edwards himself, the squad was able to eventually come back out and thank those still present for their efforts later on.

Before kick-off, the Town chief had urged the home faithful to ratchet the decibels up a level or two from what he had witnessed in the superb 2-0 victory over Watford last month, and those who were there certainly delivered for him.

Speaking afterwards, Edwards said: “They played a massive part, a big, big thankyou to them.

"I think we’ve given them something back to remember as well for a long, long time.

“They were great, we knew they would be and we needed them.

"They got the atmosphere going before kick-off and when the staff came in after the warm-up, they said it was really really good, so I was just really pleased that we could repay them with a good performance.

“I have to say, Sunderland is a massive football club as we all know and Saturday was special as well.

"The atmosphere up there at the Stadium of Light was incredible, but it was special tonight.”

With Town fans suffering more than most in their recent history, relegated out of the Football League in 2009 due to a 30-point deduction, a decision that still quite rightly rankles with anyone and everyone of a Luton persuasion, going on to spend five long years in the Conference until John Still led them back to the Football League in 2014.

They have made steady progress back up the ranks since, finishing in a higher league position in all of their last seven seasons, something no other club can match, and are now just 90 minutes away from a return to the top flight for the first time since the 1992 campaign.

Edwards knew full well just how much an evening like last night would mean too, as he continued: “It was really special.

"It was great against Watford when we got another 2-0 win, and tonight was sensational.

"To see how pleased everyone was at the end it means a lot to me, as we are in the entertainment business as well.

"We want to win and we want the supporters to enjoy moments, you can’t as a football fan all of the time and they’ve been through a lot of dark times, so this is great.

“I said it from day one, the lads, they’ve worked so hard and I’d like to think that we’ve given them everything.

"We’ve shown a lot of belief in them and they’ve repaid that and some.

"The supporters, they deserve this, they’ve been through some really dark times, and to win a semi-final and get to Wembley is really special.

"I know we’re going to go there in big, big numbers and hopefully we can celebrate again.”

Knowing just what was needed of them from the game was a big factor too, as it made sure both players’ and fans’ minds were attuned to the task in hand, as anything other than a victory would have meant yet another play-off disappointment.

Edwards said: “Of course it helps and the lads were fired up anyway.

"Maybe the way the game went in the second half at their place probably helped just give us that little bit of an edge as well.

"There was no other way than attack it, that was it and the fans knew that as well.

"I just think everyone was on the same level tonight, everyone knew what was required and we were able to do it.”

The boss also didn’t expect the magnitude of quite what he and his players had achieved would sink in until he was away from the ground and lost in his own thoughts, adding: “We’ve enjoyed this occasion tonight, hopefully I’ll be able to reflect when driving home and look back and think that was really special.

"We’ve been able to bring a lot of pleasure to our supporters and to see the lads’ faces then at the end, that makes me happy, but then we want to go further.

“I’ll probably remember bits when I’m driving or I’m lying in bed staring at the ceiling tonight.

"Cody’s (Drameh) pressing I thought was brilliant, 2-0 up and that press, the fans love that as well, we love it, that’s what we’re about.

"The goals clearly, big, big moments, but the effort, the endeavour that I just saw, the smiles on everyone’s faces at the end.

"The happiness that was there tonight, there’s a lot of special moments, it’s probably hard to single out one.”