Graeme Jones said Luton’s last-gasp penalty equaliser against Stoke was a measure of how resilient his Hatters have become.
Luton looked like they were heading for a damaging defeat at home to Stoke City on Saturday, with the Potters the team Town are trying to catch in their bid to beat the Championship drop.
Substitute Callum McManaman then won an 89th minute penalty and James Collins converted for his 11th of the campaign.
It kept Town within five points of safety with ten games left to play and asked if it felt more like a victory due to the late nature of the point, Jones said: “I wouldn’t say a victory, but we haven’t done that enough this season because we haven’t been resilient enough to be able to do it.
“That’s a measurement of our resilience, that. We’ve got something from the game through substitutions, through tactics, through the boys’ character and a never say die attitude, that’s what’s pleasing and we’re going to need that in the next 10 games.”
Stoke came to Kenilworth Road to frustrate the hosts and hit them on the break and that tactic worked a treat when Sam Vokes netted in the ninth minute with their first effort on goal.
From there, Town, who struggled to muster the same energy that beat Brentford last Tuesday, could not find the formula to get through Stoke disciplined 4-5-1 formation, until substitutes Luke Bolton and Callum McManaman entered the fray on 66 minutes and 73 minutes respectively.
Jones said: “I’ve worked with some great teams and we’ve tried to break a low block down. It isn’t easy for some of the top players in the world.
“We managed to get the ball out wide, which was the reason for the substitution, to have a one-v-one with Luke Bolton.
“We managed to get the ball in the box, we managed to get the ball in the box, and we managed to get something from the game.
“I’m taking it and we’re moving on.”
Goalscorer Collins said: “I thought the subs were excellent when they came on. They gave us a spark. It’s been a long week, you need your squad and three lads came on and made a difference in the game.”
