Town to copy Crawley success

Long time chasers Luton were forced to suffer the galling sight of moneybags Crawley hoisting the Conference title following their 1-1 draw at the Broadfield Stadium.

Brabin revealed: “I’ve said from the start we just have to be professional.

“In some ways it’s a good thing for us, we can come here and see what it’s like to celebrate and do it ourselves in a few weeks time.”

Veteran midfielder Paul Carden admitted it was a difficult occasion, especially with Crawley taking the lead after just 36 seconds through the scourge of Town fans, striker Richard Brodie.

The 32-year-old, on loan from Camridge, said: “They always wanted this occasion to play against Luton and rub our faces in it and got off to a great start.

“It was out of our hands because of what happened on Saturday. We can only control the controllables with what we are doing.

“The manager said it was a benchmark for what we need to do and be spurred on by their celebrations for our own achievements which is getting promotion through the play-offs.

“We managed it well and were unlucky not to turn the party upside down. We are certainly no mugs and will look to prove that over the next few games.”

Captain George Pilkington paid tribute to Crawley’s consistency, but believes Town are heading in the right direction.

He conceded: “They’ve been relentless. They haven’t lost in 25, 26 games and you have to take your hats off and say they’ve done a good job.

“Where we’ve slipped up with a draw or a loss they’ve marched on.

“Now we are going in the right direction at this point in the season.”

But Pilkington doesn’t want to get carried away ahead of the play-off ‘lottery’.

He said: “I don’t tend to look at the league too much. I don’t look that far ahead because you lose focus on the now. We still have work to do. We still probably need a win to secure a play-off place. The play-offs are a lottery and we have to be prepared. Hopefully our experience from Mansfield this year and York last year will stand us in good stead

“They (the play-off semi-finals) are both cup finals and small margins will get us through.”

Town have already been stung by missing out on a big occasion this year, losing out to Mansfield in the dying moments of the FA Trophy semi-final second leg with Wembley on the horizon.

Pilkington said: “You are thinking of Wembley and we played 120 minutes and it all went wrong with a couple of minutes to go.

“When you get home your mind starts to wander. We know what the goal is at the end of the season, to get promoted. It’s about doing the bits in-between.”