Kevin Nolan felt Northampton 'deserved something' from Luton Town defeat

The underperforming Hatters dominated the first half and the early stages of the second, but Cobblers grew into it and had a couple of good chances before Lamine Fanne scored the decisive goal 13 minutes from time.

The hosts could still have snatched a point after piling on late pressure but Ethan Wheatley’s last-gasp chance was hacked off the line and that confirmed back-to-back 1-0 defeats for Nolan’s men, who drop to 16th in League One.

"I’m disappointed because I felt we deserved something from the game,” said Nolan. “But it came down to the fact we weren’t clinical enough and we didn’t put the ball in the back of the net.

"They had opportunities too, don’t get me wrong, but we had some real clear-cut chances and good ones as well, but I must admit I thought we only really came alive and looked a bit more like our normal selves once we went 1-0 down. It took that moment for us to come to life

"You see Ethan go through at the end and he puts it past the goalkeeper and you’re just waiting for the ball to hit the net but it wasn’t to be. They battled to keep their clean sheet and they got it and you could see the relief on their faces at the end of the game.

"It’s a bitter end to a disappointing week that started so well at Doncaster. I’ve said to the lads just now, I thought we matched Reading in midweek and we matched Luton today but we have lost both games and it’s not good enough.

"I’m very disappointed but we have to take it on the chin and move forward.”