Mick Harford: What Portsmouth, Sunderland or Barnsley do is not a consideration for hard-working Luton

Mick Harford lauded his Luton as the hardest working team he’s seen after they set a new club record with the 2-1 win at Fleetwood – and he is not concerned whether League One promotion rivals are faltering or not.
Luton have extended their gap over third-placed Pompey in the League One promotion race. Picture: Joe PeplerLuton have extended their gap over third-placed Pompey in the League One promotion race. Picture: Joe Pepler
Luton have extended their gap over third-placed Pompey in the League One promotion race. Picture: Joe Pepler

The Hatters have now forged a club best of 20 league games unbeaten to extend their advantage over Pompey in third and Sunderland in fourth.

George Moncur's 25-yard free-kick put the League One leaders ahead just before the break, with Pelly Ruddock doubling the lead early in the second half.

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Paddy Madden scored a consolation for the home side in stoppage time.

The Hatters’ run sees Harford’s men beat the previous best set twice in successive years during 1968 and 1969.

He praised his players as the hardest working team he’s seen but refused to be drawn on the recent struggles of Pompey and Sunderland to get wins.

‘It was a monumental physical effort. I've never seen a team work so hard in terms of the way they closed down and they way they stopped them playing forward,’ Harford said.

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‘They stopped Fleetwood playing. The effort and commitment was amazing. 

‘If teams (other promotion rivals) lose and teams draw that's not our business. All we can do is come to places like this and concentrate on ourselves.

‘We have got to get a certain amount of wins and a certain amount of points then we look after ourselves.’

Second-placed Barnsley remain six points behind, having played a match less, after they beat Wycombe 2-1 at Oakwell – where there was a lengthy spell of stoppage time following injury to Chairboys midfielder Luke Bolton.

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Cauley Woodrow put the hosts in front with a penalty on 13 minutes, and grabbed his second just after the hour.

Shortly before that goal there had been an extended delay when Bolton needed treatment from both medical teams and was eventually substituted, which resulted in almost 13 minutes of action-packed additional time being played.

Wycombe defender Adam El-Abd was shown a late red card for violent conduct following an off-the-ball incident with Cameron McGeehan.

Joe Jacobson then pulled a goal back for Wycombe from the penalty spot, but there was to be no more drama before the full-time whistle eventually blew.

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Blackpool put their off-field problems behind them as they battled to a goalless draw at fifth-placed Charlton.

Owen Oyston’s 31-year reign at Blackpool was ended in the High Court of Justice on Wednesday when a judge appointed receivers to take control of the club.

Coventry beat Walsall 3-0 at the Ricoh Arena.

Amadou Bakayoko and Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila scored against their former club, both goals coming in the space of six first-half minutes. Bright Enobakhare added a late third from the penalty spot.

Gillingham ended a four-match winless run with a 1-0 home win over Scunthorpe.

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Mark Byrne's goal on the half-hour proved enough for all three points to lift the Gills out of the relegation zone

Ivan Toney scored a late goal as play-off chasing Peterborough won 1-0 at Oxford, who drop back into the bottom four.

Relegation battlers Shrewsbury were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Burton.

Tyrese Campbell gave the Shrews an early lead, but David Templeton headed in a swift equaliser on 11 minutes.

Second-bottom Bradford played out a goalless draw at home against Plymouth.

Meanwhile on Friday night Sunderland were held 2-2 at home by Accrington.