Goals from Palmer and Mpanzu secured a 2-1 win
Town boss Nathan Jones was delighted with his side’s performance in their 2-1 win over Notts County as the Hatters all but secured their place in the play-offs providing there isn’t a huge swing in goal difference.
The visitors took an early lead, as Elliott Hewitt fired in from 16 yards, before Ollie Palmer headed in after Danny Hylton’s rocket of an effort cannoned back off the crossbar.
Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu then secured the three points as he shot home from the edge of the box to give the Hatters a 2-1 lead just before half-time – a scoreline that remained the same until the full-time whistle.
The victory means the Hatters are now six points clear of eighth-placed Mansfield with two games to go, but a superior goal difference means that it would take a huge swing for the Hatters to be pushed out of the top seven.
Jones said: “We knew a win today would kind of guarantee our place in the play-offs. We are in good form, that’s five unbeaten now.
“We would have liked to have done it a bit sooner, but we have cemented it now, so barring a real big turnaround we should be in there, now it’s about placings.
“I am delighted with the performance today. They are a very, very direct side. They smash it up there and they have got two huge giants up there who are experienced, outstanding centre-forwards and we had to cope with that. I thought our back three were immense.
“It could have been far more, we had some wonderful, wonderful chances to put the game out of sight and we should have done that. I am happy with 2-1 and it’s a good day.
“We needed that. We needed a big performance and they showed a lot of character after going behind so early from a second ball, it was a great finish from the lad and we had to show a lot of character.
“But Hylton was magnificent with his shot, Ollie Palmer following that up and it was great to see Pelly-Ruddock [scoring]. We have been encouraging him to get more goals and we need that from him, but it’s one of those things.”