Stacey delighted Town put Robins reverse behind them

Luton had gone into the game on the back of a three game winless run, but they ensured that no further ground was dropped on the promotion places with a battling success.

Stacey said: “We really wanted to bounce back from Saturday, get the win, get the clean sheet, it was very important to help us to find some consistency.

“I think they’ve lost their last three games 1-0, so we knew they were a tough game and also in this league, we know anything can happen.

“We were disappointed after Saturday but we weren’t too down as we knew that we were in control of the game and if we did keep 11 men then we would probably have gone on to win it.

“So we knew that if we stuck to our gameplan at home then we’d end up with the win again and we’ve done that.

“We said they (Mansfield and Lincoln draws) would only be good away points if we could capitalise on it with home wins, and we’ve got one, so we’re happy with the three points and now we move on to the next game.”

After Andrew Shinnie wasted a glorious chance early on, Town had to wait until the 38th minute to make the breakthrough, when Ben Whitfield put through his own net.

Stacey continued: “Shins didn’t quite connect with that one, but it gave us the confidence that if we kept playing our game, kept to the gameplan, that we would eventually break through.

“Maybe the first goal was quite fortuitous, but I think we deserved it on the whole.

“Sometimes we needed that little bit of luck to break them down and think after that, it helped us grow in confidence and we were firmly in control.”

Vale came out well in the second half and threatened to level until Stacey raced away to thunder home Luton’s second which he felt gave his side some valuable breathing space.

The summer signing said: “They had a little spell just after half time, we rode it well, defended well and then hit them on the counter attack, so it was good timing.”

Meanwhile, after conceding three at the weekend, Stacey was delighted to make it a third shut out for the campaign, adding: “For the defence, we said at half time, we’re winning 1-0, if we can keep a clean sheet then we knew we’d win the game.

“So that was our main objective and we’re very happy to achieve that.”