UPDATED: Shaw touch-and-go for Stags match as Buckle boasts a near fully-fit squad

The striker has been struggling with a thigh injury, but Luton manager Paul Buckle is hopeful that Stuart Fleetwood (badly bruised foot) and Adam Watkins (illness) will be available for selection.

Cup-tied centre-half Simon Ainge, who missed Tuesday night’s 2-0 FA Cup replay win at Nuneaton Town, and combative midfielder Jonathan Smith, who was ineligible, are also both likely to figure as returning midfielder James Dance is set to miss out as he continues to recover from a long-standing ankle injury.

In fact, only long-term injuries Danny Spiller and Garry Richards are definitely missing as the Hatters boss has a real selection headache ahead of the difficult Stags encounter.

Buckle said: “We’ve done very nicely on Tuesday night so we’ve got good competition now for places, hopefully I’ve got everyone back fit, other than the two long-term injuries hopefully I’ve got everyone back to choose from.

“Stuart had a whack on the foot which bruised up quite badly so he wasn’t able to travel.

“And obviously we had Adam Watkins who’s been ill all week, but I’m hopeful that Stuart is back, he’s trained today and that’s a good sign, a very good sign he’s not pulled out. Jon maybe touch-and-go.”

Loan men Ainge and Smith also look set to go straight back into the team as Buckle targets naming a regular starting XI.

He continued: “I’m glad we’ve got people like Ainge back, Smith’s another strong player for us and hopefully if I get Jon Shaw and Fleets back as well we should have a really strong bench as well as a strong XI to start.”

And Buckle revealed he is much more inclined to name out-and-out defenders at the back for away games as the onus is more on the home teams to attack, whereas at Kenilworth Road where he has often selected more attack-minded players like Jake Howells and Alex Lawless at full-back.

He said: “I think one of the problems has been this season is that away from home maybe I like to go for a back four all six foot for example.

“So if I have Ainge and Kovacs available to me with Ronnie (Henry) and (Lathaniel) Rowe-Turner for example away from home it can work very well.

“Because the onus is on the opposition to come and break you down. And we can be solid and break on them, whereas at home it’s different.

“People like Ronnie and Rowe-Turner they get a lot of the ball at home, so this is why I’ve chosen to play Howells at home in games in attacking positions, that’s why we’re seeing Lawless.

“The amount of times you’ve seen us change at home to it and it’s worked.

“Last week by playing Howells and Lawless we lost the game and of course then you are going to be scrutinised on the team selection.

“But it was nothing to do with that, it was two free-kicks into our box.

“Whereas the other night by and large, OK there was one that hit the post, we defended it.

“You’ve got to be very careful that you don’t get bogged down with systems and make excuses.

“I won’t make excuses, but what I will say is we need to be watertight from set-plays no matter what XI takes to the field, the players know now they’ve got a responsibility.

“It’s not just about passing the ball and looking good. If a free-kick is given there’s nothing you can do about that free-kick, it’s going to come into your box,

“What you can do is get back in quickly which we didn’t do in the last home game. Get back in, be aggressive, clear your lines, get your foot or your head on the ball.

“Now we done that for a long spell up until that game against Dartford and you saw it creep back. I don’t want that creeping back in.

“But at the same time I have to get a balance between having enough of them warrior-type players on the field and enough players who can open and unlock doors.

“Because at home especially teams look to frustrate us.”

Recovering midfielder Dance is available again after his long-standing ankle injury, but Buckle wants him to build up his fitness before he is back challenging.

He said: “It’s just fitness levels now with James. I’m talking about his lungs now and his lung capacity to last a game.

“He’s looking better and better every training session, including today.

“He’s moving a lot more freely now with the foot, because it was a real worry.

“I’ve got to tell you, a few weeks back he was struggling, badly, and I was worried for the lad.

“Now, he’s really kicked on, and Simon (Parsell) should take a lot of credit for that, he’s worked hard with the boy our physio, and the lad himself.

“You need both, you need a good physio and a really mentally strong player to get back from the type of injury that James has had.

“So he’s look very good, he probably won’t figure this weekend and we need to get some games into him. But he’s someone I’m looking forward to having back.”

More news on fellow long-term achilles casualty Danny Spiller was also expected this afternoon, as Buckle continued: “Obviously it’s been a major disappointment for the lad and for us that he’s struggling to get back from the injury.

“I’m actually having a meeting today to have a chat to see where we’re at with that right now.”

Injured centre-half Garry Richard though will not be back until next year, as Buckle added: “He’s not going to be back until the new year. Competition for places now will be high if we can get everyone back on the pitch.”