Fifth versus sixth – that’s the mundane way of putting things. After all, a little bit of expectation management now-and-then isn’t a bad thing. You can manage those expectations all you like, however. There is no escaping the fact that Stevenage are going to be taking part in a high stakes local derby this weekend. You can even claim this will be the most loaded encounter with Luton Town since our Conference days. And, yet, no-one needs reminding that we lost the battle on that occasion – before marching on to win the war.
It is – as we said very clearly at the outset – a fundamental case of fifth versus sixth in League Two. Two points are what keeps us apart in the table, with the Hatters holding those particular aces. If the last six games are your benchmark of choice, however, the picture looks a little more pleasing. Two points, as you know, being all that we have let slip over that time period. Still, Luton hang heavy in the rear view mirror as far as such things are concerned. The Hatters are unbeaten since an inexplicable defeat to Cheltenham on 31 January.
Luton Town v Stevenage: Hatterbox
So, you can’t be wedgin’ so much as a fag paper between us and them – can you? If you don’t think this is a particularly important meeting, here’s the sha-bang. For Luton, a win can put them in the driving seat for the third and final automatic promotion spot – if we take Donny and Plymmy to be foregone conclusions there. For us, a win – first and foremost – lifts us above our neighbours. If you need a second sweetener, Boro’ could end the weekend in full on bitch-slap distance of the automatic promotion spots. Can we get an “OOOH, matron”?
Our chances, then? Well, the Hatters find the net with unnerving regularity – scoring in each of their last 10 fixtures. It’s also rare for Luton to fail to score at that place they call home. That said, a window of opportunity exists in that our happy hosts have let in at least once in 82% of their home digs this term. And when it comes to these windows, POTM Matt Godden is a footballing brick and we’re happy to be smashy smashy about it. Let’s be in no doubt – there will be goals and, as long as we’re on the right side of the count, we’ll be content.
Oddly enough, Boro’ are on a decent run against Luton Town. We’ve won the last two, and drew the one before it. Before that, we lost three on the spin to the Hatters. One of those was at the end of the 2014-5 campaign, when a playoff place was already in our bag. You can argue, therefore, that our team selection wasn’t it’s most conventional. Look, we could make caveats and reasonings for all manner of things and take up a few hundred more words doing so. We’ll spare you that, however. Ultimately, this is shaping up to be one mighty showdown.
Luton Town v Stevenage: Let’s take a look at how those Football Predictions from KickOff are looking…
Luton Town v Stevenage: FIFA 17 Verdict
Just once in the growing record of meetings with Luton is there an instance where one team scored four times – the 2002-3 LDV Trophy. FIFA 17, however, thinks that’s all about to change. To be fair, we had to double check the difficulty settings such was the lack of contest the Hatters put up. Fakinel, we even chalked up our first bicycle kick goal; Bennedy with that particular honour as you can see above. Sure, we left the door ajar late on as we hiked it up to All Out Attack. But hey, when you’re going in for the kill, it’s always gotta be for the thrill.
BoroGuide’s Luton Town club profile – just to make sure you get Hatters in hand…
