Lockyer thrilled 'stop-start' time appears to be over at Luton as he hits top form

Defender Tom Lockyer believes he is finally starting to show his best for Luton after getting the momentum he was craving at Kenilworth Road.

The 27-year-old joined in the summer of 2020 and found himself in out of the team during his first season in Bedfordshire, with a top run of 15 games in a row until injury ended his campaign prematurely.

That was then down to just nine matches last term, as the frustrated centre back suffered with injury and missing out on selection, but this year, things have started to turn.

Despite not beginning the campaign in the team, and fearing the worst for his chances after Town were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Newport County, the Welsh international was thrust back into the side for trip to Swansea City in August.

Impressing on the way to a 2-0 win, Lockyer began the next four fixtures, as after being questionably dropped for the 2-2 draw against Coventry, he was immediately restored to the starting line-up for the following game with Blackburn Rovers, a 2-0 triumph.

He has remained an integral part of the Hatters’ defence for the last seven matches, Luton keeping four clean sheets in that time, as on his form and finally playing regularly, he said: “It’s great to have a run of games.

"I feel like my time at Luton has been really stop-start, is probably how I’d describe it up until this season.

"To get a run of games has been good, it means I can find my form, as its been really hard before, in for a few, out for a few, I can’t really get any momentum going.

"I feel like I’ve got a bit of momentum now and it would be nice to continue that.”

With his dominant defensive displays, Lockyer often looks to nullify the main threat of the opposition, taking them head on, as he has done with Hull’s Oscar Estupinan, Blackburn forward Ben Brereton-Diaz, West Bromwich Albion attacker Brandon Thomas-Asante and prolific Norwich forward Teemu Pukki in recent matches, coming out on top each time.

It has seen him become a favourite on the terraces, particularly away from home, with his name regularly chanted by supporters, as he added: “It’s been fantastic to hear.

"They’ve been really good with me and I’m loving it.

"I’m not getting carried away though, I know there’ll be a time when I make a mistake for a goal and hopefully they’ll still have my back there and that would be fantastic.

"But it’s fantastic to hear, it fills me with confidence and every player needs to be playing with confidence to bring the best out of them.

"I’m full of confidence at the minute, obviously 4-0 (against Watford) is far from ideal, but confidence will probably stay high.”