'Selfless' Morris earns high praise after reaching double figures for Luton with QPR brace

Hatters boss Rob Edwards felt ‘selfless’ striker Carlton Morris got his just rewards after reaching double figures in the Championship for the first time in his career with a brace during last night’s 3-0 victory over QPR.

The 27-year-old achieved the mark on just his 24th league appearance for the Hatters at Loftus Road, his brace propelling Town to a second successive win over the festive period.

After coming through the ranks at Norwich City, Morris did bag 10 when on loan at Shrewsbury in the 2017-18 campaign, although three of them were in cup competitions, while he totalled 11 in the 2020-21 season, four for MK Dons and then seven when moving to Barnsley.

Last term, he hit the net nine times for the Tykes, seven of them in league matches, but he finally made it to a round 10 at Loftus Road, as an impressed Edwards said afterwards: “Considering everything else he gives the team as well, his work-rate, his hold-up play, that’s a really good return for him and obviously we’re going to push for more.

“Carlton has been doing it for a while now so I don’t think it’s a surprise to anyone at all.

"He’s an excellent player, a brilliant team-mate, he’s so selfless in his work.

"I’m really pleased he got the rewards tonight with a couple of goals and gets the recognition as well.

"As he’s worked very, very hard and not really over the last couple of games had too much of a sniff, so I'm really pleased for him.”

Morris’s first goal came following a lethal counter attack from the visitors, Tom Lockyer sending the ball wide to Alfie Doughty who set off, eventually finding Morris as the leading scorer buried an instinctive left footed drive into the bottom corner.

Edwards continued: “I thought he found the space really well.

"Alfie, whether he should have been tucked in a little bit more, but now I’ll let it go, it’s all right, we found him.

"It was a really good counter attack with a quality, fantastic finish from Carlton.”

With Doughty later going on to add another stunning goal to the ranks since Edwards took over, the new boss was especially happy to see Morris’s second one hit the net, as he converted James Bree’s free kick from a few yards out just moments after the break.

He said: “I’ve been dying for one of those!

“Just a tap-in wasn’t it, it was a nailed on goal, but we’ve scored some worldies haven’t we in the last few games.”

Meanwhile, Doughty, who played a one-two with Morris before rifling in his special strike, added: “We all know what Carlton’s capable of and if you just give the ball to him, he’ll do what he can do best and finish, it’s exactly that.

“It’s such a pleasure to play with him as he gets you what you want, goals, it’s as simple as that as a striker.

"It's just always on my mind to assist too.

"I got a goal as well which is a bonus, but an assist is always nice.”