O'Connor: Set-pieces cost us promotion

The 28-year-old could only watch from the bench as opponents York City turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 advantage as Ashley Chambers was left unmarked to smash home from a free-kick, before an offside Matty Blair poked home after a long throw.

O'Connor said: “We said at times we've got to tackle the long throws and set-pieces as that could be the difference.

“Everyone knew their jobs and knew what men they had, but unfortunately its cost us and two set-pieces have seen us getting promoted or not.”

Although TV replays have proved that the unmarked Blair was quite clearly ahead of the play when he netted, O'Connor felt Luton paid the price for not sticking with their men.

Midfielder Keith Keane has since accepted the blame as O'Connor continued: “One of the player's apologised, held his hands up and said the marking wasn't the best.

“The boy let his man get away from him. He said he was offside, but you shouldn't rely on offside, you've got a job to do and if you do your job, you don't give a goal away.

“He's accepted it, but we're in it together.”

Town had enjoyed a glorious start, taking the lead in the opening moments through Andre Gray's seventh goal of the season.

Hatters looked to have the measure of York, but slowly the Minstermen wrested the initiative back and on balance of play, were the better side on the day.

O'Connor said: “If you ask anyone, they would say score in the first minute and settle everyone's nerves and then hopefully you can build from there.

“But after the first couple of minutes, we stopped doing what got us the goal, the good play, then invited them to us and they became the better team."

For O'Connor, it was his first taste of action since the 0-0 draw at Alfreton Town on April 14 due to a back injury.

When he replaced Craig McAllister with 20 minutes left, he was a real livewire, causing plenty of problems, but couldn't quite grab the all-important second goal.

He said: “I've been injured for a couple of weeks, but I've trained fully for the last week, week and half.

“Once we knew we made the final, it was a clean slate for everyone in training and a chance to push for a place in the starting line-up or on the bench.

“The gaffer was happy with what he saw in training, and gave me a name in the 16. When I came on there was 20 minutes left and I thought we'd create a couple of chances and hopefully take one.

“The gaffer just said go on and do what you do in training. I was lively, tried to get the ball and get behind them.

“I thought me and Andre (Gray) caused them some problems, then we threw Janos (Kovacs) up there and tried to get the ball from him to nick a goal.

“There was a couple of half chances, Macca (Craig McAllister) at the back stick, I fancied him there, but it was a good header away. John Paul (Kissock) as well. He got a header in but blocked, it just wasn't to be.”

O'Connor still has another year left on his deal now and is expecting Town to mount a serious title challenge next season.

He added: “Paul Buckle has come in and done a really good job. He's only been in six or seven games but I think you can already see in the mentality and how harder we are to beat.

“Now he's got a pre-season to work with everyone, get the players in that he wants, work with the squad that he wants and get the style of football that he believes in.

“I think it will be positive and we can be optimistic about next year.”