Potts backs Hatters team-mate Adebayo to get back to his best after ending his mental battle with Terriers double

Town defender Dan Potts believes that striker Elijah Adebayo will get back to his best form after finally ending his mental battle to score a first goal of the season when notching twice during the 3-3 draw against Huddersfield Town on Tuesday night.

The 24-year-old had failed to score in any of his 10 appearances so far, the closest he came was when hitting the bar in the 2-0 win at Hull City on Friday night, the rebound going in on off home defender Alfie Jones.

However, just four days later, he was picked out by Carlton Morris’s pass from Ethan Horvath’s clearance and after sidestepping on-loan Manchester City defender Luke Mbete, scuffed a shot on target which hit covering defender Michal Helik and trickled over the line for a goal that was awarded to him.

With his confidence buoyed, Adebayo then showed the kind of form that saw him hit 17 goals last term, latching on to Morris’ hopeful ball over the top, beating Mbete for strength and having seen off another last-ditch challenge, coolly slotted past keeper Luke Nicholls.

He was mobbed by his delighted Town team-mates on both occasions, as speaking about his relief for his team-mate in breaking his duck, Potts said: “I’m really happy for him, as I see the work he puts in every day in training, what he’s working on, his finishing.

“After the year he had last year, and Carlton’s scoring some goals this year, you can tell, from a striker’s perspective, he just wanted that first goal.

“He was really unlucky against Hull, it hit the crossbar and when your luck’s not in, it’s not in, but it was good to see.

“In the previous games he’s getting in the right areas and you just knew it was a matter of time, I’m really happy for him and to score two goals was even better.

“We know what he can do, he showed that on Tuesday night.

"I don’t think there’s any cause for concern there whatsoever, it’s just for strikers, goals are some sort of mental battle that goes on.

"But I think now he’s off the mark he’ll feel a lot more, not relief, he might be over-thinking things too much, what you saw him do on Tuesday night is exactly what he can do, it was second nature and long may it continue.”

After the game, Adebayo revealed he had been suffering from some personal issues this season which had affected his on-field performances, his honesty in admitting such problems drawing praise from manager Nathan Jones.

Potts admitted that both be and Town’s squad had offered their support to their team-mate during his tough period away from the game, adding: “I think one of my strong points is that I can sort of see when players are maybe a little bit down, or the other side of the game.

“Everyone’s different, it’s just that man-management to try and keep people confident when they might not be and vice versa.

“I think Eli, like with any striker, it’s goals, performances.

"We were creating chances and they weren’t quite falling for him, but now he’s off the mark for the season, that sort of pressure of not scoring is behind him now and he’ll be looking forward, that’s for sure.”