Hatters attacker Mendes Gomes hopes patience pays off as he waits for his opportunity at Kenilworth Road

Luton attacker Carlos Mendes Gomes is hoping that his patience pays off with the Hatters as he looks to break into the first team during the second half of the season.

The 23-year-old is already well versed in doing things the hard way, having been at Spanish giants Atletico Madrid as a youngster before moving to England and then plying his trade in the 10th tier before a switch to Morecambe.

A superb campaign in which he scored 16 goals for the Shrimps, including the winner at Wembley in the League Two play-off final, saw the Hatters make their move in the summer, paying an undisclosed fee for the exciting forward.

However, Mendes Gomes hasn’t featured as much as he would have liked in his debut season at Kenilworth Road, with just seven league outings, and only two from the start, the last at Blackpool in December.

He has begun both FA Cup matches though, netting his first goal for the club in the 3-0 win at Cambridge United on Saturday with a clinical finish.

Mendes Gomes was aware he wouldn’t be able to just walk into the side at Luton though and is prepared to keep putting the work in to get his opportunity though, saying: “I know that it hasn’t been easy, and I knew that it wouldn’t be easy.

“My journey hasn’t been easy so far, but it’s about improving as a player, it’s about learning and making the next step.

“I believe I’m being patient to go in the right direction.

“As a player you always want to play everything, but sometimes you need to be patient and wait for your opportunity and be ready.

“The team is doing really well, I’m learning a lot and improving.

“I would like to be more on the pitch, but I’m trying to take that as well as possible.

“I know that it’s not easy for anyone to miss out, but I will carry on working hard and hopefully we get the play-off spots. I want to gain the manager’s trust and be patient and whenever you step on the pitch just show what you can do.

“League Two is more aggressive, more physical, the Championship everyone has quality, the tempo’s high, so I would probably say that’s the two major differences.

"But it's about being on the pitch, it doesn’t matter what position it is, it’s trying to do as best as I can and try to do my best."

Despite not being involved as much on the pitch as he would have liked, Mendes Gomes does feel he has already got better as a player during his time with the Hatters.

He continued: “The facilities have helped me a lot, the staff, the coaching and everything that we get is top class.

“So as a player it’s really hard not to improve.”

Along with Mendes Gomes, Admiral Muskwe was on the scoresheet at the weekend, netting his first goal since August, as boss Nathan Jones knows it has been hard for the pair this term.

He said: “Carlos has been unlucky as when he has had game time he’s done very, very well.

"Ade’s needed that too as he’s just not got rhythm at the minute because of injury and Covid, he joined us late and then went away to the AFCON too, so it’s really good for him.”

Having enjoyed a wonderful experience in the play-offs last term, Mendes Gomes wants to relive that feeling again with Luton, adding: “Last year was special, but it’s about having a squad that believes in themselves.

“It’s 11 v 11 on the pitch and I believe we have the heart and desire to get in the play-off spot and hopefully we do that.”