Rob Edwards spoke of his pride in seeing his Luton Town team record a first home Premier League win – but insisted there is still more to come from the ever-improving Hatters.
Teden Mengi and Jacob Brown’s first Premier League goals, either side of Michael Olise’s quickfire equaliser, saw the Town take maximum points at Kenilworth Road for the first time, building on the 1-1 draw with Liverpool last time out on home soil.
“It feels really good,” said Edwards, whose side moved four points above the relegation zone. “It’s nice to see the lads so happy, music on, the crowd are really happy. It’s nice to get the fist pumps out again. We don’t see it as often as Jurgen Klopp in the Premier League, so it’s nice to do that.
“But in all seriousness, it was important today. We all recognised that and I have to stress it, Crystal Palace are a really good team with brilliant players, and I think the longer the game went on the crowd saw that as well.”
Mengi’s opener, his first goal in senior football, came in the 72nd minute with Olise equalising immediately after the VAR check for possible offside was complete.
Brown capped a terrific week personally, in which he made his first Scotland start, with the 83rd-minute winner – with Town remaining resolute to see out what proved to be 14 minutes of added time.
“(It was) a brilliant set piece goal, I’m really pleased for Teden – I thought he was outstanding today, with and without the ball,” said Edwards.
“Obviously lightning strikes twice, just like Burnley with conceding a very similar goal. We all felt flat at that moment.
“But for the players to pick themselves up after that and go and get the second, which I thought was a brilliant counter attacking goal, a fantastically well worked goal, the lads deserve a lot of credit for that.
“And then again, seeing it out under immense pressure, some brilliant blocks, some brilliant saves.
“The running from Eli, Chongy, Browny – his running when he came on, as well as his goal, amazing – and a little bit of luck, which we are probably going to need still to get the three points in games because of the amount of pressure that teams will put on you late on.
“But I’m immensely proud of everyone. We can be better, and we’ve got to keep working hard to improve, but it’s a big three points for us.”