Fourth round match-winner Scott Rendell on Millwall tie
Fourth round match winner Scott Rendell has been in the forefront of the media spotlight since his Norwich City giant-killing last month – and it’s a role the striker is relishing.
“Of course I would want to score the winner, who wouldn't?” said the 26-year-old hit man who was named the FA player of the fourth round – the third Town player to win an award this season.
The eyes of the world have focused on the Hatters ahead of the next possible giant killing as Paul Buckle’s side prepare to welcome the Lions into the Town’s own den.
“It's obviously great to get the attention,” said Rendell beaming about the achievement surrounded by hoards of the press.
“The feeling of scoring that goal at Norwich was unreal, I wouldn't change that for the world. It brings the club attention and brings the club back into the public view where it belongs.
“Personally I've done very well in the cup this year. Hopefully it continues Saturday when it's David versus Goliath. We've done it twice so I can’t see why we can’t do it again.”
The FA Cup will come as a welcome distraction from the league which has seen the Hatters stutter in recent weeks, something Rendell is not shying away from.
“The league form has been poor since we beat Norwich,” he said honestly. “People have asked can I put my finger on it and I can’t.
“It’s not a lack of attitude from the boys. It gives the boys confidence. You play games like Norwich and you gain confidence - you don't lose it. It is strange from my point of view to see the way results have gone recently for us.”
Pressure is a word ever affiliated with the Hatters’ continuous search for promotion, and it's something Rendell is well aware of.
“We know we haven't got anything to lose going in to games against Millwall, Norwich and Wolves,” said Rendell. “Then we go and play teams like Barrow and Dartford away and you saw from Dartford's reaction the other night at the victory that they could have won the league with that and it probably feels to them that they have.
“Fair play to Dartford, they've got the three points which they probably deserved on the night and they can celebrate however they want, but we need to get used to that, people wanting to beat Luton Town, I'm sure we're the first team people look for and they want to turn us over every week.”
On the back of that disappointment in midweek there will be no shortage of fuel for the Hatters to contain with the chance to again progress in front of the watching world and Rendell spoke of his team-mates’ preparation.
“Who can't be up for a game like this? It's a free game for us if you like, no-one expects us to get anything out of the game but no-one did against Norwich or Wolves so we proved people wrong then.
“We need to stick to our game plan like we have in the previous games and hopefully we get that one bit of luck in front of goal again and maybe we'll end up nicking a one nil or a two one.”
Ever the optimist Rendell backed his side for another cup shock and was quick to praise the Town’s ability to again pull of a giant killing.
“I think it will be another tight one,” he said. “The way our defenders and Mark Tyler have been playing in the cup, if we keep a clean sheet and get that one chance we've got to go and try and win it. We're dangerous on the break or at a set-piece and I'm sure I can see us nicking one.
“It's a fantastic achievement for everyone surrounding to club to get to the fifth round of the FA Cup. To go one step further would be unreal, to get to the quarter finals as a non league club, we're not concentrating on that we need to focus.
“If we do nick it on Saturday then we will reap the rewards after that but it’s going to be a massive game for us on Saturday and it's not the end of the world if we lose then we can focus on getting back to the league and winning promotion.”