LOCKYER: NO MADNESS AT THE HATTERS

TOM LOCKYER is certain Luton will not get carried away with a promotion drive that keeps rolling.

A first-half header from Elijah Adebayo (above) was the only goal at Kenilworth Road, but the Hatters had to weather a strong second-half fightback by Hull.

Under Nathan Jones, Luton have lost only once in their last 10 matches and are fifth in the table, but Wales defender Lockyer said: “We’re keeping our feet on the ground. I don’t want to put a dampener on it, but there are seven teams on 21 points and we are the ones with the best goal difference, so we’re not going to get carried away.

“When I came here, I never really thought about league positions. What really sold it for me were the aspirations of the manager and what he wanted to build.”

Lockyer is grateful for such a good season after being badly hit by Covid in the summer and missing a big chunk of pre-season training. “I couldn’t move, I couldn’t do anything I was so fatigued,” he said. “I had a spin bike in my house and I was looking at it, feeling disgusted, thinking, ‘I can’t even get on it’.

“It affects everyone differently. Some people have coughs, with me it was massive fatigue. I’d get out of bed and want to get back in it again. I was determined not to let it affect me too much because it is a really good squad here and if you fall behind you are going to be left behind.”

While Luton have hit form, Hull have lost three in a week. But skipper Richard Smallwood said the squad still had belief.

“I don’t think there’s been a game this season where we’ve gone down crumbling,” he said. “We’re in every single game creating chances, so there are positives.

“We’re conceding early and that puts more pressure on the players. We’re under no illusions we need to change our fortunes pretty quickly if we’re going to move up the table.”