Nathan Jones says Joe Rothwell’s pre-match claim that Rovers should ‘expect to beat’ Luton was something his dressing room used as motivation.

In an interview prior to the game with the club website, Rothwell said: “No disrespect to Luton at all here, but they’re a team that we expect to beat.”

Tony Mowbray was complimentary of the opposition ahead of the game, stating that Luton, who are three points better off than Rovers, had progressed from the side that narrowly beat the drop last season.

Jones had too returned the favour by saying he expects Rovers to be top six challengers this season.

But after the sides played out a 1-1 draw at Kenilworth Road, a ground where Rovers haven’t won in 20 league visitors, Jones was asked about Rothwell’s comment and said it was something that his side has discussed.

He told Luton Today: “Yeah, we’ve seen that.

"There’s probably a lot with that mentality, it’s an idiotic comment.

“If he was my player there would’ve been a lot I would’ve done because you don’t give teams motivation like that.

“He might expect to beat us, but expecting and doing it is two different things.

“If I’m honest, if people want to comment about us then good, because it just means they underestimate us.

"If we get underestimated then it’s a great advantage for us, but we’re in a good place.

“We don’t worry about anything anyone says about us.

"So anyone that wants to try and pierce that, come and try.”

Goalscorer Luke Berry also weighed in as Luton made it three games unbeaten against Rovers since their promotion from League One.

“It’s something that motivates us as a team and as a club,” he added.

"I feel that we deserve to be here, we’re in a good position in the league and it’s something that we thrive on really.

"We deserve to be in this league, we’re pushing up this league, so he can say what he wants.”