Lewis Emanuel completed 61 minutes on his return to action as the Hatters' reserves went down to Ipswich Town at Kenilworth Road.

The Town fielded a strong side against their Championship counterparts with Andy Burgess, Asa Hall, Callum Reynolds, Ryan Charles, Mark Nwokeji and Ed Asafu-Adjaye all featuring.

Both sides contributed to a lively first half, playing some neat, attacking football.

It was the visitors that began the brighter with trialist goalkeeper Sam Beasant forced into a save as early as the second minute to deny Ipswich captain Tommy Smith's header from creeping home.

The Blues continued to press and Owen Garvan and Reggie Lambe combined superbly to tee-up Pablo Counago who saw a shot deflected over the crossbar on 10 minutes.

At the other end Taylor Nathaniel saw a fierce drive from 18 yards headed away by Smith after the visitors had failed to clear Burgess' corner before Ipswich took the lead on 18 minutes.

Garvan, who was at the heartbeat of most of visitors' attacks, fed a slide-rule pass to Liam Trotter who coolly finished past Beasant with the outside of his boot.

That provoked the Hatters into action with Burgess having the hosts' first real chance at goal on 34 minutes when he curled a vicious free-kick into near post that was beaten away by Ian McLoughin in the Ipswich goal.

As the Town grew in confidence they got back on level terms five minutes before the break when Nwokeji finished in great style with a shot from 25 yards that curled beyond McLoughin after Nick Beasant's clever touch.

Ipswich began the second period like they did the first and the Hatters had Nathaniel to thank for keeping the scores level on 49 minutes when he cleared Trotter's goal-bound header off the line.

The Town missed a great opportunity to take the lead for the first time five minutes later when Nwokeji rounded McLoughlin after being found by Beasant's through-ball but the on-loan Dagenham & Redbridge striker saw his shot blocked on the line by Josh Carson.

The Hatters were left to rue that miss on 73 minutes when Ed Upson's right-wing cross was handled by Burgess in the penalty box and Counago sent Beasant the wrong way from the spot to give the visitors control again.

With their tails up the Blues should have put the game beyond doubt when Trotter decided to shoot at Beasant when he had four team-mates queuing up for a tap-in.

Nwokeji was enjoying a sprightly display with his pace and power a particular highlight.

And the 27-year-old came close to grabbing his second goal of the afternoon when he headed against the visitors' crossbar following Beasant's right-wing cross on 74 minutes.

However, that scare galvanised the Blues again and following Upson's left-wing corner Garvan smashed home an unstoppable right-footed effort from the edge of the penalty area in off the crossbar to seal the victory.

Luton Town: S. Beasant, Asafu-Adjaye, Nathaniel, Burgess, Reynolds, Wood, Charles, Hall, N. Beasant, Nwokeji, Emanuel (Dayton 61).

Subs not used: Kidd, Deeney, Barker, James.

Ipswich Town: McLoughlin, Brown, Carr, Garvan, Smith, Eastman, Lambe, Trotter, Counago, Healy, Upson.

Subs not used: Cawley, McKeown, Lavery, Clarke, Brandon.