Doughty happy to shut the Bramall Lane crowd up by scoring his first ever Premier League goal

Luton defender Alfie Doughty relished the opportunity to shut the Bramall Lane crowd up during the Hatters’ 3-2 victory over Sheffield United on Boxing Day by scoring his first ever Premier League goal.

With the wingback taking some early corners in front of the massed ranks of home supporters, a few fans took it upon themselves to let Doughty know just what they thought of his efforts, using some choice language in the process.

The 24-year-old didn’t let it bother him as having almost latched on to one terrific raking crossfield pass from Albert Sambi Lokonga, he was then found by his team-mate once more on 17 minutes, spinning around the bemused Gustavo Hamer on the outside, toe-poking goalwards, his effort going through the legs of an embarrassed home stopper Wes Foderingham to break his top flight duck.

Doughty immediately ran over to the Blades fans who had been vocal beforehand with his fingers raised to his lips, as on his celebration, Doughty said: “It was just to shut the crowd up really. They were giving me quite a lot of stick at a few corners so it's always quite nice to give it back to them. Again, it was them giving me stick, telling me I was rubbish. I wouldn't have done it, but I just had to as it was a bit of a silencer really.”

With Manchester City loanee Issa Kabore ruled out, it meant Doughty started on the right hand side, Ryan Giles coming in to take over on the left. It’s a position he doesn't mind though, saying: “It’s been okay as I played there last year, the gaffer trusts me there and sometimes I quite like it. I got my goal from there, it worked out well for me, but I’m okay with either side.”

Town chief Rob Edwards felt that the switch of position can help add an air of mystery about Doughty’s game too, as he continued: “He’s a threat on either side. When he’s on the right, there’s more of an unpredictability about his game because he can still go on the outside and cross with his right, which he did.

"He went on the outside to get his goal but then he can chop in and he did chop in at one stage after he got the goal and had a sighter from the edge of the box that got blocked. So he’s a real threat when he’s on the right.”

After a first half in which Luton were by far the better of the two teams, it was a different story after the break, United hitting back to lead 2-1 with 69 minutes gone, Oli McBurnie and Anel Ahmedhodzic taking advantage of some poor defending to find the net. However, Carlton Morris then came off the bench to send over two dangerous crosses that were sent beyond Foderingham by Blades players Jack Robinson and Anis Slimane as the Hatters scored twice in four minutes to seal a wonderful victory.

Doughty added: “It’s perfect, a perfect evening. I’m proud of the boys again, first half we were amazing, we really dominated. Second half we could have been a lot better, but the character of the boys, it was a really good day.”