Jones impressed with Doughty's home debut as Luton's summer signing sets up opener for Morris

Town manager Nathan Jones was left enthused by summer signing Alfie Doughty’s first home league start for the Hatters in their 1-1 draw with Sunderland on Saturday.

The 22-year-old kept his place from the 4-0 defeat at Watford the previous weekend, meaning he has now started three games in a row after missing the first few months of the campaign with an injury picked up in pre-season.

However, for the third straight contest it was in a different position, as despite being predominantly left footed, Doughty lined up as right wingback at Kenilworth Road, playing in front of James Bree, who dropped into the back three once more.

He was almost on the scoresheet inside two minutes, just beaten to Carlton Morris’s cross by Black Cats defender Dennis Cirkin, whom he was to have a running battle with in the first half.

Doughty had another attempt blocked, before seeing his header from Amari’i Bell’s cross strike the inside of the post and unluckily bounce out.

Clearly fouled by the England U20 international Cirkin when going for an aerial ball right by the advertising hoardings in what was a nasty blow to his back, the ex-Charlton man saw yellow for a retaliatory offence against the same player moments later, but had the last laugh in stoppage time, beating the full back and crossing on his supposedly weaker right foot for Morris to open the scoring.

After the break, he saw a cross-shot from the right palmed over by a back-pedalling keeper Andy Patterson, before inevitably tiring as the game wore on, replaced on the 71 minutes as the visitors came back to level soon afterwards.

His display was enough to make the Championship Team of the Week though, as speaking afterwards, Jones said: “Because of Fred’s (Onyedinma) absence we chose to play him there and he did so well.

“His athleticism, his aggression in and out of possession is excellent and we’ve just seen a little bit more of him as we haven’t seen much of him so far.

“He did great one v one (for the goal), but like them really, they scored exactly the same goal.

“We know what they do, so it was really pleasing, I’m just disappointed we didn’t kick on.

“We lacked a bit of energy, we’ve had a tough week, they’ve had to come off the back of some criticism, but it was really important we didn’t lose the game today.”

Midfielder Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu wasn't surprised to see Luton’s new boy turn in such an accomplished display on the opposite flank, adding: “We know what Alfie does in training and now he’s putting it in in an unfamiliar position of right wingback.

"He usually plays left wing or left wingback, so him creating the goal using his right foot, he got an assist and Carlton’s there, doing what he’s been doing all season, putting the ball in the back of the net.”