Doughty had been determined to get his Luton team-mate an assist after finally delivering in Town victory

​Luton wingback Alfie Doughty revealed he had been desperate to get an assist for team-mate Carlton Morris ahead of finally delivering during Saturday’s 2-1 Premier League win at Everton.

The 23-year-old was on set-piece duty at Goodison Park and following a difficult start in which the Hatters had to weather some heavy early pressure, began to get the chance to show just what he could do from dead-ball situations.

He might have had an earlier assist, picking out the forward twice from corners, one header deflecting over, and another crashing against the bar, only for skipper Tom Lockyer to dive in and deflect Ashley Young’s clearance into the net.

But then, just after the half hour mark, Town won another free kick and this time Doughty’s delivery was perfect for Morris to connect with a terrific half volley that scorched past England international Jordan Pickford and flew into the net.

It led Doughty to say: “I’ve always said to Carlton I want to get you a goal, even if it’s on a set-piece, or a free kick, or in play.

"It’s just something that I’ve got to produce for the team, it’s my job and I will try to keep doing it to my best."

Morris himself knew that as soon as the ball came over, he was in business too, saying: “I usually back myself in the air and when Alfie’s putting his deliveries in like that, on the money, I lick my lips if you pardon the expression.

"They're the balls you dream of as a striker coming in with that quality.

“It’s something we work on and when it comes off it’s a great feeling as Alfie’s delivery from set-pieces were absolutely incredible.

"It gave us a lot of joy and we were able to capitalise on that.”

The pair couldn’t quite replicate the feat during Tuesday night’s 2-1 home defeat to Burnley, although Doughty once more had another fine showing, with another seven key passes on the night.

It means he is now top of the chances created per 90 minutes in the entire Premier League, with 4.4, ahead of James Maddison, Kieran Trippier, Phil Foden and Bruno Fernandes

Meanwhile, top scorer Morris is leading the way when it comes to aerial duels won, averaging 5.9 per game, more than Oliver McBurnie, Ethan Pinnock, Scott McKenna and Virgil van Dijk.

On the stats, boss Rob Edwards said: “Carlton’s aggression, his desire to want to go and attack the ball was really impressive.

"Alfie’s deliveries were so consistent, so the set-pieces were the main part of chances created.

"Carlton is getting on the end of stuff, so we’ll continue to work hard on that as it’s a big part of the game.”

Both of Town’s goals at the weekend came from set-pieces, as they looked a threat all afternoon, that continuing in midweek, only this time Morris unable to find the target from the excellent deliveries of Doughty.

Edwards is glad the practise they are putting in on the training ground is coming off too, saying: “What was pleasing for me as well as a lot of work goes into the set-plays, we looked good, we looked dangerous.

"We’ve got to be good on set-pieces this year, that’s clearly an opportunity for us to score a goal and we scored a couple and looked a real threat on the weekend from them.

"The guys go into a heck of a lot of work and a lot of detail on them and we value them, and we look good, we look dangerous that, so that was really pleasing,

“Macca (Alan McCormack), Simon Dunn, trawl through hours and hours of footage and then they come together with Richie (Kyle), with Trolls (Paul Trollope), with Pilks (Kevin Pilkington) and come up with a plan.

"We deliver it and do a meeting and then deliver it out on the grass as well.

"We work hard at it, Macca and Dunny go through loads and loads of set-pieces and they bring it together with the guys, so it was nice to have some success from that on the weekend.

"It gets a little bit more belief and buy-in from the players, as you need to see the success at times to get that real buy-in.

"It’s a big part of the game and it will be for us this season as we’re not going to have the game as much as probably any other team when we go up against them, so we’re going to have to make sure, counter attacks, set-pieces, we’re good in those moments.”

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