Half a squad or not, this means more. You only had to look at the delirious chaos around Kenilworth Road after the final whistle confirmed Carlton Morris’ 90th minute winner against Bournemouth.
Issa Kabore, after a mammoth performance, ran to the dugouts like Luton had won a cup final, while the immense Teden Mengi dropped to his knees, his hands raised to the heavens.
Some Hatters slumped to the ground exhausted, Ross Barkley gestured for the crowd to make even more noise than the wall of squall spilling out from the terraces, while former Barnsley team-mates Cauley Woodrow and Morris embraced have linked up for the late show magic moment.
And, of course, the lesser spotted sight of manager Rob Edwards, urged on by the home faithful, fist-pumping to rapturous cheers.
All of the relief, all the guts and all of the glory.
“(I’m) quite drained,” admitted boss Rob Edwards, adding: “It’s been a tough period and it’s going to continue to be that way, so I’m going to try to enjoy it for a short while and then obviously get back to work.
“It feels great because it’s hard to win a Premier League game of football, especially for us. That’s how it’s proven this season.
“We know we’ve got to find more over the last remaining games, so it’s a great feeling.
“We put the pressure on the lads after Tottenham and Arsenal and for them to deliver today, I’m really proud of them.
“I thought we deserved it, played really well and showed loads of character and quality after going 1-0 down as well.
“They’re a really good team, Bournemouth with brilliant players. Over half the season they’re fifth in the form table. They’re used to winning and when they go 1-0 up they’re probably expecting to win that game.
“We didn’t let our heads drop, we bounced back quickly and I thought the subs made a big impact.
“It’s a great feeling to get that win because it was vital today.”
Hope still springs eternal of the greatest of escapes.
But until the 73rd minute when Jordan Clark fired his first top-flight goal, to cancel out Marcus Tavernier’s opener, Town’s hopes of swerving the trap door looked bleak, with relegation rivals Everton winning against Burnley.
Morris had hit the post and found Neto frustratingly in the way, as did Alfie Doughty and it felt like a goal would not come.
But then substitute Luke Berry’s block tackle on the edge of the area put the ball on a plate for Clark and he finished with aplomb.
For two players that have tasted non-league football and worked their way up, it was one of the most Luton goals possible.
And it showed that though this Hatters team may have less than half a squad due to an injury crisis, and were without a win since January 30, they do not quit.
And at long last, it was the first time Town have been unbeaten in back-to-back home Premier League games and the first time this term they’ve come from behind to win.
This from a side that only three-and-a-half weeks ago saw against the same opponents saw their 3-0 half-time lead obliterated by a four-goal Cherries bomb at The Vitality Stadium.
But at Kenilworth Road, at such a crucial do-or-die, must-win stage of the season, it all felt like a turning point after a relentlessly luckless two months that would’ve killed the hope of lesser men and lesser teams.
Not this Luton Town team. There’s still plenty of fight, plenty of hope and a sense that it could still be their time.
