“You earn the right to stay in the league on moments like today,” said Luton boss Graeme Jones after Callum McManaman and George Moncur staged a late comeback to beat fellow strugglers Wigan 2-1.
Town looked to be heading for a devastating win that would have left them sunk them into the Championship relegation spots, but goals in the 87th minute and the third minute of injury time lifted them four points above the drop zone.
It was an incredible finale to exorcise some of the ghosts of last week’s 7-0 hammering at the hands of Brentford, with both goalscorers coming off the bench to make their mark.
Jones said: “It’s moments like today where the players come through. The board of directors come through, because they’ve stood by me all week. The supporters come through.
“You earn the right to stay in the league on moments like today, but there’ll be other tough moments in every single game. It’s not about blame.
“Everybody is giving everything they’ve got. Energy levels are through the roof at this football club and I need to put it out there, because when it goes horribly wrong, as it did last week, a lot of stick flies around and rightly so.
“Nobody expects pats on the back after a 7-0 defeat and I’m the first one that wouldn’t want that, but we need to have a quick reality check. We’re on December 7 now, 20 games in and 20 points. That’s outstanding for where we are as a club.
“So, the big lessons from this week are, we might have to take a few on the chin. It’s how you respond. This club are the best in all four divisions at responding because of what they’ve been through in the last ten years.
“So, I’d like to take stock, if you don’t mind, at this point. A bit of reality because it’s not easy for anybody.”
