Luton v Shrewsbury preview: Ryan Haynes wants to see some Town home truths

Boss John Askey is looking for a three-point haul at the fifth time of asking tomorrow when he takes his side to Kenilworth Road, home of Luton Town.

Left-back Haynes, signed from Coventry in the summer, has caught the eye in his run in Askey’s team and believes Town need to rally together – even if it takes some home truths – in order to come out fighting.

“We know there’s only so may times you can say ‘we need to come together and start winning’. We need to start looking at ourselves and getting around each other,” said the 22-year-old.

“Sometimes be not so nice, sometimes tell someone if they’re doing something not good. It’ll come together.

“You’ve got to have patience. There’s no use getting all down, like ‘ah we’re losing again’. We need to have high spirits and get around each other.”

Haynes believes Askey’s men do feel pressure from all quarters as they go about getting their season properly up and running.

The Hatters breathed life into their return to League One with a first win of their own this season on Tuesday at home to Southend.

That followed a slow start to the campaign that saw Nathan Jones’ men pick up just one draw – a creditable 1-1 with Sunderland – from their opening four league and cups outings.

But Luton, who were playing in the National League as recently as 2014, have got the monkey off their backs with a first win – something Askey’s new-look squad crave for themselves.

Haynes added: “It is early days. It’s not going to be perfect, we’ve got a long way to come.

“But we need to start winning games. There’s going to be an element of pressure on it from everyone, even the fans, because they want to see a win and not going home every night saying ‘we’ve lost again’.

“There’s is an element of pressure but we’ve got to deal with that and take it in our stride and do the best we can.”

Boss Askey has been in a similar position before. He went to Kenilworth Road as manager of Macclesfield on the second weekend of the Conference, as it was then known, season in 2013/14.

It was his third game in charge having been handed the job permanently that summer.

He picked up a creditable point (the Hatters won the league with 101 points that year) but it came amid a slog of nine games without a win at the start of the season.

That trend was finally bucked on September, 21 against Woking. The Silkmen went on to win nine of the next 12, scoring 32 and losing once.

He said of that period: “You just felt it was coming. Me saying it and it happening is a different thing, but eventually it turned and we ended up having a really good season, as we did most seasons.

“It is difficult until it happens. Human nature is to criticise, it’s a natural thing and I think it’s worse now.

“But as a manager you do understand it.”

If people have a look at what’s gone on at the football club and how we’re playing at the moment then they’d probably understand.

“But at the end of the day it is a results business and you have got to get the results.

“How many games in are we? Four, hopefully come Christmas this’ll be forgotten and everybody’s looking at the top end of the table.

When asked if his legendary status was enough to keep the fans onside?, Askey said: “No no, not at all.

“I was getting all sorts of abuse, as you can imagine when you’ve not won for nine games, even though the performances, again, were good.”

Pie and a pint

The English Rose and Bricklayers Arms pubs are both located near the train station and a 20-minute walk from the ground. A pie is £3.50.

Memory lane

Eventual League Two play-off finalists Town lost 3-1 away in February 2009. Ben Davies’ first-half equaliser not enough as Luton hit two more.

Shrewsbury key man

Shaun Whalley

Joined from Luton in 2015 so hosts should know about his trickery. Will want to catch the eye against his old side.

Luton dangerman

Danny Hylton

An experienced frontman worth his weight in gold as he knows how to put the ball in the back of the net. The 29-year-old has 135 goals in all competitions across a prolific career. He has shone at League Two level with Aldershot, Oxford and Luton but never had a true crack at League One until this season.

Predicted teams

Shrewsbury (4-3-3): Coleman; Bolton, Sadler (c), Waterfall, Haynes; Grant, Docherty, Laurent; Whalley, John-Lewis, Gilliead.

Subs: Beckles, Norburn, Barnett, Okenabirhie, Amadi-Holloway, Angol, Arnold (gk).

Luton (4-4-2): Shea; Stacey, Bradley, Pearson, Potts; Rea, Ruddock, Grant, Shinnie; Hylton, Lee.