LUTON Town new boy Alex Lawless believes it’s only natural that the Bedfordshire outfit will be gunning for revenge against York City on Saturday.

The two teams will be meeting for the first time since the Minstermen secured a 2-0, two-legged play-off semi-final victory at Kenilworth Road back in May – an encounter marred by ugly crowd scenes at the end of the game.

Lawless, who left for Luton last month, was a member of the victorious visiting team on that Bank Holiday afternoon and expects the 1988 League Cup-winning club will be keen to exorcise that ghost when they host City again in a noon kick-off.

The 25-year-old midfielder will take no part in this weekend’s rematch due to a clause inserted into his loan deal but told The Press: “The lads approach most games in the same manner and are just trying to pick up wins in every match.

“They don’t talk about the past much but, even though there’s been no real talk of revenge missions – I’ve not picked anything up like that and don’t really sense it – if I was one of the players from last season I know I would want to set the record straight and I’m sure it’s in their mind.”

Lawless has mixed feelings about being refused permission to face his former team-mates, having already been ineligible for three of the seven games since his November move due to being cup-tied and seen further fixtures against another old club Forest Green and Wimbledon postponed.

He added: “It’s been a very stop-start time for me and my main focus is to be playing games so it’s a bit inconvenient that I can’t play again.

“Having said that, it would be quite strange playing against the lads I started the season with and I am pleased to see them doing well and getting a good Cup draw at Bolton.”

With only four goals in the four fixtures between the two clubs last season, Welshman Lawless is also predicting another close encounter, saying: “It will be a tight match knowing how Gary Mills puts his teams out and what Luton are like but I think it will be decent for spectators.

“York are good on the counter-attack and so are Luton and, if both teams go for it, it would be very interesting. Anything could happen if the game is open.

“I can’t imagine York will come out all guns blazing though – not many teams do because they know what Luton are capable of and it’s dangerous to do that.”