Express & Star

Dean Keates: Walsall ready for the mad Hatters

Boss Dean Keates has challenged his players to embrace the hostile atmosphere at Kenilworth Road when Walsall travel to take on Luton tomorrow.

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The Hatters enter the game with the best home record in League One – with Nathan Jones’ side helped on their own turf by a loud and passionate crowd that are close to the pitch.

But in his playing days, Keates thrived on the atmosphere in Bedfordshire. And he wants his players to do the same.

“I played there a few times as a player with Wrexham,” Keates said.

“It was always one those places you wanted to play at.

“It’s that close, it’s that tight, and for me, when I played, I enjoyed that.

“I didn’t mind if people tried to intimidate me, you can use that to bring the best out of you.

“It will be a difficult game. Luton have good variation. They mix the play and try and play through you.

“They came up last year and they want to go up again so it’s going to be a good test.”

Walsall enter the clash unbeaten away from home this season.

But Keates doesn’t feel there is a specific reason results on the road have been better than those at the Banks’s Stadium.

“I think when you are the away team you can play a little more compact, a bit more disciplined and then the home team has to come at you,” the boss continued.

“That’s probably been the case at our place sometimes.

“But overall we have done well. I’m pleased with the way things are going.

“Things could be better, things could be a lot worse.

“I think maybe one or two times things have gone for us a bit more away from home.

“You look at the Shrewsbury game we had at home, how we haven’t won that game I’ve got no idea.

“We had a couple cleared off the line, a few decisions didn’t go our way.

“It just shows, you need that little bit of luck at times.”