The Hatters bounced back from their weekend defeat at Alfreton Town by comfortably and impressively beating a Liverpool XI at Kenilworth Road.

Liverpool' side might have lacked the star names that litter the Anfield first team dressing room, but John McMahon's side was still crammed with the hottest home-grown and international talent.

However, as the eventual scoreline suggests, it was a commanding and professional job by Richard Money's side.

From the first whistle the Town were intent on pinning back the youthful Reds side and within the opening five minutes they could have easily been two goals to the good.

George Pilkngton swung a boot at a Jake Howells cross on two minutes that forced visiting goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis into action before good play between front pair Matthew Barnes-Homer and Danny Crow forged a chance for Adam Murray that was soon snuffed out.

But with the Town well on top, more chances continued to fall their way.

A great opportunity to take the lead was spurned on 13 minutes when Howells, darting down the left, cut the ball back for Barnes-Homer who saw a low shot saved by the legs of Liverpool goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis.

Town dominance was the name of the game as half chances continued to rain down on the Reds with Crow, Howells and Barnes-Homer constant pests to the visitors' back-line.

Liverpool had shown barely any attacking threat and, as the Town continued to pass through and around their opponents, Andy Drury curled a shot over the crossbar on 26 minutes, while on 31 minutes, Barnes-Homer saw a firm snap-shot held by Bouzanis.

Still Money's side pressed. On 33 minutes a slick, one-touch move almost resulted in the opening goal with Keith Keane, Adam Murray, Drury and Howells all involved in a wonderful inventive move but six minutes later and six minutes before the interval it was 1-0.

Drury, floating down the right flank, arched a ball into the path of Barnes-Homer six yards from goal. After holding off the attention of his marker he cut across the ball well to send it arrowing past the grasp of Bouzanis into the roof of the net for his second strike of pre-season.

Hurt, the young Reds responded, but moderately so, with a wayward Jesus Fernandez's free-kick their first shot at goal on 41 minutes all they could muster.

But, on the stroke of half-time, a picture-book goal from the Town doubled their lead.

Freddie Murray's ball from the left-back position fizzed into the feet of Barnes-Homer following Crow's intelligent dummy. The ball was quickly edged out to right flank to Drury who in turn squared the ball invitingly across the six yard box to an unmarked Crow who did the rest, tucking the ball past Bouzanis.

The disappointingly small crowd were loving it, if not the sole vuvuzela which was roundly booed midway through the first 45.

With no changes at the interval for the Town they wasted no time in carrying on from where they left off with Keane and Crow both sending chances over and at Bouzanis respectively in the opening minutes after the break.

However, on 56 minutes the Hatters made the game safe when Crow's fellow former Cambridge team-mate Dan Gleeson made it three.

Drury swung in a delightfully dangerous deep free-kick to the back stick that Pilkington headed across goal and Gleeson had the simplest of tasks to stick out a foot to send it bouncing past Bouzanis.

Liverpool continued to offer little in attack but, as Money began to ring the changes with substitutions, there were still half chances and good football to be seen from the Town but in the end they had to settle for three on a night of good entertainment.

Not a bad way to get into the swing of things back at Kenilworth Road.

Let's hope for more of the same when SPL side Kilmarnock are in town on Friday.

It's the Killie first team here and a bigger test awaits.

It's shaping up well here - come and see for yourself.

See you then.

For minute-by-minute analysis, see below.

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Luton Town 3 (Barnes-Homer 39, Crow 45, Gleeson 56)

Liverpool XI 0

Result

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FULL-TIME LUTON TOWN 3-0 LIVERPOOL XI - It's all over and an entertaining 90 minutes is over in the first pre-season friendly at Kenilworth Road. Stay tuned for a full report, reaction, photographs and highlights all on lutontown.co.uk over the course of the next 12 hours. COYH!

90 mins - Time is almost up here but persistence from firstly Newton and then MBH sees the latter see a shot blocked from an acute angle by Sokolik as the Town look for a fourth. Unlucky. Meanwhile, we've got two added minutes...

86 mins - Young centre-half Lacey has impressed so far since his introduction with a number of nice touches, passes and interceptions.

83 mins A change at the back for the Town as Alex Lacey replaces Blackett at the heart of the back-line. Remember it's a SoLYD re-launch night for the new season. There are four products of our centre of excellence on the pitch now: Keane, Howells, Lacey and Watkins.

80 mins - Half a sniff for the visitors but it's a comfortable catch for Tyler as Mendy heads a left-wing free-kick from Fernandez goalwards.

75 mins  Yet another change for the Hatters as Adam Watkins replaces Drury.

74 mins - Inside Kenilworth Road tonight are 2,769.

73 mins - That Kenny end roof is taking a pounding tonight as shot from Poku from distance rebounds off the white panels much to the amusement of the home crowd.

72 mins  Another change for the Town as trialist Dan Walker replaces Crow.

69 mins - More good football from the Hatters with Drury and Keane at the heart of it but eventually the visitors snuff out the danger and move fizzles out. Still good to watch.

66 mins - A bit handbags between the two sides on the halfway line as MBH takes the brunt of a late, hefty challenge from Robinson. The ref defuses the situation by talking to the two captains. No cards here.

64 mins Second substitution of the evening from Richard Money as Poku replaces Adam Murray.

60 mins - An over zealous challenge from a Liverpool defender on Howells sees the referee tell the Reds man to calm down...

60 mins First change of the night for the Town as scorer of the third goal, Gleeson, is replaced by Adam Newton.

56 mins  GOAL! HATTERS 3-0 Liverpool - And there's me saying there wasn't many clear-cut chances. Drury swings in an incredibly deep free-kick from the left that George Pilkington, unmarked at the back-post, nods across the face of goal that is stabbed home by Gleeson from two yards. 3-0. Good stuff.

54 mins - Not so many clear-cut chances yet at the start of this half but the Town are still in command. MBH runs down the left and feeds Crow but the striker, surrounded by Reds shirts, digs out a shot that is easy for Bouzanis to gather.

51 mins - First chance of the second half falls to the Hatters - if you can call it a chance. Drury tip-toes in from the right flank and squares to an unmarked Keane on the edge of the area. The Hatters' number four then precedes to whack it so far over the crossbar that it clears the Kenny End! Even Keith finds the the funny side to it!

47 mins - The night's sky over Luton looks remarkably like the colours the Hatters are sporting tonight. The clouds are pink and purple. Just thought I'd point that out.

46 mins No changes for the Hatters at the interval but two from Liverpool as the hosts kick-off kicking towards the Kenny end.

HALF-TIME LUTON TOWN 2-0 LIVERPOOL - Not often you get to put that as a scoreline I guess. Even if it is a young Liverpool side. But the Town have been well on top and deservedly lead. They've played some lovely stuff and the second goal was a move of quite magnificent quality. It's been thoroughly enjoyable so far, let's hope the second half is more of the game. Check back in 15.

45 mins GOAL! HATTERS 2-0 Liverpool - Seriously, subscribe to Hatters Player to see this goal later tonight. Fred Murray plays the ball into MBH with Crow dummying. MBH sprays a first time ball to Drury down the right who does the same, sending a first-time cross dangerous across the Liverpool six-yard box that Crow neatly tucks past the despairing dive of Bouzanis. Lovely, lovely goal.

41 mins - Liverpool react to going a goal down but their first effort on goal of the night isn't great as Bruna, a young Argentine, tries his luck direct from a free-kick 25 yards out. It is off target, not troubling Tyler but it dipped right at the last minute.

39 mins  GOAL! HATTERS 1-0 Liverpool - Well it had be coming and Barnes-Homer who has been a nuisance all half has capped a good show by putting the Town ahead. Drury, down the right, chips in a lovely pass over the Liverpool back-line to the striker who delays his shot, holds off his marker before drilling a shot past Bouzanis. A very good goal indeed.

37 mins - The DiverseFM team and Simon Pitts are back over the airwaves calling home the shots for Hatters Player subscribers around the world for our friendly with Kilmarnock at Kenilworth Road on Friday. Simon's not here today but we believe he's keeping tabs on the scoreline here through the updates. Hello, Simon!

33 mins - The Kenilworth Road crowd show their appreciation as Town move breaks down. It was a lovely zipping move of quick passing involving Keane, Adam Murray, Drury and Howells. The latter's cross, intended for an unmarked Crow, was blocked. It's been all the Hatters so far and they've played really well.

31 mins - See 20 minutes. Jake is still running the show. This time he feeds MBH and gets the ball back, after more good hold-up play from the striker, and arrows a shot goalwards that the over-worked Bouzanis gets his gloves too, catching well.

26 mins - An effort from a set piece for the Hatters as, after Crow is upended on the edge of the area, Drury curls an narrowly over the crossbar.

23 mins - We're discussing pre-seasons past in the press box, trying not to get carried away with good performers and performances. Who remembers Herve Bacque in the summer of 1998?

20 mins - Howells is everywhere tonight. The confidence is brimming. He deftly clips a ball over the top of the Liverpool defence into the path of Crow, however the striker's touch on his chest isn't a good one, and Bouzanis is able to gather. Unlucky.

18 mins - Tidy possession football from the Hatters as another chance falls to MBH as he drives a right-foot shot wide after he'd seizes upon Murray's pass that was meant for Keane.

15 mins - And still the chances fall to the Town, and again Howells is the architect. He runs down the left and swings in a cross that is knocked down by a Reds defender into the path of Crow who hits a first time shot high and wide.

13 mins - Should be 1-0 to the Hatters as more good play from Howells tees up Barnes-Homer but with time on his side he whacks a low shot straight at the legs of Bouzanis.

11 mins - It must be said Liverpool haven't had much of a kick so far but then, in a flash, a sublime bit of skill from Fernandez beats Freddie Murray all ends up which draws a woo of appreciation from the home crowd.

10 mins - Two moments in the space of 20 seconds cause a stir inside Kenilworth Road. Firstly the sound of a sole vuvuzela is blown which is roundly booed before Drury, lining up to take a right-wing corner accidentally kicks the corner flag instead - just like he did at Cambridge City!

7 mins - The Town are playing some neat stuff at the minute and the crowd are impressed with what they're seeing. More pressure from the hosts in the Liverpool 18 yard box results in MBH shooting wide.

5 mins - It's all the Hatters at the minute and Liverpool are letting them play. All of a sudden Crow breaks and feeds MBH who crosses from the left which Adam Murray takes well in his stride. It looks like he's momentarily free but then he goes down as a Reds' defender gets in the way. Half-hearted shout for a pen but nothing given.

2 mins - Early chance for the Town as great link-up play down the left with Freddie Murray and Howells sees the latter cross for George Pilkington who swings a right-foot shot goalwards that is well-saved by Bouzanis in the visitors goal.

1 min - Okay, so the Hatters are lining-up as follows: Tyler in goal, a back four of F. Murray, Blackett, G. Pilks and Gleeson, a midfield of Howells, Keane, A. Murray and Drury with Crow and MBH up top.

1 min And... we're off as Liverpool get the first home pre-season friendly under way. Enjoy the updates. COYH!

19:46 HERE THEY COME

Out come the two sides onto the pitch - the Town in their pink and blue halved shirts while Liverpool are in their famous all red strip.

19:41 ONE CHANGE

One noticeable change at Kenilworth Road - yes apart from the greener grass and new licks of paint - are the the dugouts. Instead of a bench it is now filled with 11 blue seats that once lived in the Kenilworth Road end. Luxury for Richard Money and co.

19:40 FIVE MINUTES

As the sun peers through the clouds and supporters begin to take their seats we're just five minutes away from the first action of pre-season at Kenilworth Road. It's good to be back...

19:30 WEATHER WATCH

A bit damp after the rain early but it's overcast very warm and muggy at Kenilworth Road

19:05 TEAM NEWS

The first team sheet of the season printed at Kenilworth Road is hot off the press. And it shows four changes to the Town side that lost 3-0 at Alfreton on Saturday.

In come Mark Tyler, Keith Keane, Danny Crow and Jake Howells all start for the Hatters as Kevin Pilkington, Alan White, Tom Craddock and Stefan Bailey all drop to the substitutes' bench.

The Liverpool side is made-up of their successful reserve side last season, managed by John McMahon - the brother of Steve - and is awash with the up-and-coming Anfield talent including lads from Iceland, Spain, Holland and Denmark.

Luton Town: Tyler, Gleeson, G. Pilkington, Blackett, F. Murray, Drury, A. Murray, Keane, Howells, Crow, Barnes-Homer.

Subs: K. Pilkington, White, Newton, Gallen, Craddock, Poku, Watkins, Walker, Bailey.

Liverpool: Bouzanis, Flanagan, Robinson, Cooper, Wisdom, Coady, Silva, Palsson, Saric, Fernandez, Bruna.

Subs: Ngoo, Chamberlain, Sokolik, Roberts, Weijl, Mendy.

18:55 EVENING ALL

The grass is green, the goals are up, the white lines have been marked out, the ground has had it's lick of paint and, after the best part of three months without a game, Kenilworth Road is back hosting a game of football. Thank goodness!

So welcome back and let's hope tonight is the start of a fantastic season of football at the famous old ground of ours as we embark on a campaign in which we celebrate our 125th anniversary.

As ever, like last season and throughout pre-season so far, we'll be giving you live updates as it happens, trying our best to bring you a textual representation of what's happening on the pitch.

Remember we love your feedback, thoughts and predictions so feel free to drop us line. Email andrew.barringer@lutontown.co.uk or log-on to our official twitter and Facebook pages to chat with your fellow Hatters.