Luton had their first away win of the season in their grasp against Tranmere, but threw it away in an amazing final five minutes at Prenton Park.

Paul Furlong's fourth goal of the season inside the opening six minutes had given the Hatters the perfect start to the game.

And despite being let off the hook on a number of occasions through some sloppy Tranmere finishing, Luton looked well in control of proceedings.

But a disastrous ending to the game saw the Hatters conceded twice in the final five minutes, with two Tranmere substitutes - firstly Craig Curran and then Antony Kay - both scoring to seal all three points for the home side.

And not for the first time this season, Luton will be left wondering how they have let precious points slip through their fingers via late goals.

Hatters boss Kevin Blackwell went into the game making a major surprise to his starting line-up as he made two changes from the side which lost to Bristol Rovers last weekend.

For the first time this season, Blackwell opted for a 4-5-1 formation, a tactic tried by the Hatters boss last season in his first game in charge of the club against Burnley.

A surprise omission was that of Darren Currie, who dropped to the bench, with Dean Morgan being rewarded for his encouraging display in the midweek reserve game by being recalled to the left.

Dave Edwards was also recalled to the starting line-up after returning from international duty with Wales leaving Furlong as the lone striker as Drew Talbot failed to make the 16-man squad.

Tranmere, who had won three of their opening five League One fixtures, gave Gareth Taylor a return to the side as popular striker Calvin Zola missed out.

The Friday evening kick-off saw a lower than usual following from the Hatters, but they were almost celebrating as they were about to take their seats with David Bell going close inside two minutes.

The midfielder almost capitalised on a sloppy free-kick conceded by the home side, but he fired over the crossbar from 25-yards.

Tranmere soon settled into their stride and a minute later Chris Shuker cut inside from the right, sent a ball through the legs of Alan Goodall but blasted his shot into the side netting.

However, Blackwell's new look formation was stifling the Tranmere line-up and the visitors were unfortunate not to have been in front on five minutes.

Matthew Spring displayed great trickery after picking up a pass from the right, got between his marker to send a cross into the area, only for Furlong to loop a header over the head of Tranmere goalkeeper Danny Coyne and come back off the crossbar.

But the Hatters striker didn't have to wait long to get his name on the score sheet as from a resulting corner, the 38-year-old notched his fourth goal of the campaign.

Bell's corner from the left found Furlong at the back post and his towering header from six yards went between the gloves of Coyne and nestled into the back of the net.

The Hatters continued to look impressive coming forward and as Luton's five man midfield ventured forward at every possibility.

And it was Steve Robinson's turn on 11 minutes to try his luck from long range but his well executed volley needed better direction as Coyne gathered comfortably.

Morgan was being given plenty of freedom down the left and his perfectly weighted cross on 16 minutes found Bell at the back post whose header back across goal was directed just over the crossbar by Edwards.

Unfortunately the high tempo to the game was unable to continue as chances became few and far between.

The home side came close on 33 minutes when former Hatters midfielder Paul McLaren sent in a free kick from deep to Shane Sherriff at the back post.

With Luton goalkeeper David Forde caught in two minds on whether to come and gather the cross, Tranmere's defender almost found the net but Goodall was in the right place at the right time to head off the line.

That opportunity kick-started Tranmere's best spell of the game and a minute before half-time, sloppy defending from Chris Perry was almost punished by Taylor, but the striker failed to take advantage from ten-yards as he skewed his opening wide.

AT HALF TIME: TRANMERE 0 V 1 LUTON

The second half almost saw Tranmere get themselves back on level terms in spectacular style when the impressive Steve Davis, a transfer target of Leeds United, cut inside from the left and unleashed a powerful shot from 25-yards that Forde acrobatically tipped over his crossbar.

But Luton were determined to continue from where they had left off in the first-half and Bell had Coyne scampering across his goal on 50 minutes as his low strike was kept out by the fingertips of the Tranmere goalkeeper.

Davies was giving an energetic performance for Tranmere and he came close again on 53 minutes when he beat Goodall down the flank, got to the by-line, and grazed the Hatters crossbar with a cross-cum-shot.

On 60 minutes, once time Luton transfer target Ben Chorley should have done better when he scuffed his turn and shot, from McLaren's free-kick into the area, wide of the target from ten-yards.

Tranmere were beginning to put Luton under some considerable pressure, but the Hatters were being let off the hook but some wayward finishing in front of goal from the home-side.

And Chris Greenacre was guilty of a unbelievable miss on 71 minutes when Davies low cross from the right was touched inches wide of the target from six-yards.

But the pressure on Luton's goal soon began to tell and the Hatters were back on level terms on 84 minutes when a long ball into the penalty area was flicked on by Coyne straight into the path of Curran, who slammed a shot into the net.

And disaster struck for the Hatters as a moment of madness from the visitors saw them go behind. As Luton were looking to organise themselves after the introduction of substitute Jaroslaw Fojut to the game, Davies' deep cross found Kay at the back post whose header found the top corner of the net.

Luton pushed bodies forward in the closing stages but they couldn't make the breakthrough as the Hatters suffered yet another defeat in their travels.

AT FULL TIME: TRANMERE 2 V 1 LUTON

Tranmere: Coyne, Stockdale, McLaren, Sherriff, Taylor (Curran 72), Greenacre, Jennings (Kay , Chorley, Goodison, Davies, Shuker

Subs not used: Tremarco, Jones, Achterberg

Bookings:

Luton: Forde, Goodall, Perry, Coyne, Morgan (Peschisolido 90), Bell (Brkovic 77), Jackson, Robinson (Fojut 85), Edwards, Spring, Furlong

Subs not used: Currie, McVeigh.

Bookings: Bell (76)

Referee: Mr A Bates

Attendance: