Emilio Lawrence admitted he was living out a childhood dream after scoring the goal that dragged Luton Town back into the Vertu Trophy final, setting them on their way to a 3-1 win over Stockport County at Wembley.
The young winger’s thumping finish cancelled out an early setback, when Town fell behind, and shifted the momentum firmly in Luton’s favour, with the Hatters going on to lift the trophy in front of a sea of orange, after a double from Nahki Wells.
“It’s a special moment,” Lawrence said, adding: “It’s just stuff you dream as a kid, playing at Wembley, playing in finals. So to score just even more incredible. It’s something I’ll never forget.”
Lawrence’s equaliser came after a decisive ball in behind from Jordan Clark, and he revealed there was only one thought in his mind as the space opened up.
“To be honest, I just remember screaming at him to give it, and then as soon as the ball was coming over, I just knew I was gonna push it out and print it myself and then just go for go straight away.”
Despite the magnitude of the occasion, Lawrence admitted the moment of celebration itself was almost a blur as the reality of Wembley hit him.
“I didn’t really know what I was doing, didn’t know how to react, but it’s just a special one that I was there with me forever,” he said.
Luton’s response to going behind early on was particularly impressive, with Lawrence insisting there was always a belief the turnaround would come.
“I think we all definitely felt like we were the better team,” he said. “We were a lot more in control of the game than they were. So even when they scored, I think, it was really good from us, the way we reacted and started playing our football and the opportunity was always going to come, we always felt like that, but the main thing was supposed to stay calm and that’s what we did.”
When the fourth official signalled 10 minutes of added time, nerves briefly crept in before Wells’ second goal settled matters.
Lawrence said: “We all had our hearts in my mouth a little bit. Ten minutes is quite a lot of time. Then, as soon as the third went in, you could sit back and smile for the last few minutes and just enjoy what was happening around us.”
For the Manchester-born ace, the full-time whistle and subsequent celebrations capped a remarkable rise in a matter of months, where he came to the club on loan from Manchester City, played five times but then had to wait for almost a month for his next appearance, which was the 2-1 quarter final win over Plymouth. But since then, he’s become a mainstay in the team.
Talking of the moment he got his hands on the trophy, Lawrence said: “It’s what you play football for, isn’t it? Moments like that. So, it’s just something me and the boys are just so buzzing to have. Hopefully we come back here at the play-offs as well next month and do the same again.”
Reflecting on a whirlwind introduction to senior football, he added: “It’s been a crazy few months, my first few months in professional football, and I’ve already learned just so much. It’s just crazy to think, at the start of the season, I was playing this competition for City under-21s. Never did, I think, fast forward a few months, I’d be winning it at Wembley with Luton, so, yeah, it’s crazy how football works.”
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