Kal Naismith says that Elijah Adebayo’s Premier League quality is what changed the game and led to Luton hitting four past Harrogate in the FA Cup, including a sublime first of the season for the defender.
But Luton, who had not played for 29 days due to Covid call-offs over Christmas, were second best to the League Two side in a disjointed first half.
But in the 18th minute a kick from keeper Jame Shea was flicked on by Cameron Jerome and Adebayo collected the ball on the turn and buried in the bottom corner from 20 yards out.
It was a finish out of the blue and firmly against the run of play, but took it took the marksman’s tally to 11 for the season.
Naismith said: “You’ve got a Premier League striker up top, and I don’t say that lightly, because I train with him day in, day out, I know what he can do and he’s at a great place to keep progressing, and he will. He works his nuts off every day, he’s a top, top player and a top lad to be around.
“That’s brilliance. It’s out of nothing. We couldn’t get in the game, we weren’t passing it well and weren’t really doing anything well.
“There was a ball up to big Cam, he flicks it on and out of absolutely nothing, 25-30 yard out the big man managed to swivel and put it in the bottom corner. I think that was the difference.”
Town then scored three in the second half and they grew more into the game after Jerome doubled the advantage with a close range tap-in knocked Harrogate’s confidence.
“We knew we were a bit rusty, but if we could’ve just lifted it five per cent, every player, then we could’ve got another goal and started to grow into the game, and I think we did that,” said Naismith.
Luke Berry completed the scoring on his return from injury, after the defender had made it 3-0 with a dinked finish that any top striker would’ve been proud of.
“That’s my first goal this season,” said Naismith, adding: “It’s always nice to score, even though you’re a defender and you’re judged on clean sheets, which I’ve got comfortable with now.”
It was Luton’s tenth clean sheet of the campaign and the Scot has been involved in nine of them, which was a virtually perfect way to end a month’s exile due to a spate of positive coronavirus cases at the club.
“It’s been so strange,” Naismith said of a festive fixture schedule which has all had to be rescheduled.
“When they game’s off you’re just sitting in the house and some teams are playing and some teams are not. You end up feeling a bit lost, just training, staying focused and keeping fit, but you can’t really see a goal to prepare for.
“You’re not preparing for a game so it ends up going on a bit, but the last week’s been good. We had a big game on Sunday so we’re preparing for that.
“It’s been different, Christmas and New Year, having family down. I’ve got two kids, so you’ve just got to say, ‘right, there’s no games, can you turn that into a positive and go out with your family?’
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