Luton Town boss Jack Wilshere hailed the starring performance of Jake Richards as the Hatters’ frustrating season found a pleasing moment of clarity and conviction in beating Plymouth 2-1 to book their place in the Vertu Trophy semi-finals on Tuesday.
On a night when the Hatters needed a lift after a run of three winless results, it was Town’s 18-year-old attacker who provided it – supplying the assist for Isaiah Jones’ opener and walking away with the man of the match award against the local rivals of his boyhood club.
For Richards, born in Exeter and raised with an understanding of the rivalry, victory over Argyle carried extra personal weight. For his manager, it was further evidence that the teenager’s potential is beginning to translate into tangible influence.
“I thought it was a really mature performance for an 18-year-old,” Wilshere said. “It’s not always been easy for Jake this season where he’s been in, he’s been out, he was ill for a while and then come back from that.
“His ceiling’s high. I’ve said that before. He needs to stay humble and work every single day like he does. But yeah, we need to keep working with him because he can be a really important player for us now and in the future.”
Richards’ assist for Jones underlined the freedom he was handed, operating in a role that allowed him to drift into dangerous areas and affect the game in the final third.
“We’re buzzing. I think we needed that. Obviously, recent results haven’t gone our way, or we haven’t been good enough in games. But I think that was a real team performance and we deserved to go through to the semis,” he said.
“That position that I was in today is probably my favourite position that I’ve played all season. I was given a lot of freedom by the manager and when I’m around the box I like to create. Thankfully Izzy was there for the assist.”
Beyond the immediate satisfaction of beating Plymouth, Richards admitted thoughts are already drifting towards what could lie ahead, with a home semi-final against Nothampton Town to come on Wednesday.
“Speaking to the boys, it’s what you dream of as a kid, to play at Wembley,” he youngster told LTFC+, adding: I think it will be a fantastic day out and I think the fans deserve it, but we’ve got a big game next week to get it done. We’ve got to take that very seriously, knowing what’s to come from it if we do. We’ll put our all into it.”
For a young player navigating his first season at Kenilworth Road – illness, rotation and expectation included – this felt like a significant step. For Luton, it was a reminder that amid the turbulence of their campaign, there is still emerging talent capable of shaping both the present and the future.
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