Tom Lockyer inspired Luton Town race into three-goal lead vs Brighton

Luton Town have taken a substantial lead against Brighton in rapid fashion on Tom Lockyer’s return to Kenilworth Road.

The Hatters have won seven points in their last four Premier League outings in their unlikely bid for survival and have done their chances no harm in the first half of their encounter with high-flying Brighton.

Just 19 seconds were on the clock when Elijah Adebayo nodded home the opener and less than two minutes later their lead was doubled. Chiedozie Ogbene rounded the goalkeeper with a single touch before rolling into an empty net.

Both goals came within two minutes and 17 seconds. According to Opta, the only team to ever score twice in the Premier League quicker were Leicester City against Derby in April, 1998.

Luton’s fun wouldn’t stop there, either, as Adebayo grabbed a second just before the break to give his side an unthinkable half-time lead.

Tom Lockyer’s return

The first-half display must taste even sweeter given it came on the day that Lockyer returned Kenilworth Road.

The club captain suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch during a match between Luton and Bournemouth in December which left him requiring resuscitation on the pitch and caused the game to be abandoned.

However, after being taken to hospital it was announced the 29-year-old was in a stable condition. He was discharged after being fitted with a defibrillator and is on the road to recovery.

Lockyer returned to Luton’s training ground on Monday to reunite with his teammates and made his first appearance back on his home turf on Tuesday night ahead of kick-off. The centre-back received a rapturous applause from all four corners of the ground.