Veteran goalscorer Benson already has a cross to bear at Luton

Benson, 33, signed on loan until the end of the season from League One Swindon Town on Monday with the view to a permanent move as Luton battled to a goalless draw against then table-topping Cambridge United.

The experienced striker looked on from the stand as Town got numerous crosses into the box, especially second half when injury had forced off target man Jon Shaw, who is in need of a hernia operation.

Keeper Mark Tyler said: “I think we had over 15 crosses in the box today so we just need that bit of luck in front of goal.

“He’s (Shaw) just playing through the pain barrier. Bens is a quality player, he played under the gaffer before, he knows the job, he knows the roles in the team so he’s a great acquisition for us and hopefully we’ll get Jon back as soon as possible and them two will be a force to be reckoned with.”

Tyler also believes it will benefit last season’s top scorer Andre Gray, as he continued: “It gives Andre a chance to get down the sides, he was terrific again when he went up there.

“He battles away like a raging bull at times, he just needs to play off someone because he’s electric and anything over the top that’s him, that’s not his game challenging for the ball, but he did brilliant for the team.

“So hopefully when Bens gets up to fitness he will be a good player.”

Boss John Still discovered Benson at Essex League side White Ensign before signing him for Dagenham & Redbridge as he helped them to promotion before being sold to Charlton Athletic.

He has been a prolific scorer in the Football League ever since, netting 102 goals in 265 appearances.

Wide man Jake Howells impressed when coming on at the weekend and is hopeful that Benson can provide the finishing touches to some of Town’s build-up play.

He said: “I guess so. Jon Shaw’s very good in the air and he’s just pulled up with a slight injury, but we’ve got Paul Benson in now who’s the same sort of player, good in the air, and if we keep producing the crosses the goals are going to come for. It doesn’t matter how big you are, if you get in front of your player and head it in it’s a goal. So long as we keep getting crosses in the box and everyone works hard as a team we will be all right.

“Everyone knows Jon’s very good in the air and he’s obviously our main header of the ball. He’s good in the air and everyone knows and we put crosses in for him, but it’s one of those things. Andre is good in the air and people don’t realise. But it’s one of those things, if we keep crossing the ball and everyone comes together and moulds together and keep picking up points here and there we will be fine by the end of the season.”

And despite Town having only scored three times in five league games so far, he’s in no doubt the goals will come.

The former Welsh U21 international said: “It’s just one of them things. Andre scores a lot of goals, we know that Shawy scores a lot of goals, we’ve got Cully (Mark Cullen) in from Hull, so they’re all goalscorers and obviously we’ve got Paul Benson in now who has come from League One so I think it’s going to come at the end of the day. We’re just waiting for it and once it does I think we’re going to use every striker we’ve got and hopefully I get a few as well and we get goals.”

Young centre-half Alex Lacey rued having a first Luton goal chalked out for offside in the game at the New Lawn and, now they’ve got things right at the back, he’s sure it will follow at the other end too.

He added: “I always like to go forward and see if I can get on the scoresheet. I think it was unlucky in Saturday’s game, I think I was maybe just offside but it was very close. Any chance I get to score I will always try and take it.

“Playing against Forest Green and Cambridge are the last two games we’ve played and we haven’t conceded and I think we get confidence from that to go into games against other tough opponents as well. They are all looking to be at the top end of the league so I think as a team we are always going to be considered favourites or there or thereabouts being how big the club is.

“It’s just a matter of taking our chances and working hard and competing against them to try and get the win.

“I’m sure it will come in time, we’ve been working hard in training and I think it’s maybe just a couple of finishing sessions or something like that. We’ve been doing really well and it’s showing that our defensive organisation as a whole team, not just the back four, has been very good.

“I think it’s our third clean sheet so defensively obviously we’re keeping it tight, I think other teams aren’t creating too many chances against us. From a defensive point it’s going very well, up front and attacking as a team I think we can definitely improve because we’re creating a lot of chances, but maybe not finishing as much as we would like to. So that would be the area to improve on for next week.”