Whalley ready to enjoy his freedom with Hatters

Hitchin repeatedly surrounded him with two or three players in Town’s 4-0 friendly victory at Top Field on Tuesday night.

It was a similar theme for the 25-year-old winger at Southport over the last two seasons, but he still managed to net 27 times in 102 appearances and he believes with Luton’s greater quality he will get more space to terrorise defences.

He said: “It happened quite a lot at Southport but I don’t think it will happen as much in the season. I think in the end the lads were getting me the ball so much that all I really had to do was take the full-back on and get a cross in.

“In the first half my end product wasn’t as good as it should have been and even early in the second half. But in the end I’ve put a good ball in and I’ve scored the penalty so I’m happy.

“As I say the lads have got tremendous quality so if it’s not coming from me, it’s going to come from someone else, I know it is. I can rely on them and they know that they can rely on me as well.”

Town’s fans seem to have instantly taken to the lively winger who netted the second himself from the spot after being felled in the area after a jinking run late in the second half.

Whalley continued: “I did try to stay on my feet, I have been known to be a bit of a diver a couple of times, but I did try and stay on my feet and he clipped me.

“It was just inside the box or maybe just on the line but as I’ve gone down the ref’s given it so it was nice to get a penalty.”

Whalley didn’t know of Luton’s recent problems from the spot, but was keen to get his hands on the ball as soon as it was given.

“I’m not aware of it, but I did take quite a few last year and scored quite a few,” he said. “I missed a couple, but I’m willing to take them at any time.

“As soon as I’ve gone down I’ve just grabbed the ball and I wanted to take it. Luckily there was no real arguments over it so I just took it.”

He was also pleased to have laid on the first goal for Jon Shaw after the target man had urged Town’s wingers to get the ball into the box earlier during the interval.

Whalley said: “He mentioned something like that at half time about getting the crosses in earlier which we agreed with so I did that, he made a good run and it was a good header.

“I like to get crosses in, I obviously like to beat my man but if it’s not on then I’ll look to cross the ball in and hopefully create quite a few goals this season.

“That’s what I do really, I like to dribble but as I tired towards the end Ronnie Henry was getting past me quite a bit and doing well.

“Even if we had drawn 0-0, just getting 90 minutes under our belts for the lads who played is encouraging and results will come.”

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