Emotional Hatters defender Osho on his 'out of body experience' after Luton's play-off final victory

​Hatters defender Gabe Osho described Luton’s Championship play-off final penalty shootout win over Coventry City as the ‘best day’ of his life, admitting he had an almost ‘out of body experience’ when the final kick was missed.

​The 24-year-old was named in the starting XI at Wembley for the winner-takes-all contest last month, as the Hatters came out on top courtesy of a 6-5 victory on spotkicks following a 1-1 draw in 120 minutes of football.

Speaking exclusively to the Luton News about the feeling of reaching the Premier League, Osho admitted it was still yet to properly sink in, saying: “No, I think from the day of the game, it was like an out of body experience and then from that day it’s just been slowly, slowly getting more real and then I guess on Thursday it will all come to a head and we'll see what the fixtures are.

“It’s really, really hard to sum up, it was hands down the best day of my life.

"The whole occasion, it’s something I’ve never experienced before and everyone knows that playing at Wembley is a really special occasion.

"I just think doing it with the team, knowing what we’ve been through the last couple of years, the disappointment from last year (losing in the semi-finals to Huddersfield), it was easily the best day of my life."

With Town making a terrific start to the contest, Osho thought he had given his side the lead inside five minutes, turning home from virtually on the line after Tom Lockyer’s header had been wonderfully saved by Ben Wilson.

However, a linesman's flag adjudged him offside and the ex-Reading youngster admitted it was a good job he had spotted the official before he took off, continuing: “I did think I had scored and I thought my head was going to explode!

"The good thing was I turned and celebrated the way of the linesman, because if I went the other way, it would have been something that would have been talked about for years, what I would have done, and for it to be disallowed.

"I think they said my foot was offside, which was a shame.”

Following the worrying on-field collapse of Tom Lockyer, the Hatters players to a man didn't let it affect them, taking the lead through Jordan Clark’s terrific finish midway through a first half they dominated, Elijah Adebayo having another goal ruled out, while both he and Carlton Morris missed some excellent chances too.

Osho knew they had been at it, saying: “It was an excellent first half, we did exactly what the manager told us to do before the game.

"The gameplan was put into play literally from the first minute.

"We should have been up by more and then towards the end of the first half, they started coming back into it a little bit, but for the majority, we were really the dominant team by far.”

With Town not making the most of their clear superiority, the Sky Blues got their act together in the second period, becoming a real threat, and levelling when Gustavo Hamer sidefooted beyond Ethan Horvath.

However, Osho and the rest of Luton’s defence made sure that was the only time they were breached, which he knew was vital, saying: “They didn’t have that many clear-cut chances.

"They were applying a lot of pressure though if we’re honest, their better players were getting into the game and it was becoming a little bit more difficult.

"But everyone kept their heads in a time when it would have been really easy for us to get a bit shaky and a bit nervous under the pressure, especially as they were shooting towards their fans.

"It was getting a bit intense, but I think everyone did well to relax, stay calm and just ride out that kind of storm.”

With no-one able to find a winner in 90 minutes, extra time was needed, pushing both side’s fitness to the limit on what was a hot day at the home of English football.

By that time it could have been anyone’s game in Osho’s mind, who said: “I was tired, but I was enjoying it.

"At that point then it’s like you’ve done all the preparation, done everything you can, it’s now not really up to you.

"The teams are so evenly matched it’s like however fate is going to take this, that’s how it’s going to go.

"I can only speak for myself when I thought, I’ll just give it everything I can on the pitch and let’s just see where we end up after that.

"But when it goes to extra time, it’s just in the hands of the gods really.”

It had looked like there was going to be a late hero when Town sub Joe Taylor robbed Jonathan Panzo and went through to beat Wilson, sparking scenes of jubilation in the stands and the Hatters’ dug-out too.

However, it was ruled out by VAR for a handball from the Luton striker, as Osho, who had made way for Dan Potts at that stage, said: “The cramp magically disappeared, I was sprinting across the whole pitch to find out it got disallowed and I took the longest walk back round half the pitch to just sit down for another five minutes.

"It was horrible.

"When I saw him score I was so happy as I spoke to him maybe three months before and I was like, ‘I know you're not playing that much now, but how does it feel to know you’re going to come on in the play-off final and score?’

"I actually said that to him, 100 percent.

"When I saw him score I was like ‘oh my gosh!’

"Something came into me like a new burst of life, I ran like a seven-year-old just to find out it got disallowed.

"I even saw the manager run down the side, everyone was just going crazy and just sums up the day really.”

After that excitement, there was no further goalmouth action, penalties required to see who would reach the top flight.

Following 11 successful kicks from both sides, Sky Blues sub Fankaty Dabo missed, as this time Osho could finally celebrate properly.

He added: “It’s tough because I can’t actually remember the feeling, running on to the pitch and falling down but I just remember crying and crying.

"I think there’s a picture, it almost looks like I’m actually giving birth!

"The way that my legs are and the way that everyone’s supporting me, supporting my shoulders!

"It was the best feeling of my life without doubt.

“It just feels like the culmination of 24 years of work.

"As a kid everyone grows up dreaming to play in the Premier League, so for it to all come down to that one kick and then that moment with the whole team and the fans at the right end, it was just crazy.”