Town defender still 'sad' he didn't finish his Beckenbauer-style run against the Hornets with a goal

Four days on and Town defender Tom Lockyer was still feeling down that he hadn’t scored what would have been one of the undoubted goals of the season during Luton’s 2-0 victory against Watford on Saturday.

With the Hatters in front thanks to fellow centre half Gabe Osho’s close-range strike on 28 minutes, after the break, Lockyer, as he has done with far greater regularity under Rob Edwards, stepped out of defence with the ball at his feet.

A one-two with team-mate Allan Campbell saw the Welsh international make it deep into enemy territory, only to eventually be crowded out just as he neared the whites of visiting keeper Daniel Bachmann’s eyes, as the chance to blow the roof of Kenilworth Road went begging.

Discussing the opportunity in the week, Lockyer said: “Honestly, it gets me sad thinking about it, as I just wish that I had tucked it away.

"I thought the defender was coming to wipe me out, so I had to take the big touch and it was just a touch bigger than I hoped.

"In the end he didn’t even end up coming to take me out, so I could have just taken a normal touch, but I was probably a bit too far up the field, I probably had a little nosebleed running back from that.

"It’s not my forte is it, that would have been nice, but it wasn’t meant to be was it?”

Lockyer had already played a massive role for his side in an attacking sense, with a clever and perfectly weighted ball around the corner in a one-two with Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu.

The fit-again midfielder then delivered a pinpoint cross that Gabe Osho tucked home with aplomb, before he also got the final touch for Allan Campbell to bag a second in stoppage time.

On his part in the goals, the defender continued: “The way we’re playing at the minute, I always like to think we create chances, so a beautifully worked first goal even if I do say so myself!

“Pelly made my mind up for me, it was great play from him.

"He fired it into me and then as he tried to get the other side, there’s only one thing to do.

"I’m not exactly going to turn and try to whip it in the bins am I?

"So one-two with Pelly, he’s put it perfectly into the box for Gabe and then the assist for the second goal, which I probably didn’t know too much about.”

The Welsh international’s wonderful performance during the game saw him earn comparisons to German legend Franz Beckenbauer from manager Rob Edwards in the manager’s post match press conference.

Following on from being likened to Italian star Franco Baresi recently as well, when asked about the lofty praise, Lockyer added: “The staff have come in and been absolutely brilliant, not just with myself, but with the whole squad.

"Hearing those things are nice, but we’re a great team.

"It's not about individuals at our place, so it’s nice to hear, but we’ve got a goal this season and we’re just trying to fulfil that however it comes.”