Assistant boss impressed with Ipswich win
Assistant manager Alan Neilson was delighted with the performance of the Luton players in their 2-0 defeat of Ipswich, and is sure they won't get carried away.
Two Janos Kovacs headers saw Luton overcome Championship Ipswich, with the Tractor Boys fielding a strong side at Kenilworth Road.
And Neilson stressed that it was the work ethic of the players that made the result possible in the first place.
“We're really pleased,” he said. “We're happy with the lads.
“We said the same things before the game – yes we're playing Ipswich Town who are a Championship side, but we want the same work rate, the same ethic.
“We told them not to take your foot off the ball because they're a team that play in a higher league than us. The work rate from all the lads, including the subs who came on, was absolutely fantastic.
“They brought their first-team squad. But it's all about us, what we do. We've worked hard on a few things this week, Janos has been heading a few more balls and he headed two into the net!
“Janos is a big lad. We know that if you move enough in the box then you'll create space for yourself and it was a great header back across goal that's gone inside the far post.
“Everyone was closing down and I think that shows the work ethic at the club. If you're not willing to work at the club then you won't be here much longer.
“The lads came on and did absolutely superbly. The front two, Andre Gray and Fleets [Stuart Fleetwood] got a little bit tired. It's been a long week for us, we've played a lot of games.
“We played last Saturday, then Monday, Wednesday, a development game on Thursday night and this game on a Saturday.
“We knew that week four of pre-season was going to be hard for them – touch wood they've all come through and we haven't got any injuries from the games. It's gone well.”
And Neilson said that he and manager Paul Buckle are particularly pleased with the versatility in defence within the current crop of players at Kenilworth Road.
“Rowe-Turner is a bit like Taylor, he's a real fit lad, very quick, up and down, gives a balance because he's got that left side and can play left side centre-half,” he said.
“Greg Taylor can play left back, he can play right back. Alex Lawless can fill in at right-back too. The alternatives we've got for the back four are very, very good.
“Ronnie Henry is a proven right-back in the Conference, in League Two and League One, and can play centre-half.
“It's all going well, we've conceded one goal in pre-season. We just have to keep that work rate, effort and talking up, and long may it continue.”
And Neilson confirmed that summer signings Garry Richards and Jon Shaw are carrying minor knocks that caused them to again miss out.
“They have little knocks. If you look at the squad we have now we don't to need to force our hand,” Neilson continued.
“The lads who are playing are really doing well. When the others are fit again it will be a massive boost to the squad. They aren't fit at the moment so we can only use the players we have.
“With injuries it changes each day – they might have a high, or they have might have a low. Fingers crossed there will be more highs, sooner rather than later.”
And Neilson said that although a deal hasn't been completed with Dean Brill, he expected the deal to be completed in the near future.
“I don't know if a deal has been concluded yet, I know they're speaking,” he said.
“I think he's happy here, I think it's just getting the deal actually signed and then he'll be a Luton Town player. We've got competition for places now for the goalkeeping place.
“We've got Lewis Kidd who's improving all the time, we've got Dean Brill and we saw Mark Tyler pull off some great saves. There is great competition for places.”