Nathan Jones hailed a top drawer away day for Luton as James Collins’s header sunk Swansea 1-0 at the Liberty Stadium to lift them off the foot of the Championship.
The Hatters boss has now picked up four valuable points in his two games since returning for his second spell in charge, with this away performance – in which Town were the better side for large parts – cutting the gap to safety to two points, ahead of Middlesbrough’s trip to Stoke.
“Today was a pretty special away day for us,” said Jones of the return to his homeland, as Collins’ towering 73rd minute header from a teasing cross by substitute Izzy Brown proved decisive.
Speaking of the striker’s 12th goal of the season, the Hatters boss said: “Get James Collins central, give him an opportunity and he scores goals. Izzy Brown was sent on with the directive of putting 90 minutes’ work into 30 and giving us a bit of magic and he did both.”
Asked if the result had given Luton belief that they can beat the drop, Jones said: “We had that belief before we came into this game. We have to install that belief but what results do is compound that and rubber-stamp that. That’s what today will do.
“But we had belief. If we had no belief why come here? Why risk the chance of going down? I could sit in my home, sit in my garden and enjoy a barbecue. That ain’t us.
“We believe that we have enough. We believe that maybe we’re not in the position that we should be. Now we’ve got to pick up the points to prove it.”
It was just Town’s fourth away win, and arguable their best, as they restricted the Swans to one really clear-cut chance for Ben Cabango that Simon Sluga kept out.
“They (Luton) haven’t had too many wins away from home but this was against an excellent Swansea side that can cause you problems, but I thought we were solid,” said Jones.
“We had the best chances in the game. I thought Harry Cornick had a great one in the first half and with a little bit more composure we could’ve been ahead at half time.
“We knew that it would come down to moments. We made changes at the right time. It was a great ball in and great goal and we’re delighted. I think we deserved it.
“To come here as an away side, Swansea flying high in the play-offs and some of players they have, it was a wonderful performance.
“The only tinge of disappointment is that we didn’t have any fans here because imagine 2,000 fans in that away end as well. It would’ve been a good day. It could’ve been one of those days where we could build bridges.”
