Nelson praised for taking it 'back to basics' after netting a hat-trick in Luton's FA Youth Cup rout of City

Alan McCormack and Zack Nelson during pre-season training in the summer - pic: David Horn / PRiME Media Images

Town teenager Zack Nelson was praised by U18s manager Alan McCormack for the manner in which he took his game back to basics when scoring a terrific hat-trick that spearheaded the Hatters to a thumping 6-0 FA Youth Cup victory over Birmingham City on Monday night.

The youngster, who has trained with the first team on a number of occasions this term, also on the bench for Championship clash against Huddersfield Town back in October, had already gone close at St Andrew's, before heading home Millar Matthews-Lewis’s deflected cross from close range late in the first half to double Town’s lead.

He had his second just 20 seconds after the interval, sidefooting home after Blues keeper Bradley Mayo had denied both Matthews-Lewis and Oli Heron, before completing the treble from the penalty spot after Matthews-Lewis was deemed to be fouled, although the incident happened outside the area.

On Nelson's display, McCormack told the club’s official website: “To be honest I thought he started a bit sluggish.

"He might have been a little bit nervous maybe or the speed of the game against the next category up against teams playing at a higher level, but then he grew into the game very well.

"He brought his game back to basics and we say do the simple things well and your performances will stand out and sometimes being ordinary is being really good.

"I thought there was a lot of really positive performances out there today, even the subs who came on.

"Jamie Odegah an under 16 stepped up and did really well and is another good prospect for the next few years.

Nelson’s next action for the U18s will be two EFL Youth Alliance League matches against Northampton Town U18s and AFC Wimbledon U18s in the new year.

McCormack will only then start to think about taking on either Spurs or QPR in the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup, as he added: “The aim is the next game and that will be a league game, so that is our next aim at the moment.

"Regardless of who we play in the next round, we will worry about that in the week building up to the match.

"At the moment it’s the next league game and getting three more points.

"Each week Monday to Saturday, the next day in training is what we look at.

"How good can we be, can be get one per cent better every single day.”