Luton chief all smiles when discussing Clark's unintended acrobatic assist at Stoke

Luton boss Matt Bloomfield was all smiles when discussing midfielder Jordan Clark going top of the Hatters’ chart for assists after setting up Milli Alli’s equaliser against Stoke City last night.

With Town trailing 1-0 and the board held up for five minutes of stoppage time, the visitors needed just over 60 seconds of them to transfer the ball up the other end and into the Potters net. It came after some good play on the right hand side was started by Lasse Nordas’s clever angled header wide, with Josh Bowler then finding Izzy Jones. The wingback rolled the ball past his man and sent over a cross that saw Clark, who had made his way into the area, take to their air when trying to connect with an acrobatic volley.

In all honesty, he got it completely wrong, as it flicked off the end of his boot, going nowhere near the goal, but crucially for the 31-year-old, it landed at the feet of Alli who was able to beat two men and then smash past Potters keeper Viktor Johansson and into the net. With Clark getting the final touch, it meant he was credited with the assist, making it five in a season for the first time since he arrived at Kenilworth Road in August 2020, and his 14th in his 175 outings for the club.

Having also set up Jones to volley home during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Leeds United, when asked about his second in two games, a smiling Bloomfield said: “From a holding midfield player to get in the box for an overhead kick and find Milly at the back post, he’s a special player isn’t he! I think Clicker is playing incredibly well.

"It doesn’t take an expert to see how he’s leading. Him and Walshy (Liam Walsh) in the middle of the pitch at the moment, they’ve really struck up a good relationship. Clicker’s really leading, he’s speaking, he’s excellent on the ball for us. Him and Walshy I think have been absolutely excellent in the last couple of months really.”

Having created 15 big chances for Luton this term, that stat sees Clark sitting fourth in the table for the entire Championship, with just Portsmouth’s Josh Murphy and Leeds duo Daniel James and Manor Solomon above him, Alfie Doughty as Town’s next highest with 10 to his name. With Town still in real danger of relegation this term, and only scoring six goals in their last eight games, then to stay up, the ex-Accrington and Shrewsbury’s creativity will be a huge factor for the Hatters to get out of trouble.

Bloomfield added: “When we first came to the football club, Clicker was playing one of those eight positions, trying to get forward as much as he possibly can. The injuries to Marv (Marvelous Nakamba) and Shandon (Baptiste) has dictated the situation where he’s playing slightly deeper, but he’s still having moments where he’s able to get forward and create.

"The two goals in March and some big creative moments that he’s able to come across. A great assist on Saturday too, so he’s a big player for us. A real good character, someone who knows the culture of this football club inside and out. He’s doing his defensive duties, but able to have a real attacking threat as well.”