Lockyer: Watford win with the Hatters was one of my favourite games ever!

Luton defender Tom Lockyer has called Saturday’s 2-0 win over local rivals Watford one of his ‘favourite games’ to have been involved in during his entire career.

The 28-year-old has played a fair few matches since turning pro for Bristol Rovers as well, over 400 to be exact, but despite turning out for the Gas against Bristol City and also representing Wales, the weekend’s triumph in front of a frenzied Kenilworth Road is right up there.

On getting revenge for their 4-0 defeat at Vicarage Road earlier in the campaign thanks to goals from Gabe Osho and Allan Campbell, Lockyer said: “It was incredible, the hurt from the reverse fixture was still there and we knew exactly what it meant to the fans, so to be able to give them what they wanted was incredible.

"That second goal just topped it off, as we like a one-nil don’t we? To get that second so late on and basically seal the game off, the way the whole stadium just erupted was really special.

"It was an unbelievable feeling. I said to my family after, as I’ve played in the Bristol derby as well, but that was right up there.

"I don’t know whether that’s because we won or not, or because the reverse fixture didn’t feel as good, but that was special and probably one of my favourite games to have played in.

"Just everything about the day, from the result to the occasion, it was really fun.”

With over 10,000 supporters packed into the ground, the atmosphere was electric even before kick-off, as Luton fans had waited 17 years to watch their side take on their sworn enemies on home territory.

It meant that Lockyer’s pre-match chat was done for him too, as he continued: “It was special, I was in the huddle before the game and I normally say a few words and I just went to the lads, ‘lads, if you need me to get you up for this game, you’re at the wrong fixture, as look around you.’

"All the fans were going mad, it was amazing, it's up there for me, one of my favourite games I’ve been a part of, incredible. It’s something that will stay with me throughout my career.”

Having been part of the defence that took a hammering at the Hornets back in October, when asked if he had used the pain as personal motivation in the build-up, Lockyer said: “We were in a different place then.

"I watched the game back in the week leading up to it and it’s easy to say now, but I don’t think it’s a four-nil game, in terms of the game as a whole.

"That doesn’t help the fans when you lose to your local rivals four-nil, all their mates are taking the mick out of them, but Watford have got really good players and we had to be careful of that.

"We can’t take them lightly or just because it’s a derby, expect them to roll over for us.”

Luton did exactly that though, limiting the Hornets to just one shot on target, that an easy effort for Ethan Horvath from range, Town racking on a 17th clean sheet of the season.

Lockyer added: “You’ve seen that in the first game, they had an early goal, they fancied it then, they came out to play that day and they were really good.

"So it was important we didn’t give anything away, I think their xG (expected goals) was something like 0.6 or something really small, so that was pleasing that we tightened it up back there, gave nothing silly away.

“You never really know how people are going to react to big games, big occasions, big derbies, but I thought we played it quite well, barring a spell second half where we were pinned in for a little bit, we couldn't keep the ball and kept giving it back to them and allowed them to get some momentum in the game.

"We need to tighten up on it and we have spoken about it, so I’m sure it’s something you’ll notice this week.

"We know it’s not a perfect performance, but it was a perfect result.”