Town midfielder Clark not expected back until Middlesbrough clash

Midfielder Jordan Clark could be fit for Luton’s home clash with Middlesbrough that is due to be televised live on Sky Sports in just over a week.

The 29-year-old last started the 1-0 victory against Swansea back on March 4, before suffering a calf injury, and then coming back slightly too early when making a cameo from the bench in Town’s 1-1 draw at Sunderland a fortnight later.

He has not featured since and is expected to be out for the Hatters’ next two games, although might return when Luton host their fellow play-off chasers at Kenilworth Road later this month, as boss Rob Edwards said: “He's getting there very well.

“He’s doing training and start of the sessions, so we are monitoring and managing his load.

“We don’t want to push it too hard, we’ve got to get the right balance between pushing him hard and not too hard.

“He won’t be right for this game coming up, Reading and maybe Middlesbrough is more realistic, but he’s in a good place at the moment.

“It’s just been a really difficult one to manage to be honest.

“We felt he was good, he felt he was good, but when he came back it just wasn’t quite ready.

“So we’ve got to make sure this time that he stays back when he does come back with us.”

Although Clark and Gabe Osho are two who are definitely out of this weekend’s clash, with Osho now absent for a few weeks, while Alfie Doughty remains a doubt due to his head injury suffered against Blackpool, the Hatters are in a far better place than last term.

Then, they went into the play-offs with a number of front-line players out, barely able to field a fully fit XI, as on the difference to this time, Edwards added: “To be able to be competitive you want to be able to pick all the best players and have a competitive squad.

“At this stage of the season though there are a lot of games, and every team will be managing players.

“No-one will be 100 per cent.

"They will all be feeling stuff, all getting knocks and there are always aches and pains and the majority of the time the lads can get through it.

“That’s why you have a squad and some people are going to have to come in and perform at this stage of the season in big games.

"That’s why the training is so important as well for the lads who haven’t been getting as many minutes.

“They need to be ready to come in at the drop of a hat.”