Hatters boss lauds Pigott's '˜unbelievable' character
The 22-year-old had not scored in his previous 10 games for Luton, but was off the mark from close range late in the first half after Josh McQuoid pounced on a howler from keeper Benji Buchel.
Pigott, who had received some criticism from home fans during the 1-0 win over Dagenham & Redbridge in midweek, then netted what proved to be the winner with a stylish finish just prior to the hour mark, and Jones now hopes supporters will now cut him slack.
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Hide AdHe said: “I’ve kept faith in him and he’s responded. The kid has shown some wonderful character, some unbelievable character and I’m proud of him.
“I don’t want to harp on too much about it, but I’ve had Joe and I believed in Joe. A few years ago he scored 44 goals in a season for me (at Charlton), albeit in a development league, but still the technique at whatever level it is, has to be there.
“He’s done well and scored goals wherever he’s gone, Charlton’s first team, he did, when he went to Southend, Southend fans love him because of what he did at Wembley.
“So he hasn’t turned into a bad finisher or a bad player overnight, sometimes it’s confidence, sometimes it’s a little bit of body language and he’s a slouchy one, as I said, he’s an inbetweener at times, but he showed he has real, real quality, real quality.
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Hide Ad“Now we haven’t seen the best of Joe, I kept saying it, but he’s kept plugging away and young players sometimes need that.
“He’s inexperienced, but he has ability and he showed in his finishing as he led the line against a very good Oxford side.
“The second one I thought he should have volleyed it, but he knows better, and when he’s confident, when he gets a run of games, he’s a top finisher, he’s one of the best I’ve worked with. So give the boy a little bit of time.”