Boss delight at fifth away success
Boss Paul Buckle was “thrilled to bits” as his side registered a third win on the spin to put them within three points off the top of the Blue Square Bet Premier after a 2-1 victory at Lincoln.
“We’ve come here and achieved what we’ve set out to do – win the game,” Buckle told Hatters Player afterwards. “I’m absolutely thrilled to bits. We were on the front foot, played the better football and created several chances.
“Credit to Lincoln they scored a wonder goal to get them back into a game in which we should have been well away with.
“But we showed the other side of our game: defending superbly and today you certainly didn’t see a soft Luton side.
“We spoke in the hotel before the game and we were all agreed that we haven’t been at our best yet this season but that’s three wins out of three now and the players really deserve a big pat on the back.”
Andre Gray’s cross led to Lincoln goalkeeper Paul Farman punching the ball into his own net on 27 minutes to give the Town the lead and the boss was adamant that the striker should be given the goal.
“Andre was causing problems down their right and you never see him just clip the ball in, he really strikes the ball with power,” he said. “Yes, we expected the keeper to save it but with the power behind it it’s dropped in and Andre’s got his reward. If you look back on the season so far we haven’t had much luck.”
Buckle made two changes at half-time with Jon Shaw and Lathaniel Rowe-Turner introduced at the break and it took the former just two minutes to double the Town’s advantage.
And the manager paid tribute to his frontman after his second goal of the season.
“We’ve been working hard on those set-pieces in training – everyone knows their jobs and it worked perfectly,” Buckle said.
“Jon’s a proven goalscorer and you could see how much the goal meant. The delight was on the faces of everyone on the bench and his team-mates. He’s the real deal and is fully committed to Luton Town.”
Lincoln pulled a goal back shortly before the hour mark through a fine strike from forward Jamie Taylor but some excellent defending enabled the Town to see out their fifth away victory of the season in just seven games.
Last season it took the Hatters until December to reach that particular landmark.