Mick Harford says Luton have a “magnificent opportunity” to secure a play-off place when they host fellow promotion hopefully Queens Park Rangers today.
Results at the top end of the Championship yesterday went favourably for Luton who sit in sixth-place and victory in the lunchtime kick-off will see them climb to fourth with a game in hand on third-placed Huddersfield, putting four points of daylight between them and the chasing pack.
The Hatters’ form has seen them bag 11 second-tier victories out of their 15, so hopes are high of qualifying for the play-off mix.
Asked what will get Luton there, assistant manager Harford said: “Hard work beats everything in my opinion. You often need a little bit of luck along the way, we are going to have to steer clear of injuries, we are going to have to have certain things go in our favour, refereeing decisions and things like that.
“So, there is a lot to take into consideration, but obviously if we keep the players in good form and good spirits, and the way they are going out there at the moment, they are producing, it’s a great opportunity for us.
“We see it as a magnificent opportunity. We absolutely know all the pitfalls, we know how tough it is going to be, we know the opposition we are going to come up against is very difficult, because every week there is a different tactical challenge in the Championship for us.
“So, we have got to be on the ball, we’ve got to be switched on and we’ve got to be tactically aware of what we are going into every Saturday afternoon.”
But Town will have to overcome a hoodoo against QPR, in which they have only won once in the league in the last 34-years.
“It would be very apt and good timing to get the win against QPR, which will be very difficult,” said Harford.
“We know they’re a top outfit, who will be well-drilled and well organised, but we’ll have our boys prepared and ready to have a good go at them.”
Rangers sit one place and one point behind the Hatters, having claimed just one win in their last seven in the league.
Harford, who had two caretaker manager spells in west London, said: “We are in very similar positions, in terms of games won and goal difference. There is absolutely nothing between us in terms of where we are, maybe apart from the one point we are ahead of them.
“Queens Park Rangers are a good team, a good outfit. They’ve got some really good players, they play a certain way and Mark (Warburton – manager) has got them playing, at times, some very special football.
“Good rotation in midfield, and obviously they’ve got a potent threat with the strikers they’ve got at the club, with (Charlie) Austin, (Andre) Gray and (Lyndon) Dykes, who are a real potent strike force there.
“So it’s going to be a tough game as we all know, you know I’m going to sya that. But it’s another challenge we are looking forward to.”
Having played well in the capital in November but succumbing to a goal ten minutes into each half, asked if Luton owe Rangers one, Harford said: “I totally agree with you. We will approach the game in a positive manner, and we look to try and win the game and hopefully get one over on them, yes.”
