Luton Town suffered a narrow defeat in their third pre-season friendly at Kenilworth Road. The match, against League One Colchester United on a pleasant Tuesday evening in Bedfordshire, was the Hatters first match since the news that The Football League had granted permission for LTFC2020 to become the new custodians of the Club.
The U's, fancied to do well in League One this season following their relegation from the Championship, have been no strangers to scoring goals throughout their pre-season so far and would represent a tough test for Luton. Mick Harford again used the opportunity to run his eye over a handful of trialists as the Hatters boss looks to finalise his playing squad in time for the big kick-off on August 9th.
Following a 0-0 draw for Town with Northampton at the weekend, chances were again few and far between in the opening period as both sides fought for supremacy in the centre of the park but as play was to develop both goalkeepers wouldn't be short of things to do.
Lewis Emanuel let fly from distance after quarter of an hour but, whilst well struck, his shot didn't trouble Marc Cousins in the Colchester goal.
A neat turn and shot from Mark Yeates brought Dean Brill into action ten minutes later and at the other end, a rasping drive from Matthew Spring stung the hands of Cousins as Town continued to look the more likely to break the deadlock during the opening third.
A similar strike from a similar distance from Spring again brought high expectations from the home support and this time his effort was beyond Cousins' dive but also the far post. Sandwiched in between the two long distance efforts from the Hatters' midfielder, the visitors really should have taken the lead through Matt Lockwood after some neat build-up play from Sunday Wasiu, but the left back could only find the side netting with the goal at his mercy.
Dean Morgan then found himself in behind the Colchester defence however John White was able to make up ground with a lunging challenge, just as the striker looked to curl a shot at goal, was enough to block the shot and divert into the grateful hands of his goalkeeper.
One minute before half-time the U's broke the dead lock when a neat through ball split the Luton defence, Anthony Wordsworth latched onto it and rounded Brill before rolling the ball into an empty net.
As is tradition with matches at this stage of pre-season, a handful of changes were made at the start of the second period, again providing the opportunity for players to stake a claim for a regular run out for the Hatters.
With both sides finding it harder to get in behind their opposition back four than they had in the first half it was the best part of twenty minutes into the second period before either side registered a shot of note. Brill had to be at his best to tip over a shot from Scott Vernon; then five minutes later Colchester should have doubled their lead when Wasiu beat Brill to the ball as the keeper raced out of goal to avert the U's threat down the right but the big striker's pace saw him pip Brill to the ball but his shot from an acute angle was wide of the target.
A mix-up in the Luton defence almost allowed Colchester to add a second when Brill's clearance, from a mis-hit backpass fell to Johnny Jackson, who had burst through from midfield, but his instinctive shot clipped the foot of the post. Brill was replaced by a trialist goalkeeper in the second period and he impressed with a couple of neat saves in the final few minutes, twice denying Vernon with low dives to his right.
That was to be the final effort of the match and Luton will now prepare themselves for the visit of Brighton on Saturday in their final test before the curtain goes up on the new campaign.
Attendance: 1,203
Referee: Mr Russell
