Former Luton Town midfielder Peter Holmes has tipped his old club to beat moneybags Crawley Town to the Blue Square Bet title having played both of the bookmakers’ favourites over the Bank Holiday weekend for current side Hayes & Yeading.
The part timers lost 3-0 to Steve Evans’ men before frustrating the Hatters on Monday in a 1-1 draw.
But Holmes, who made 105 appearances for the Kenilworth Road club between 2000 and 2007, thinks that the Red Devils may suffer as other teams have started to view them as a ‘big scalp’, as they do Town.
He also issued a word of warning, saying other clubs know that if they can frustrate Luton’s home crowd – as Hayes did – opposition sides can win an important mental battle.
“I’ve heard stories about teams coming here and parking the bus, but we certainly didn’t do that,”
Holmes said after Hayes earned a point only five months after getting thrashed 8- 0 at Town’s ground.
“Luton know that is what teams come here and do. They are a big club and a big scalp.
“I was lucky enough to play here last year with Ebbsfleet, and though we went down, we won 3-2. It was one of those games, that if you get ahead then the fans can turn.
“They are entitled to their opinion, and that’s what you get when you play for a high profile club like Luton.
They demand success and deserve to be higher than what they are.
“They’ve got to earn that right and I’m sure they’ll be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.
“Teams come here and frustrate the crowd, and it can sometimes work in the opposition’s favour.”
As far as challengers to his old team’s title aspirations, Holmes – who still lives in Luton – is sure Crawley will be battling it out for the title.
“From what I’ve seen of Crawley, yes, they are a strong team with experienced players. That’s what you get for paying that amount of money for those sorts of players.
"I’ll side with Luton. Put them together and I think Luton could pip them, but it’s not just one game, you’ve got to do it over 46.
“I think Crawley might find that teams come and see them as a big scalp. We certainly looked at it that way on Saturday.
“Luton know that teams are going to come to their place and try to stop them doing what they’re good at.
“Crawley may not be used to that. No disrespect to Crawley but Luton have got a bit of a past.
“If Crawley are wanting to go places, then they are going to end up being that way. People will see them as a big scalp. That’s what can happen in this league. Sometimes the smaller teams will get tonked and it will be plain sailing.
“At other times it’s not going to be so straight forward.
“As soon as the crowd start getting a bit edgy, then the team does. “I think that’s when the smaller teams capitalise on it.”
