‘Incredible’ Burke hailed by Town team-mate after replacing Lockyer early on during Sky Blues win

​​Town defender Gabe Osho didn’t hold back in his praise for team-mate Reece Burke after the centre half came off the bench inside the opening 10 minutes of Luton’s Championship play-off final win over Coventry last month.

Named on the bench at Wembley, the circumstances that saw the ex-West Ham centre half introduced weren’t what anyone would have wanted, Welsh international Tom Lockyer stretchered off after collapsing on the field.

With a game to win though and a place in the Premier League at stake, the Town XI had to put their undoubted concerns for their team-mate to one side and get back to the job in hand, which they did.

Having played just 47 minutes of football since April 15, Burke came on and produced a terrific display in helping to keep Sky Blues’ hot-shot Viktor Gyokeres quiet, as despite his own injury worries this term, was still looking fresh in the closing stages of extra time, as Town eventually won 6-5 on penalties.

It earned him a glowing review from boss Rob Edwards in his post match press conference, as Osho also said: “I’ve said to Burkey about a hundred times since the game, I thought he was incredible, especially coming on as a defender.

"Coming on as a defender is one thing in a normal game, but to come in in a final like that after being out injured for quite a long time as well is incredible.

"He looked so strong and so fit.

"I don’t know how you prepare for it mentally, going into a game of that stature where you’re not going to be in the starting 11, so to come on that early in the game and play as well as he did, just full credit to him, he was incredible.”

The early switch meant that Osho moved from the right of the back three to the central berth, but it was a position he felt entirely comfortable in, continuing: “I’ve played there before, I don’t mind playing there, I don’t mind playing in any of the back three positions.

"It wasn’t really that much of a big one.

"I like to play alongside Amari’i (Bell), I’ve played alongside Amari’i before, so I just kind of slotted in and it was okay.”

Like most, Osho didn’t actually know what had happened to Lockyer at the time, but is relieved to hear the talismanic defender is now okay and looking to return to training when the players report back.

He added: “The thing with Locks happened and that was crazy.

"When I turned around and saw him on the floor, my initial thought was the striker had elbowed him.

"The physio was like ‘no’, and I was like ‘oh gosh.’

"I saw the doctor run on and it was scary.

"It’s the first time I’ve been on the pitch where anything like that has happened, so at the time, I don’t think I took in the severity or seriousness of what had actually occurred, especially because of the atmosphere and everything.

"I didn’t see it, so it was hard for me to take it in until we got in at half time and the gaffer let us know that he’s gone to hospital.

“After the game, everyone starts realising what it was that happened, but at the time, during the game, everyone was just kind of thinking about getting back to playing.

"Thank god he’s okay now and he’ll be back for the start of pre-season I believe.”