Bowyer demanding even more from his Pool players

The Seasiders were under-par last weekend despite extending their unbeaten run to nine games by seeing off Hartlepool United 2-1 in a hard-fought game at Bloomfield Road.

Despite Bowyer’s men clinching their third win on the bounce, the Pool boss knows his side will have to play a lot better to take home the three points against the Hatters - who sit just one place below them in the League Two table.

He said: “We’re looking to get back to the performance levels we showed prior to the Hartlepool game.

“But we can’t take anything away from the outcome we achieved because the players found a way to win and now they’ve got momentum in doing that.

“We know it’s going to be a nice pitch at Luton and we know they like to play football as well so it should be a good match.

“We never play for a draw. How do you play for a draw? You’ve just got to go and play the best you can possibly play.”

The Hatters have dropped out of contention for a top three spot in recent weeks after winning just one of their last eight games.

They have drawn three of their last five games, losing the other two - leaving them in sixth and behind Blackpool only on goal difference.

The significance of this afternoon’s game isn’t lost on Bowyer, but the Pool boss is adamant it’s just another game and his players can’t get too carried away with the two side’s respective league positions.

“Every game that we play in this league is a tough game,” he added.

“Luton came and beat us at Bloomfield Road (2-0) and they were good on the day.

“But we’ve got to try and focus on us being as good as we possibly can at their place, it’s as simple as that.

“There are no easy games in this league and if you look at the league, there are so many changes in terms of positions and teams being in the play-offs and then not being in the play-offs and teams coming with late runs.

“There is a hell of a lot more football left to play in these seven remaining games and there will be twists and turns all the way.

“The only time your league position is relevant is that last game of the season when the final whistle blows, because that’s when it matters.”