“We could have got more” was the immediate verdict from Jack Wilshere, despite Luton Town maintaining their League One play-off push with a controlled and comfortable Kasey Palmer-inspired 2-0 victory at relegated Rotherham United.
The Hatters produced an assured display in South Yorkshire to extend their unbeaten run to eight and keep pressure on the top six, but their manager made clear afterwards that standards inside the dressing room remain higher than simply getting the job done.
Wilshere told the BBC: “I think we could have got more. That’s the feeling. The players in the dressing room were demanding from each other, which I love because that’s the only way we improve and keep winning games.
“The context was, tonight, that we had to come here and win, so [I’m] really satisfied and happy with that, good performance where I thought we could have scored a few more goals.”
Town leapfrogged Plymouth Argyle to sixth in the table after they drew with Bradford, but Stevenage’s 1-0 victory at Luton’s opponents on Saturday, Barsnley, kept the Hatters three points away from their goal of a top six finish.
However, the Bedfordshire boys have a superior goal difference to Boro and that was extended to eight goals in Rotherham by Palmer’s second ever Football League brace.
Luton set the tone early, something Wilshere had made a point of after the slow start in the previous match at Mansfield. This time, there was no repeat as his side took control from the outset.
“Scoring early helped,” Wilshere said after Palmer converted Shayden Morris’ cross on eight minutes.
“We spoke about that. We didn’t start well enough at Mansfield and gave ourselves a mountain to climb, and we didn’t want to be in that position today.
“The players executed it. The only frustrating thing was in that controlling spell, we still want to have threat and purpose. We had enough, but didn’t execute the final part or the final cross well enough.”
Palmer then added to his tally just before the break with a quality header, again from Morris’ cross. It was the Jamaican international’s third goal in two games and seventh since moving to Kenilworth Road in a very fruitful loan spell with Luton. The goal ultimately settled the contest, and Wilshere was quick to highlight the importance of big players delivering in big moments.
“I thought he was excellent,” the manager said. “He’s given a lot. To produce a performance like that after a big week, knowing where we are and what we need to do, to show your quality like that is important.
“Big players come up with big goals and he certainly is that.”
After Morris also played a key role, providing the assists, Wilshere said he believes the winger is beginning to show the consistency required at this level.
“The last few games before Northampton when he came on, he was excellent, probably the best I’ve seen him,” the Town chief said.
“He continued that. His challenge is to sustain it. He got tired in the second half, but in the first half he was definitely a threat.”
Although the scoreline suggested comfort, Luton were forced to defend more after the break, something that has been an issue at times this season, though they kept their third clean sheet of 2026. This time, Wilshere was satisfied with the response.
“You need to give credit to the back line,” he said. “They were excellent. Coming away from home, the amount of times this season where we haven’t kept a clean sheet, we’re proud of that.
“Clean sheets keep you in games when you’ve got the quality in attacking areas that we do.”
He added: “We always talk about defending with 11. If we want to press high, we have to be good in duels and also expect long balls. Tonight we did it really well.”
At the other end, Luton’s attacking output continues to improve, with the side that has scored two or more goals in their last six games, in all competitions.
“It comes from structure,” Wilshere said. “The boys are understanding and putting themselves in good positions.
“It’s about getting our attacking players in areas where they can hurt opposition. That comes with hard work on the training pitch and then you need quality to execute, and we’ve got that.”
Luton must now hope to maintain that record in the final two games of the season, and that one of the teams above them slips up to leave the door ajar to the play-offs.
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