Collins classic gives Hatters some hope
LUTON’S gamble to reappoint Nathan Jones as manager could yet see them pull off a miracle escape.
Jones’ Hatters grabbed three points thanks to a smart header from striker James Collins.
The victory lifted them off the bottom of the table and four points from his two games back in charge suggest re-employing the boss who quit to join Stoke may prove an inspired move.
Jones said: “We had belief we could stay up before we came into this game but we have to instill it with results. ”
But this result was a real blow for Swansea.
Not only did they only manage three attempts on target, they had winger Jordon Garrick sent off in the 83rd minute for a punch during a huge melee.
Then Steve Cooper’s stunned troops would have heard that rivals Cardiff City had won at Preston to open a four-point gap between the play-offs spots and the Swans.
Luton were the better side for most of the match even though they failed to get a goal to cap their first-half dominance and then had to defend with discipline for most of the second.
But they earned their reward with a superbly taken goal by Collins in the 72nd minute – his 13th of the season.
Sub Izzy Brown whipped over a cross and Collins floored Swans centre-back Ben Cabango with the power of his leap to beat Freddie Woodman with a header.
Cooper said: “I didn’t like our attitude.
“We were waiting for the person next to us to get the job done, rather than doing it ourselves.
“Jordon has done something that is a clear red. I have no arguments.”