No target in mind for Jones as he retains promotion belief

Hatters boss Nathan Jones hasn't set his side a target of wins they require from their remaining 10 games to try and go up automatically this term.
Hatters boss Nathan JonesHatters boss Nathan Jones
Hatters boss Nathan Jones

Luton host fellow promotion chasers Exeter City at Kenilworth Road this afternoon, as they go into the fixture seven points behind third placed Portsmouth, with one game in hand.

When asked if had worked out how many victories were needed to try and break into the top three, Jones said: “No, I don’t think you can say that, because you could that and it could come short, you could say that and you get more points than you needed, which would be nice too.

“With everyone playing each other and people putting runs together, it has changed in one week.

“It was in our hands a week ago, as in we could have gone into third, and then two adverse results and someone like Portsmouth picking up two good results, it’s changed and it can change.

“What we have to do is make sure we stay right within touch. The Easter period is coming and I keep saying to our players, we’re the only side that haven’t had a run yet of putting four or five together.

“Now would be a great time to do that as if you do that you catapult your way forward.

“I said that we’d come strong. We are in good shape in terms of physicality and everything, we just need to turn that into results now.

“It’s been a difficult week, in terms of two contrasting performances. I was far happier than the one on Tuesday (Carlisle) that last Saturday (Stevenage), but we can’t dwell on that and now we’ve got another big week to look forward to.”

Jones did admit that with Portsmouth having won their last two matches to increase the gap, and Plymouth in second opening up a 11-point advantage, that going up automatically was going to be difficult this term.

He continued: “It is a big ask, but we’re right in it. We’ve got a game in hand which takes us close to them.

“Now others around us have been on runs of seven and eight, so they have to repeat that.

“What we’ve got to do is try and pick up as many points as we can. We have been in good form, one defeat in a good while, but we have to now have a run.

“It’s really down the business end and we’re right in the hunt, we really are.

“We’ve just got to make sure we’re up for every game and if we win one, look to win another one and go from there.”