Hatters boss challenges young midfielder Watson to last the distance for Town

Hatters boss Rob Edwards has challenged young midfielder Louie Watson to prove he can last the distance in the heat of a Championship battle after catching the eye once more during Town’s FA Cup third round 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic on Saturday.

The 21-year-old was making his second successive start for Luton, having played 65 minutes of the 2-1 win at Huddersfield on New Year’s Day.

This time he managed another 75 minutes, standing out after being deployed in the holding role, as he demonstrated an eagerness to get on the ball at all times, often passing through the lines to find a team-mate in space and get the hosts on the front foot.

Watson also had a hand in Luton’s equaliser too, his ball out wide finding Carlton Morris as the top scorer set off to cross for Harry Cornick to glance home.

With a quarter of an hour remaining, Watson was then replaced by Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu after struggling with cramp, as he is yet to complete 90 minutes in the second tier, the closest he came was back in April when at Derby, playing 82 minutes against Bristol City.

It’s the next step in his development according to an impressed Edwards now, who said: “Louie was very good, very brave.

"He’s good with the ball, he’ll take it under pressure, which is what we want, and he just did exactly what he’s been doing since we’ve been in from day one.

“So the challenge for him now is when he does start, is to stay on for the 90-odd minutes, that’s his next bit.

“There’s areas to keep improving with him, but there’ll be nervous tension, nervous energy and there’s obviously the intensity of the game that he’s not experienced for quite a while.

“So I understand it completely and he’s given everything.

"I want lads to be able to be like that, walking off, having given everything and he’s certainly done that, I’m really pleased for him, along with a few others tonight.”

After arriving in the summer, Watson had only made two appearances in the opening five months of the campaign, but having made back-to-back starts, Edwards believes he has a real talent on his hands.

The Town manager added: “I think he’s got a bright future.

"He did very well in his first league start, I was really pleased with him.

"He’s a brave lad, he’s a confident young man and he’s a really good technical player.

"He helped us to win the game, he invited the pressure from them and we were able to play into the front players because he was able to accept the ball and pick up positions to try and invite that pressure.

"I was very, very pleased with him and we’ve got high hopes for him here.”