Goals starting to flow for Cornick as he understands his Luton role

A greater understanding of his role in the Town team is allowing attacker Harry Cornick to flourish in the Championship this term.
Harry Cornick sets up James Collins for his goal at QPR on SaturdayHarry Cornick sets up James Collins for his goal at QPR on Saturday
Harry Cornick sets up James Collins for his goal at QPR on Saturday

The 24-year-old has been one of the stand-out performers in the early stages of the campaign, making his fifth successive start in Saturday’s 3-2 defeat at QPR.

He was on target for the third time too, a tally he took until November 10 to reach last season, and is already looking a force to be reckoned with at this level.

On how that has come about, Cornick, who prior to this season had made 30 league starts for the club, with further 39 appearances from the bench, said: “I feel like I’ve grown into it.

“My role I know more, the manager has helped me understand my role in the team and he’s improved me no end so far.

“So hopefully I can just keep up personally my record for the season.

“I’ve started well, it’s another goal for me.

“I’ve just got to keep going and put the effort in for the team as I’d rather not score and win, than score and lose, so that’s the way it is.”

With boss Graeme Jones himself a striker during his playing days, Cornick revealed he had been working extensively to improve his finishing with him.

It’s paying off too, with Cornick netting three in his last five matches, as prior to Jones arriving, he had managed 13 in 78 appearances at an average of one every six games.

The former Bournemouth winger continued: “He’s done a few drills for me, little one v one drills where he’s trying to teach me what I should do and how I should play.

“He’s been a massive help to me so far, hopefully I can keep learning.

“I’m practising every day to try and get better at certain aspects, so if I can keep improving and the team keep improving, we can get better.

“You get less chances (in the Championship), so every chance you get you’ve got to score really.

“You might not get two, three chances a game, you might only get that one chance, so when you get that chance you’ve got to bury it, because otherwise you’re not going to score.

“I had two, three chances, so I probably should have scored one more.

“It’s the way it goes, I need to work on it, something I know it’s not my strongest attribute finishing, but I’m working on it and hopefully I can get better and score more goals.”

His goal was by no means easy at the weekend either, as despite being gifted the ball by keeper Joe Lumley, there was still plenty to do, chipping into the unguarded net from 30 yards.

He said: “You’ve just got to get what you’re given really.

“The keeper’s made a mistake and I’ve put it in the back of the net to give us a chance.

“Second half we’ve started well, Collo scores and then 3-2, it’s a whole different game.

“I thought we could have nicked it at the end and got a point that maybe we didn’t deserve, but that’s football.”

It’s not just scoring that Cornick is impressing with either so far, as he set up team-mate James Collins for a fourth of the season from Andrew Shinnie’s teasing centre.

He continued: “I had one early, I tried to play it across to Collo, and the keeper’s got there.

“The second one Shinnie’s played a great ball over the top, I’ve learned from the mistake in the first one, tapped it across to Collo and he’s got his goal.

“Obviously it’s good to get an assist, but the result is the main thing and that’s the frustrating thing."