Hart praises Cornick after attacker nets winner at Stevenage

Town first team coach Paul Hart was happy with match-winner Harry Cornick's efforts after he scored the only goal in a 1-0 pre-season win at Stevenage on Saturday.

The 25-year-old had been one of Luton’s main creators in their first game, a 9-0 triumph against Berkhamsted, setting up James Collins for his hat-trick, but was in the right place this time to find the bottom corner with just 11 minutes to go.

On the back of a debut Championship campaign that saw Cornick score nine goals, Hart continued: “Harry’s been excellent and if you watch it, the final touch before he shoots is exquisite.

"His pace is frightening, he did really well.

“He's very, very fast and he's improving on the other aspects of his game.

"He works very hard in training, we give him certain things he has to improve on and he does them religiously, so we're very pleased with him.”

Up against a team including former Town captain Scott Cuthbert, Luton struggled to get the breakthrough until late on, as Hart continued: “It was a very tough game against a Stevenage side who are very well organised and on the back of a very tough week as we've been working very hard.

“It was a sound performance, a good win.

"We would have liked to have done a little bit better, but taking everything into consideration against a side who are very well organised, we were pleased to come away with a win.

"They were very difficult to play against and we weren't as fresh as we would have hoped, but we're in the midst of preseason, we're training very hard.”

New signing Jordan Clark had his first taste of life in a Luton shirt, getting through 45 minutes before being replaced at half time.

Hart said: “He’ll feel all the better for that.

"He’s had a little bit of a niggle, which is why he didn't play last Saturday, that's his first outing and we know he will improve a bit, he just needs some games under his belt.”

Keeper James Shea, a second half substitute was also called upon a few times to deny Boro an opener, saving well from Tyrone Marsh and Ben Coker.

Hart said: "I don't think we had a shot to save in the first half, but Sheasy was there, so his level of concentration is what we're looking at in those situations."

Meanwhile, boss Nathan Jones Jones once against utilised the younger players in his squad during the match, starting with Peter Kioso and Corey Panter, while introducing Avan Jones and Sam Beckwith at the break, Jake Peck also getting a run-out.

Hart added: “The kids are getting challenged and they're finding out what the reality of what football life is, it will do them no end of good.

"We were pleased with Pecky today, I thought he did really well.

"They need to know what the step up looks like and they're a league side, they've got that experience, and it stands them in good stead.”