Luton manager Matt Bloomfield has said there is a possibility that youth striker Oli Lynch could be involved in tomorrow’s must-win relegation clash at Derby after the youngster was recalled from his loan with Hemel Hempstead.
Town have lost forwards Elijah Adebayo and Jacob Brown to season-ending injuries as well as chance creator Alfie Doughty as they continue to struggle for goals.
Last Saturday the Hatters managed 18 shots – the second highest in the Championship that weekend – in their 1-0 defeat to Blackburn, but only found the target three times as they drew a blank for the eighth time in 16 games under Bloomfield.
Luton are the lowest scorers in the division with just 37 in 42 Championship games and they’ve only scored twice in two games under the manager, who has now recalled 20-year-old Lynch and handed him a new contract after he netted 11 times in 18 National League South appearances.
Asked if Lynch will feature at Derby, Bloomfield said: “There’s a possibility, hence why we recalled him.
“We’ve obviously got injuries at the top of the pitch with Eli and Browny and Alf’s injury, meaning that we’ve got to use one of our attackers as a wing back as well.
“So, that sort of plays into the situation as we saw last weekend that we kind of run out of attackers a little bit.
“So, Lynch, who’s been out scoring goals, he’s still got a lot to learn, but we felt like the last couple of weeks of the season, it would be sensible of us to have him around and ready to contribute should he be required.
“He is an attacking player and he can play as a wing back. He can play further forward. I think we need numbers at this moment in time, with it being a Bank Holiday weekend.
“Nothing can happen in between Friday and Monday, so we need to plan ahead slightly as well, just in case we pick anything up tomorrow.
“So, it’s sensible for us to have Oli back in and around it. He’s been out scoring goals, he’s signed his new contract and he’s trained with us quite a bit recently, so he felt it right to have him with us.”
Lynch is a Hatters fan and he also enjoyed a prolific loan spell at Isthmian Premier club Dulwich Hamlet earlier in the season and Bloomfield added: “He’s got a good physicality. He can run beyond. He can obviously get on the end of crosses, he can finish, we can seee that in training, we can see it out on his loan as well.
“I don’t want to heap too much expectation on him because he’s a young boy learning his trade, but we’ve been to see him a couple of times, Mick’s been to see him as well and he’s been around our first team group.
“He’s a forward who wants to score goals. so it seems sensible to have him with us.”
Academy manager Paul Benson told the club’s website: “Lynchy has a perfect profile for a modern-day number nine. He ticks all the boxes and everything you look for in a centre forward.
“He’s been developing really well during a couple of loans, and is now starting to add goals to his game.
“Like a lot of centre forwards, his development will continue as he gets older and learns the game, but he’s showing really good signs and I’m delighted that he’s committed to the club for the immediate future.”
After putting pen to paper, Lynch said: “I’m so happy to sign a new contract. To stay at such a great club, and hopefully make an impact in the future and push on and progress as a player and a person, I couldn’t be in a better place.”
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