Hatters wary of Darlo as ex-striker may look to prove a point

The northerners may be mired in the relegation zone and five points away from safety after they were hit with a 10-point penalty for going into administration earlier in the season, but Town boss Gary Brabin is wary of the galvanising and unifying effect that could have.

He said: “We certainly won’t be taking them lightly. We’ve got to keep doing the right things. If we go there half-hearted, thinking we’ve just got to turn up to get the win, we will be in for a tough time.

“But if we go there fully focused and give them the respect they deserve I’m confident we can go here and get the right result.”

Brabin has plenty of respect for Darlo boss Craig Liddle and believes they still have enough reserves to cause the Hatters a headache on the night.

Brabin said: “He has been at the club for a while. I know Lids, he works hard. It’s been frustrating for him at times but I think he’s managed to keep hold of some of his better players.

“He’s had a big input on the lads coming through the club as well and he’s blooded a few of them that have done well for him.

“I think they’ve been able to bring a couple of experienced ones out of contract in, Drewe Broughton and (Neil) Wainwright an ex-player there, and they’ve come in to help out. I think they’ve certainly go enough in there to make a game of it.”

Having missed out on a deal with the Hatters after trialling in pre-season Broughton may well be out to prove a point.

Speaking yesterday, Brabin added: “I know the type of player Drewe is anyway, wholehearted and honest. I’m sure he will certainly be up for the game as they all will. I know it will be no pushover.

“They’ve got some decent players. I think a lot of the times you see these problems off the field it sort of galvanises teams and they club together and they pull through.

“I know they haven’t won in the last 10 games. But they haven’t had any hammerings, they’ve all been close encounters. They will certainly look forward to this one.

“I think we’ve just got to focus on ourselves and see what squad we can assemble after today, and I’m more than confident we can got there with the right attitude and get the right result.”