Still impressed by Town’s second half showing

Town had trailed 1-0 going into the break, but dominated large parts of the second period and drew level through substitute Dave Martin’s first goal for the club.

Still said: “I would say in the three games we’ve played, the second half is as close to what I want as I’ve seen.

“But it could be 23 games before it becomes a regular occurrence, as there’s lots and lots of work to be done.”

A poor first half saw murmurs of discontent in the home stands, but Still wasn’t despondent in the slightest by what he had witnessed.

He continued: “I’m not disappointed at all, I’m ready to expect highs and lows.

“To be fair, none of these players other than Alex Wall and the centre half Jake Goodman, none of these players are my players.

“I’ve got to push them into the way of being my players and I expect some downs and some ups.

“Gradually the downs and ups will come together, and I’m not disappointed in anything I’ve seen in three games.

“It’s what I expect, people are learning something different, certain players will have a great future here, some may not because that’s the way football goes.

“It’s important we keep learning, keep working.”

With Town dominating the second half, Still felt it was they who looked like they would go on and notch the winner as he added: “I thought there was three points there to be honest.

“We were slow first half. Was that what I would have expected? Maybe, yes.

“I think there was a little bit of apprehension in the players playing at home, but I said at half time, play like Luton, be bold, be adventurous, use our assets.

“The second half was fantastic and I don’t know how we didn’t win, but we didn’t and it’s just another brick in place.

“The second half we showed we could play with a tempo, and that’s the key for me.”

Hatters struck the woodwork twice in the second half, once through Jonathan Smith’s deflected drive, and then Martin, who almost spectacularly turned through his own goal, but for keeper Mark Tyler’s fingertips and the woodwork.

Still added: “That would have been a crazy goal that would have been fortunate for them and unfortunate for us, but it didn’t go in, so that was good.

“Was it in, wasn’t it in? (for Smith’s effort). Everyone calls for a goal, I couldn’t see from where I was.

“People said it was a goal, great, if it’s not, it’s not. There were a lot of balls in and around their box, opportunities going across their box and we were waiting for the goal and the goal come.

“It shows you what perseverance does. We kept going, we weren’t affected by disappointment, which is another characteristic that the players need.”

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