Luton spoiled the Dagenham & Redbridge party to book their place in the second round of the Carling Cup.

A Matthew Spring penalty and a Drew Talbot deflected goal ensured Dagenham & Redbridge's first professional game at Victoria Park ended in defeat.

But this was far from plain sailing for the Hatters. It was a game played in torrential downpours and when they should have made the game safe - they didn't - allowing the home-side a way back into the game.

Ben Strevens grabbed a goal with 17 minutes remaining for Dagenham, but the Hatters held on to the end and will now await their second round opponents when the draw is made on Thursday evening.

Six changes were made by Hatters boss Kevin Blackwell from the side that beat Hartlepool United at the weekend.

Don Hutchison, Dean Morgan, Sam Parkin, Lewis Emanuel, Keith Keane and Talbot were all handed their first starts of the season.

That meant Paul Peschisolido, Alan Goodall, Darren Currie, Paul Furlong, Chris Perry and Steve Robinson were all rested.

Dagenham made just one change from their weekend defeat to Stockport with Chris Moore replacing Paul Benson.

With the rain hammering down at Victoria Road, it made playing conditions difficult for both sides with neither team showing much threat in front of goal.

It wasn't until the 13th minute when Luton almost found a way through with the first real attack of the game.

Morgan's precise pass out to the right picked out Dave Edwards who cut the ball back for Parkin, but the former Swindon man saw his miss-hit shot take a deflection off the head of Jon Boardman.

It was an opening that the crowd was hoping would kick start the game into life, but they were to be left toughly disappointed.

Half chances came and went for both sides, but neither goalkeeper had yet to make an notable save.

Morgan was teed up by Hutchison on 30 minutes, but the midfielder blasted his effort over the crossbar, when he really should have done better.

This was a night that Dagenham fans were hoping would fill them with excitement - their first ever Carling Cup match, but it was hardly rip roaring entertainment.

But then the game exploded into life out of nowhere. Firstly, Luton survived a Dagenham bombardment in the Hatters penalty area when Dean Brill made two splendid saves in a matter of seconds.

Luton's young shot-stopper somehow kept out Dave Rainford's close range header on 37 minutes after Sam Sloma had sent an in swinging corner into the Hatters area.

After displaying sharp reactions from the initial effort, he somehow managed to save from Rainford again when the loose ball fell to his feet, with the Daggers eventually striking the crossbar and being the threat eventually been cleared to safety by the Hatters defence.

Another corner saw Brill once again keep Luton in the game. It was the same combination of Sloma and Rainford, this time the midfielder hitting a first time shot straight at the goalkeeper.

Luton broke straight down the other end and Edwards released Morgan surging downing the centre, but the midfielder couldn't find the target as he side footed a shot the wrong side of Tony Roberts' goal.

Brill was at it again on 40 minutes as the game suddenly came into life. On this occasion, a cross from the right wasn't dealt with by Luton's defence and when the ball reached Glen Southman at the back post, he was denied by Brill's low save.

The final notable chance of the half resulted in Luton taking the lead when Talbot was sent tumbling to the ground under a challenge from Jon Nurse inside the area.

The referee awarded the penalty to the visitors, despite strong protests from the Dagenham players. Spring kept his nerves in tact and sent Roberts the wrong way for a half-time lead.

The half ended on a bitterly disappointing note for the Hatters when Parkin, playing only his second competitive game in ten months hobbled off, being replaced by Furlong.

AT HALF-TIME: DAGENHAM 0 V 1 LUTON

Dagenham started the second half brightly and nearly made the perfect opening when Nurse's low drive into the Hatters penalty area was almost turned home by Sam Saunders.

But Luton responded by going close themselves on 50 minutes when Morgan's corner found the head of Furlong, but his goal bound effort took a deflection off a Dagenham defender.

Luton continued to keep the pressure on the home side and doubled their advantage on 69 minutes.

Furlong picked out Talbot with a lofted pass and after the former Sheffield Wednesday man ran at the Dagenham defence, he struck a low shot that took a wicked deflection off Danny Foster to deceive and send Roberts the wrong way.

But Dagenham refused to let their heads drop and although Luton should have wrapped up the game, they quickly found themselves with work to do when the home-side reduced the deficit on 73 minutes

Some sloppy Luton defending allowed Moore to cut find space inside the Hatters area down the right and his side footed pass picked out substitute Strevens whose shot nestled into the bottom corner of the net.

With time fast running out for the home side, they began to take more risks. And Luton almost made them pay when Edwards' right wing cross on 80 minutes found Talbot's head, but the striker couldn't guide his opportunity on target.

It was Talbot again on 86 minutes when his long range effort almost crept into the corner, but despite late Dagenham pressure, including a header from Roberts that was saved by Brill deep into stoppage time after the goalkeeper had drifted up for a corner, Luton held on to their one goal advantage and secure a second round passage.

AT FULL TIME: DAGENHAM 1 V 2 LUTON

Dagenham: Roberts, Sloma, Boardman, Saunders, Southman, Nurse (Strevens 68), Rainford (Huke 46), Griffiths, Uddin, Foster, Moore

Subs not used: Thompson, Okuonghae, Graham

Bookings:

Luton: Brill, Hutchison, Coyne, Morgan (McVeigh 78), Parkin (Furlong 43), Jackson, Edwards, Emanuel, Talbot, Keane, Spring

Subs not used: Perry, O'Leary, Brkovic,

Bookings:

Referee: Mr M Thorpe

Attendance: