Marriott could be fit for Daggers visit

Hatters boss Nathan Jones is hopeful that striker Jack Marriott is available for tomorrow's home clash against struggling Dagenham & Redbridge.
Jack Marriott went off injured against Accrington on SaturdayJack Marriott went off injured against Accrington on Saturday
Jack Marriott went off injured against Accrington on Saturday

The forward, who is Luton’s joint leading scorer with 13 goals this season, went off in the second half of Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Accrington after taking what looked like a knee in the back from a visiting defender.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, when asked if he would recover in time, Jones said: “We hope so. The thing is, we’re picking up a lot of knocks which are unfortunate, but it’s that stage of the season where sometimes whatever you’ve done prior to it catches up with you.

“So that’s something we’ll have to address, but hopefully we’ll have as strong a squad available.”

Skipper Scott Cuthbert and Paddy McCourt are both doubts too, but winger Danny Green should be fit, as Jones added: “I think it might come too soon for him (Cuthbert), but we’ll see.

“He’s important to us, he’s our captain, he’s a good leader for us and has been in very, very good form, so he’s a miss for us.

“Paddy isn’t available at the minute unless something really good happens tomorrow as it might be a game too early for him, but Greeny’s available and we’re a little bit stronger than we were.”

Despite the players coming back though, it doesn’t necessarily mean the likes of youngsters Zane Banton and Frankie Musonda will miss out after both featured against Stanley at the weekend.

He added: “We’re not going to give anyone anything, we’ve got full time pros here who have not played for me, some who have trained with us every day.

“So I’m not just going to hand people stuff. If you earn it and work hard in training and show the characteristics that we want, then you get opportunities and a few of the youngsters have.

“I’ve spoken to the club and it didn’t matter what kind of predicament we’re in, if they earn it, they will get opportunities.

“If we’re top of the league, if we’re going for the play-offs, if we’re mid-table, whatever, they’ll earn it.

“Because there’s a pathway and we keep speaking about that, the process has to work, the pathway has to be there and then the opportunity to get in.

“No-one handed me an appearance or a career, you have to work for it and luckily enough I’ve got a decent group who do work hard.

“I don’t envisage me giving anyone anything as I want to create that environment of competition, that it’s competitive every day, it’s professional and if we have that then we’ll have players who will put themselves in the frame.”