Beating Brentford was the best result of Graeme Jones’ managerial career, which he admitted laid to rest the ghosts of the worst day of his football career in November, when the Hatters were battered 7-0 by the Londoners.
Tonight at Kenilworth Road, an own goal from Shandon Baptiste and a stunner from Martin Cranie gave the Hatters a 2-0 lead at half time against the meanest defence in the Championship.
The Bees are also the division’s second top scorers, but Town fought tooth and nail to keep them out with Ollie Watkins netting in the 83rd minute to make for a nervy finish, which they managed well.
The three points lifted Luton off the foot of the table and within three points of safety, and asked how where the 2-1 result stood in his coaching career, Jones said: “For me, the best, because they’re a top team, right up there.
“I’m totally satisfied. That lays the ghosts of Griffin Park for me. I wouldn’t call it revenge.
“It was an embarrassing day for myself, my staff and the players who are honest as the day is long, but naïve in the Championship in a tough week where we played Leeds United, beat Charlton here (Kenilworth Road) and we just couldn’t go again.
“We got punished in every single area and then you measure it three months on and you see the level of performance tonight and that tells you we haven’t been sitting idle, doing nothing.
“We’ve all been working really hard because you can’t win a football match against that quality unless you can play as a team and that was really satisfying.
“That means everything to me. That’s where we are, because that was the worst day of my football career.
“Six players on the pitch that started tonight experienced that feeling of helplessness because you’re 5-0 down and then you go down to ten men and the referee has given two penalties against you.
“Obviously, I made all three substitutions and that was the most helpless I felt on a football pitch and I love to be competitive. My team was competitive tonight and I feel like we’ve erased that now.
“Believe me, I’ve done the analysis for this game and I know the level of this team. The game’s been managed well since Saturday night and getting beaten by Charlton. The boys were absolutely magnificent.
“Carrying out instructions and executing them down to a tee, that gives me great satisfaction.”
Spot on, Graeme. It was a result we all needed. You and the lads did us proud.