Chong insists Luton's players have 'no doubt' that misfiring striker will come good during run-in

Attacker Tahith Chong insists that he and Town’s squad will keep looking to set up striker Elijah Adebayo as they have ‘no doubt’ the forward can start firing the goals that will propel Luton towards Championship survival this term.

After scoring double figures in the Premier League last season, the 27-year-old has only managed to find the net five times since the Hatters were relegated back to the Championship, his last coming on December 10, some 19 matches ago. Adebayo is also responsible for the highest number of big chances missed in the division as well, with 27 to his name, eight more than Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor, leaving him with a shot conversion rate of just under 7.5%.

His latest opportunity came against Hull City at the weekend, when he was freed in the area by Jordan Clark’s pass early in the first half and saw his angled drive beat keeper Ivor Pandur, but with his luck out once more, crash against the woodwork, cannoning away off the outside of the post, to ensure his lengthy drought continued.

It’s not just Adebayo who is struggling for goals either, strike partner Carlton Morris now on a run of 14 appearances without scoring, although he too had chances to end that, volleying Liam Walsh’s inviting free kick wide, before thrashing another attempt over the bar in the second period. In the end, it mattered not, Luton securing a 1-0 victory thanks to Alfie Jones’ own goal just 11 seconds into the second period, but Chong was remaining confident Adebayo will come good in the final seven fixtures.

He said: “First half we were a bit unlucky when Eli hit the post and Carlton, but he’s getting himself into those positions. We as a team we’re going to try and keep putting him in those positions as we know Eli’s quality, so we have no doubt that he’s going to find the goal and the same with Carlton. He was unlucky as well with the free kick so you kind of have to keep playing and just hope that the football gods can reward your hard work.”

Adebayo, who has been strongly backed by boss Matt Bloomfield, starting Town’s last four matches, also saw wingback Izzy Jones get behind him as well, with the January signing saying: “I think it’s down to confidence with Eli. He’s a top player and we’re just trying to build everyone’s confidence up again in front of goal as it’s not going for us at the moment. Hopefully we can just work on that a bit more and start taking our chances in games.

“If you're getting in the areas you're doing the right thing, but as a striker you're judged on scoring goals. He's getting in the right positions to take the shots, it’s just putting the ball in the back of the net. He’ll take a scrappy goal to build confidence, any striker would take a tap in, or come off their thigh. So he just needs one to fall his way and the goals will start coming again.”

Although Luton’s forwards are misfiring, at the other end the Hatters have been improving, with a second successive clean sheet when keeping out their relegation rivals at the MKM Stadium. Having only been breached three times in their last six matches on home soil, then with promotion-chasing Leeds United the visitors on Saturday, Chong, who came on for the second 45 minutes in Humberside, adding: “It’s something we’ve been working on, trying to be more solid and just everyone chipping in with that.

"The defenders were all very good, but also the midfielders and the strikers, everyone defending as a team. I think it’s compliments to everyone really, as we’re just trying to be more solid. We know with zeros and ones you always have a chance, so it’s just about doing that and keep doing that, keep improving. There’s still stuff we can improve on and we’ll keep doing that as a group.”