Collins relieved to be back after Cambridge red
The 27-year-old had been shown a red card during the 1-1 draw at Cambridge United the previous Saturday for two bookings which meant he missed the 2-1 defeat to Accrington on Saturday.
One had been for handball when trying to score and the other for dissent after Luton felt a corner awarded against them should have been a goal kick, as an apologetic Collins said: “The gaffer showed great faith in me, putting me straight back in.
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Hide Ad"What I did was Cambridge was silly, I’ve obviously paid for it with my ban.
“It definitely wasn’t the wisest thing I’ve ever done, but in my opinion, I didn’t say anything to him that warranted the sending off, but he thought different, so we move on.”
Collins powered home a header from Luke Gambin’s pinpoint cross with just two minutes go though, as he had been celebrating a few minutes earlier, heading in Alan Sheehan's free kick, only to see it chalked off by the linesman’s flag.
He continued: “I didn’t think at the time I was offside, but I’ve seen it in there and I’m a fraction offside, so at the end of the day it’s the right call.
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Hide Ad“I’m just gutted it wasn’t the equaliser as I thought that as the chance, but luckily I got another and that did count.
“It’s marginal, the lad has got hold of my shirt, so thought I was in line with him, but the lineo made a good call.
“I just said to myself, 'keep going, you’ll get another chance and it will come', I managed to get another one and was delighted to put that away.
“It was a great ball from Gambo. Me and Hylts (Danny Hylton) always say to the wingers, 'just put a bit of quality in the box for us and we'll get on the end of it'.
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Hide Ad"He’s stood a great one up at the back stick and I'm delighted to be on the end of it."
On the disallowed goal, skipper Scott Cuthbert, also on target from a Sheehan deadball delivery that did count early in the second half, said: “I didn’t think it was offside, I’ve not seen it back, but I was the back man and he looked onside for me.
"I think it was very, very close, but when these things happen it kind of galvanises you a little bit.
"It gives you something to fight for like a little injustice you think at the time and Collo’s got a great header to draw the game so I'm delighted for him.
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Hide AdBoss Nathan Jones added: “We saw it and it’s real touch and go. We’ve had three or four those this year when the ref has got it wrong, but the referee was magnificent.
"They put a good ref in charge of this game, because it was an important game, two big teams, big clubs and I thought the officiating was fantastic.
“It’s tight, it’s gone against us, but lets not argue about what didn't happen, as we showed a real big character point there."