JONES BANKING ON LUTON WIN BONUS

But final-day survival mattered more

NATHAN JONES has played down the importance of Luton’s decisive clash with Reading, insisting their final day two years ago mattered far more.

The Welshman kept Luton in the Championship when they beat Blackburn in 2020.

He can now put them in the play-offs for a place in the Premier League simply by beating the Royals today.

Jones said: “That Blackburn match was much bigger than the Reading game. If we had gone down, there would have been fear at the club.

“When you’re trying to go up, there’s optimism and that catapults us to a different level. We’re still on a really good journey even if we don’t go up.

“But if we had been relegated it could have been catastrophic in a lot of ways. We had to secure our status.

“The Reading game is important, but if we had gone down, this game would never have happened.

“We would have needed to come back up, then we would have needed to

get to this position in that first season back in the Championship.

“The possibility would have been there but the probability wouldn’t. It was so important to stay up.”

Jones, below, remains confident of securing a top-six spot, despite Monday’s 7-0 mauling at Fulham and an outrageous injury crisis.

Luton lost key men Elijah Adebayo and Allan Campbell before the Craven Cottage clash. Then Fred Onyedinma pulled up in the first half to push the injury list into double figures, but Jones said: “We have to play our strongest side now, it’s the game that matters.

“We need to get the right result so we’re not relying on other people.

“We’ve lacked the depth in certain areas, but somehow they’ve got results and we need to continue doing that.

“There are four teams for two spots.All those sides are playing teams theoretically with nothing to play for. In theory they should be on holiday.

“There are no easy games in the Championship. You can stick ‘theoretically’. This is the last game of the season in the Championship in England.

“We are very happy and in a decent place. If we win, no matter what happens elsewhere, that’s us.

“The fans can help us. If they get edgy, that can filter through to the players.All we need to do is win a football game.

“With our full team and when we’re at it, no team relishes playing us.”

Jones has backed on-loan goalkeeper Matt Ingram to bounce back after conceding seven on his debut.

And the Luton boss is adamant it was no mistake bringing him in with Harry Isted, the only other fit keeper in his squad.

Jones said: “There was no decision to make. Either I went into Luton’s biggest games in 30 years with one keeper or bring in one. If

Harry got injured, I would’ve had [midfielder]

Henri Lansbury in goal!”