Wilshere insists hard-working Lawrence's first goal for Luton sends out a 'good message'

Luton boss Jack Wilshere believes that Emilio Lawrence’s first goal in senior football at the weekend sends out a ‘good message’ to any young player looking to make their way in the game.

The 20-year-old joined the Hatters on loan from Premier League giants Manchester City in January, as although he started three League One games in a row, struggled to really show his true talents, dropping out of the squad for three of the next five matches, leading to some supporters questioning just why it was he had been acquired during the transfer window.

Wilshere himself admitted it had been a tough baptism for the youngster, who was also on the books of Everton prior to heading to the Etihad, but away from the spotlight of the first team, Lawrence was putting the work in behind the scenes at the Brache to improve his game and try to earn a place back in the side.

It clearly worked too, as he was recalled for the 1-1 draw against Port Vale, setting up Nahki Wells’ goal, and has kept his starting berth for the next six third tier fixtures, also grabbing another assist for Nigel Lonwijk to score in the 3-2 defeat to Reading. Remaining in the team to face Stockport County on Saturday, this time it was Lawrence himself who was celebrating after opening his account in quite some style too, hammering home on his right foot from just outside the box to put the hosts 1-0 ahead, although they were pegged back late on as the contest finished all square.

Speaking afterwards about a player who has been called up to the Scotland U21s squad once more this week, Wilshere said: “I think if you get the structure right and you pin teams back and you attack the box and they all drop in, the ball will fall out into those areas, so we have to be brave enough to take it, we have to show quality as well, which we did. It’s a top finish, credit to him, he works on it a lot in training.

"That’s why we wanted him to come here, we wanted him for his final third quality, his assists, his goals, his ability to sometimes beat a man, cross the ball, sometimes cut in and cause the defender a problem, not knowing which way he can go as he’s got the quality off his left, he’s got the quality off his right to do that. I’m happy for him because when he first came and he was thrown in, he probably had a little bit of a rude awakening about what League One was.

"When he wasn’t in the team, on his days off he would come in and work on those types of finishes and his challenge was to earn the trust of his team-mates, of his coaches, of me. When you look at it, a young player coming into League One, that’s probably what they have to do and what I mean by that is running, tracking your runners, defending. The last four or five games, defensively he’s been excellent.

"We’ve asked him at times to be a wingback which he’s probably never done, then you’re forced to defend a lot more and eventually as you grow and you get a little run in the team, then show your quality. He’s got two assists now and one goal and I want him to push on, I want him to build on that as he’s got the quality to do that.

"It’s a good message, it’s a good message for everyone. We want people, characters like that at this football club, that you get a little bit of a setback and you get taken out of the team, taken out of the squad, but the only way to get back in there is by staying focused, having a good attitude, trying to improve and he’s definitely done that.”