Town trio fit as they prepare for Newport bombardment

The talented teenage full-back was stretchered from the field with his leg in a splint during Luton’s disappointing 3-1 home defeat to Fleetwood Town on Saturday.

Thankfully the injury is not as bad as first feared and he, along with Freddie Murray (hernia) and winger Robbie Willmott (hip), have recovered from their problems and will be part of the Hatters squad that travels to Wales.

On Howells, manager Richard Money said: “Fit and available, perfectly OK.

“He is a very luck boy. It’s the type of tackle that can break anyone’s leg but he has seen it coming and it’s taken more of a glancing blow than a direct blow.

“Freddie Murray is back and ready to play. Shane Blackett is training with the group.

“It’s a pretty good strong group of 18 outfield players and two keepers.

“Hopefully they will be able to give us a real push and real thrust from here.

“Robbie Willmott is fit too. I’ve just put a squad of 18 players on the board, any one I could pick tomorrow.”

And he’s looking for his side to bounce back strongly for Saturday’s disappointment.

Money said: “I don’t think there’s too much wrong. I think the disappointment is very quick, very sharp but as football people we have to recover quickly.

“It’s a very dangerous fixture for anyone. The key to getting beat is always how you respond.

“Up until now we’ve always responded very quickly and very strongly and I’m hopeful that will happen tomorrow.”

And he warned that the Hatters could be in for a difficult night against a team much-changed from the one that drew 1-1 at Kenilworth Road in August.

Since then Luton have signed goalscorer that day and former youth teamer, winger Charlie Henry, who is sidelined for the rest of the season with an ankle injury.

Manager Dean Holdsworth has recently left to boss Aldershot while top scorer Craig Reid has been sold to Stevenage.

Yemi Obudabe and Griffin went the other way, while County have also snapped up forward Steven Lennon from Irish side Dundalk.

Former Luton favourite John Hartson, meanwhile, has been appointed part-time striker coach for the rest of the season and caretaker boss is director of football Tim Harris.

Money added: “They’ve done extremely well and they’ve had a big turnaround of players.

“They are extremely different in terms of personnel.

“They’ve got (Robbie) Matthews and (Charlie) Griffin up top who have vast experience at this level.

“I think they’ve become much more direct under the new management team than the previous one and I think we can expect a bombardment.”