Proud Clark finally has a Premier League goal to celebrate after netting during Cherries victory

Luton midfielder Jordan Clark was left with a feeling of great pride after scoring his first ever Premier League goal during Saturday’s 2-1 victory over AFC Bournemouth.

The 30-year-old started his career with Barnsley over a decade ago, netting a maiden professional strike in February 2014 when on loan at Conference side Hyde. He opened his account in the Football League after moving to Shrewsbury Town, that a brace against the Hatters back in August 2014, then netting for the Shrews in League One the following season.

Moving to Kenilworth Road after four years with Accrington Stanley in 2020, he bagged five goals in the second tier for Luton, also on the scoresheet at Wembley as Town reached the top flight during the play-off final win over Coventry City in May. After suffering serious ankle ligament injury in pre-season, Clark had to bide his time for a place in the Luton XI this term, but coming into the team on a more regular basis in recent months, his 18th outing saw him break his duck on Saturday.

With Town trailing 1-0 and just 17 minutes to go, substitute Luke Berry made a committed challenge just outside the box, the ball rebounding into Clark who still had plenty to do, but did it brilliantly, shooting first time beyond Neto and into the bottom corner, joining team-mate Berry in now netting in the top five leagues in English football.

Discussing what it was like to finally have a top flight goal to his name, Clark said: “I hadn’t thought about it too much, I’m just glad we won. We said today it doesn’t matter who scored, own goals, whatever, as long as we win the game, so I’m just buzzing for the win. I’m sure I’ll reflect in a little but when I’ve calmed down and the adrenaline has stopped pumping through me, so obviously a proud moment, a bit selfish, but a proud moment.

“It always crosses your mind, especially from the journey I’ve had, it’s been a long slog. You want to score, you just want to play one game and score one goal, that’s the target you set as you never know what’s going to happen in the future with injuries. I was doing a lot of rehab and you can come back and you might get reinjured.

“You pray for one game, you pray for one goal, I’ve been lucky, touch wood. I’ve been fit since I’ve been injured, so it is a nice little milestone for myself, but we always said it wasn’t about who scored. We just knew we had to win, no matter who scored, just by any means necessary as we knew how important this was for the run-in that’s coming up.”

On the goal itself, Clark, who had earlier had a shot blocked when following up Carlton Morris’s attempt that hit the base of the post, continued: “It was a bit instinctive really, I didn’t even know where the ball was, so it was just wrap your foot round it and hope for the best. It’s just nice to see it go in the bottom corner and then the momentum at the Kenny is massive.

"Bezza affects the game so well, he’s always in and around the box, he wins headers, he’s always going to get a chance and him, Fred (Onyedinma) and Cauley (Woodrow) when they came on did really well. The block was a little bit lucky, it could have gone anywhere, but thankfully it just fell straight into my path and it was so nice to see it hit the back of the net. You never know with VAR, I ran off celebrating like a madman, then I thought oh dear, please don’t start checking things, so just buzzing for the lads who came on that made such an impact.”

Luton boss Rob Edwards, who used to be a team-mate of Clark when the pair were at Barnsley together, was also thrilled to see the midfielder up and running in the top flight as well, adding: “Clicker, his work-rate was incredible, he was a bit up and down at times, as we just lacked a little bit of structure. We were a bit nervy in the first half, it’s understandable with the stakes being so high.

"They showed they could be devastating on the counter attack with the quality and speed that they’ve got. We just tried to nail our structure in the second half, I thought we started quite well and then they got the goal, but we didn’t allow it to affect us. Clicker stepped up with a really important goal at a key time, so delighted for him.”

Clark’s maiden top flight strike allowed Morris to claim what could be a huge three points in the battle to stay up this term, volleying home Woodrow’s cross in the 90th minute. What it felt like when that hit the back of the net, the midfielder added: “So much emotion and buzzing for Cauley as it was a hell of a ball. He’s got so much quality and to put it in the mix like that, the big man does what he does best.

"If you give him the service like that he’s not going to miss. I’m just buzzing for everyone involved, it’s a tough season at the minute, especially with the injuries, honestly I’ve never seen anything like it. To do what we’re doing has been phenomenal and so proud of the squad.”