What a week Liam Walsh has had. After announcing he is to be a father, he scored a wold-class winner having laid the path for Nahki Wells’ leveller in a wonderful display that helped send Luton to Wembley.
The midfielder deservedly took the man of the match award, though he was ably assisted by some outstanding performances as the Hatters initially did things the hard way against Northampton Town.
Kasey Palmer – different gravy. Mads Andersen – imperious. Hakeem Odoffin – immovable. Jordan Clark – a talisman.
The latter scored the last time Town went to Wembley in 2023 and he provided the actual assist for Wells’ third in four games, but even he will thank Walsh for the reverse pass that cut open the Cobblers to find him and finally broke their resistance.
The winner was a strike fit to fire any team to a final – but boss Jack Wilshere admitted afterwards that it was not even the first time he’s scored a goal like that this week.
“I’m happy for him,” his manager said, adding: “He actually scored one very similar yesterday in training. I’ve been saying it to Walshie about shooting, about making more progressive passes, because he’s got the ability to do that.
“He’s got the ability to control the game and keep the ball moving, but he’s also got the ability to change the tempo and change the rhythm and find someone who’s further ahead than him, or make that final pass.
“I thought he took his goal really well. He deserved that because, when I first came in, he was out of the team, he was injured.
“We brought him back slowly but quickly realised the influence he had on the team and on the players around him.
“Then he got injured again, which wasn’t ideal for him but he’s come back and he’s taken another step in my opinion.”
But before all that second half display came a calamitous first-half minute where Kal Naismith gave the ball away, fouled Elliot List, got booked and then lost Kyle McAdam at the back post from the free-kick.
McAdam’s headed goal was Northampton’s first and only shot on target until deep into the second half when they added their only other shot at James Shea’s goal.
The Cobblers’ goal on 17 minutes added an unwanted but familiar theme to Luton’s defending of late, in that they gifted a goal, having started the semi-final so well.
It took the hosts until the closing stages of the half to shake off the shock, but then came a dominant display after the break. Walsh was at the heart of it.
Early on, he found the pass for Clark to tee up Wells. Then, despite pushing and probing, it took until the 82nd minute for the magic moment. Naismith, atoned for his errors with a quick-thinking corner, picking out an unmarked Walsh outside the Northampton box. The midfielder lashed it without hesitation and it took a helpful nick off Dean Campbell’s head but it was a sizzler too hot to handle.
Kenilworth Road erupted to the point that eight added minutes felt like a deserved encore. That old feeling returned as 8,969 Hatters serenaded their side with that Wembley-bound classic “Que Será Será” as assistant manager Chris Powell danced all the way to the tunnel via a series of rapturously received fist-pumps.
But it was Walsh who was last to leave the pitch with a trophy in hand after speaking with Sky Sports. He has a lot to celebrate and he may have another piece of silverware in his hands next month.
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