Wilshere insists Wells still helped Luton 'massively' despite goal drought continuing at Cobblers

Luton boss Jack Wilshere felt striker Nahki Wells still helped the team massively despite seeing his ongoing struggles to find the net continue during the Hatters’ 1-0 win at Northampton Town on Saturday.

The former Bristol City, Huddersfield Town and Bradford City forward, who moved to Kenilworth Road in the summer on a free transfer, had started Wilshere’s first game in charge at Mansfield Town last weekend, where he had a torrid first half, missing a penalty on 33 minutes that would have put the hosts in front, and then seeing his wayward pass collected by Stags attacker Rhys Oates to go on open the scoring.

Despite that, Wells kept his place as the lone striker for the trip to Sixfields on Saturday, with Jerry Yates on the bench, as Ali Al-Hamadi is still not fit enough to be included, Joe Gbode not involved either. The 35-year-old really should have opened the scoring in the first half, as the Cobblers defence opted to leave Jordan Clark’s low cross only for the Bermuda international to slide in and stab over the bar from a few yards out.

Wells then opted to leave Gideon Kodua’s deflected attempt that flew just wide, rather than tap it into the net, possibly thinking he was offside, while after the break, he was unfortunate when Kodua’s dipping effort struck the underside of the bar and then bounced down for him, as he couldn’t adjust his body in time, heading the rebound over from close range. With Yates on after an hour to form a front two, the substitute fluffed his own lines when going through on goal, before Wells once more got his touch all wrong in the box, eventually running the ball wide.

In stoppage time and with Town 1-0 up, the striker was part of a four on one attack, opting to try and double the lead, hammering over, when he could have gone to the corner and run the clock. It means that Wells has just one goal to his name from his 14 appearances for club and country this season, and none from open play, his only successful attempt being a penalty against Plymouth Argyle on September 13. Asked about his efforts at the weekend, Wilshere said; “That’s the life of a number nine.

"I said to the guys earlier, we didn’t want to take him off when we put Jerry on as it felt like he was giving us so much in possession. He was dropping in and linking play, running in behind. Of course you ask him, he’ll want to score and he’ll be feeling that, but he helped the team massively today so we’re happy with him, we just want him to score.”