Manager Richard Money was pleased with his side's second half performance after Matthew Barnes-Homer's equaliser earned the Town a 1-1 draw at Cambridge City.
After a first half that had seen their Southern League opponents lead, the Hatters hit back in a second half display that Money hopes will be the shape of things to come when the season gets underway for real on 14th August.
"I thought we were great in the second half," Money said afterwards. "The second period was pretty much how we'll play when the season starts.
"In pre-season you can sometimes get caught between two schools of thoughts. You're happy that you're playing well but it can be too slow and too pedestrian sometimes.
"It didn't really work for us in the first half so we came in at half-time and said to them 'right, that's enough, let's start playing how we know we can'.
"And there were a lot of encouraging signs. George Pilkington in the middle of midfield, Adam Murray is coming into his own, Andy Drury was clever on the right flank, Jake Howells gave us energy, Adam Newton was excellent and the back four were solid.
"Tom Craddock and Barnes-Homer started to perform for the first time this pre-season and it was good to see Matthew score. We've got Danny Crow in good form too so it's all boding well."
Despite the draw, the Hatters dominated the second half and were unlucky not to have come out on top with City indebted to goalkeeper Zac Barrett, who was once on the books at Kenilworth Road, for a string of fine saves to keep the visitors at bay.
"We should have won by four or five," Money said. "Tom and Matthew know they should have scored in the first minute of the second half but they both looked dangerous and it seems to be coming together nicely.
"Dan Gleeson had 45 minutes tonight and that's another plus.
"Sometimes you learn a lot when things don't work. In pre-season you learn how you play and how you can't play.
"On the evidence of the first half we won't like that again!
"We've been working the lads really hard and maybe, after a training session earlier, it took the first half to get that session out of their legs.
"We're making them play under pressure and stress and eventually we'll get to the stage where everyone on the pitch will be fresh."
The Hatters were without Keith Keane at Milton Road but Money, although admitting there had been contact from Crawley about the midfielder's availability on Monday, revealed his absence was solely down to a dental problem.
"Keith was awake at 3am with an abscess so after a trip to the dentist we let him have tonight off. He'll be fine for Marlow on Thursday," Money said.
"We've got Claude Gnakpa and Ed Asafu-Adjaye to come back before we've got a full complement, and they should be okay for next week.
"We just hope we've got everyone fit and well for 14th August."
View 10 minutes of post-match comment from Richard NOW on Hatters Player.
