Osho looking to stay in the Luton team after impressing on his Championship debut

Defender earns his maiden league start for Town after signing new contract at Kenilworth Road
Gabe Osho makes a challenge against Peterborough on SaturdayGabe Osho makes a challenge against Peterborough on Saturday
Gabe Osho makes a challenge against Peterborough on Saturday

Defender Gabe Osho is aiming to keep his place in the Hatters' first team after a highly impressive Championship debut for the club in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Peterborough.

With a number of centre halves out, including Sonny Bradley, Tom Lockyer and Reece Burke, Osho was given the nod over Glen Rea to partner Kal Naismith in the heart of the Luton back-line against a visiting side who had scored over 80 goals on their way to League One promotion last term.

However, 90 minutes later, it was Osho and his team-mates celebrating the three points, plus a clean sheet as they limited their Posh attackers to very little, with the 22-year-old impressing throughout, both defensively and with his ability to bring the ball out too.

Following a maiden season in which he played just once for Town, against former side Reading in the FA Cup, spending time on loan with National League side Torquay and then League Two Rochdale, Osho, who had made seven previous second tier appearances for the Royals, said: “Last year I just needed to get some experience, get some games under my belt.

“Now just coming into the squad after pre-season, I just want to push everyone and try and get in the team like I have done today and just keep pushing and keep working hard.

"This is why we have a squad of players, so if one is unavailable, the other one can step in.

“Everyone's up to that level, so there's going to be players dropping out with injury, players tired, and I'm sure the people waiting in the ranks can step up and perform just as well as the people playing today did.

“In training we push each other all the time, so it felt normal to play alongside Kal.

"Getting the clean sheet is obviously good as a defensive unit, but it starts from the front.

"The midfielders and the attackers pressed really well which just made our job easier so it was a good day all in all.”

Making his first start in the league for Town rounded off an excellent few days for the defender who had also penned a new deal at Kenilworth Road just 24 hours earlier.

He continued: “I’m delighted, this is my home now so I just want to kick on.

“We have a really good team this season and we really want to see if we can achieve something, so I'm just delighted.”

Boss Nathan Jones was happy to see the versatile player remaining at the club and admitted there have been plenty of offers coming in for Osho’s services, adding: “Gabe has signed a new deal, we wanted him to do that and we let him and Peter (Kioso) go out with the full intention of them coming back and playing games for us.

“Gabe’s done well, we’ve turned down a lot of loan offers for the both of them to keep them in and around and Gabe has shown today that he can step up and play Championship football.”