Edwards saw Tom Lockyer go off at half-time with the game goalless, his captain having picked up a back injury in the opening minute in West London.

The Wales international was followed onto the sidelines by fellow centre-half Teden Mengi with a knee injury by the 76th minute, with the manager forced into another reshuffle.

“It was a tough day for us,” said Edwards. “Nil-nil at half-time, we’re in the game, and defensively we were good, but with the ball we were off it today. We couldn’t really find our rhythm, and then to lose Locks at half-time was tough for us.

“The timing of that first goal then knocked us as well, and it was a difficult day.

“We lost two centre-backs today, with us already having a few out, and we were very makeshift then for a long period of the second half.

“We kept going. The players kept going. We got a really good goal through Browny, and at that stage then, 2-1, we were back in the game and the third goal, it flattened our comeback then really.

“We kept going and got a goal disallowed through Chongy, which was offside, so we can’t fault the boys with their effort, their commitment, they kept going to the end as they always do, but today we were second best.”

The Hatters now face a big week with Premier League leaders Arsenal visiting Kenilworth Road on Tuesday night, before second-placed Manchester City, the champions, come to town in eight days’ time.

“We look forward to these games, but we’ve just challenged the boys now – we want to get something from the games and we’ll have to be better defensively,” said Edwards.

“The first half today we were good defensively, but in those moments we’ve got to be better than we were today. We’ve got to hope to get a few of our defenders back and on the pitch, because we will be tested in those games, there is no doubt about it.

“But at home, at Kenilworth Road, anything is possible. I know the supporters are going to bring the noise. I know they are going to be looking forward to these games as well. We certainly are.

“We are not going to have any fear, we are going to go into it and try to be brave and to try and get something from the games.

“We will have a plan, clearly. We’ve got to show them respect and I think we’ve done that in the games when we’ve played against Tottenham and Liverpool this season at home. We’ve shown that we can compete with these teams at home, so we are looking to do the same.”