Stoke 1 Luton 2: Victory ‘as good as it gets’ for Jones as Hatters end Stoke hoodoo – Report and reaction

Nathan Jones said victory over his old club was “as good as it gets” as Danny Hylton and Cameron Jerome netted at the Bet365 Stadium to end a long 22-year wait to see off Stoke City. 

Lewis Baker’s late consultation was the only downside, as Town put away a Potters side that had previously proved something of a bogey side, even just in Jones’ second spell with the Hatters.

His men hadn’t even scored against City since Jones returned to Kenilworth Road after his unsuccessful 11 months at Stoke. 

But that ended when Hylton, deployed as a makeshift midfielder, found the net after a goalless first half and then Jerome came off the bench against his old club to tap in. 

“(It’s) as good as it gets,” said Jones of his side’s evening, adding: “(We were) Aggressive, front-footed, showed quality, scored at the right time and could’ve had more. We switched off at a corner right at the end, but we limited a good Stoke side to very little. 

“I’m really proud tonight, not just because it’s my old club, but because of the performance level, which was very high tonight and I’m super proud of that.”

It was the Welshman’s first return to his old employers with supporters in the stadium, after last term’s Covid-enforced empty stadia campaign.

After winning just six of his 38 matches at Stoke, Jones knows all too well how the Bet365 Stadium atmosphere can turn and he told the BBC: “At half time, I felt the crowd had gone. I felt the crowd had turned and then, coming out in the second half, I knew that if we started fast then that would only be to their detriment. 

“And we did start fast. We penned them In, they couldn’t get out and we were right up against them. Good players, we didn’t give them any time, because if you do give Joe Allen and Nick Powell time then they’ll hurt you. Tyrese Campbell will hurt you.

“But they didn’t. We were right in their faces and we did take control of the second half. Without being disrespectful, we should’ve had more.”