The Town made it five wins in a row in pre-season with a hard-fought win at Southend.

Cauley Woodrow opened the scoring five minutes before half-time and, although the National League hosts threatened an equaliser in the second period, a goal 10 minutes from time from Lasse Nordås secured victory for the Town.

The hosts started the brighter of the two sides with Josh Keeley forced into his first action in Luton colours with a comfortable save to keep out Jack Bridge’s low shot on seven minutes.

Two minutes later, the Town were forced into an early change when Teden Mengi was stretchered off after being on the receiving end of a crunching challenge. He was replaced by Christ Makosso.

Bridge then shot just wide on 18 minutes as the hosts pushed for an opener after the restart but slowly the Town began to grow into the game.

The Hatters were inches away from breaking the deadlock on 26 minutes when Joe Johnson found Zack Nelson down the left but his cross flashed across the face of goal.

The Town came even closer to opening the scoring five minutes later when Nelson helped fashion a chance that saw Jordan Clark slip in Jake Richards but the midfielder’s effort was saved well by the legs of home goalkeeper Nick Hayes. From the resultant corner Alfie Doughty’s shot from the edge of the flew over the crossbar.

But the Hatters were not to be denied four minutes before half-time when Woodrow fired home. Richards’ cross from the right to the back post found Doughty whose header came back down off the crossbar. The ball bounced invitingly free for Woodrow who make no mistake from close range.

In the first of six added minutes, the Town needed to make another change in defence when Mads Andersen was forced off after a clash of heads and was replaced by Nigel Lonwijk.

There was still time for the Hatters to come close to doubling their lead at the end of the first half when Woodrow sent Nelson through on goal – only for Hayes to deny the midfielder’s shot with a sprawling save.

Bloomfield made a double change at the break with George Saville and Nordås introduced in the place of Clark and goalscorer Woodrow and four minutes after restart Nelson stung the gloves of Hayes with a piledriver from 20 yards.

New signing Gideon Kodua was brought on for his first taste of action in orange when replacing Johnson in the 54th minute but 10 minutes later the home side twice came close to levelling the score. Firstly, Tom Hopper hit the post with a shot from close range before Keeley got down well at his near post to keep out Gus Scott-Morriss’ effort.

After that close shave the Town made a triple substitution with Kal Naismith, Jayden Luker and Milli Alli sent on for Reuell Walters, Nelson and Doughty respectively.

Southend continued to look for an equaliser and, with 16 minutes left on the clock, Charley Kendall thrashed a shot wide from an acute angle before Leon Parillon tested Keeley with a shot from distance moments later.

Alli dragged a shot wide on with 11 minutes to go and Nahki Wells joined the fray for Richards as the game ticked into the final 10.

But the introduction of Alli had the Hatters back on the front foot and the forward set-up up the Town’s second goal to make the game safe. His cross from the left found Nordås and the Norwegian striker stroked home a fine left-foot shot from 12 yards out.

Nordås almost grabbed a quickfire brace on 83 minutes but scooped an effort over the bar before the dangerous Alli danced past several Southend defenders and shot wide.

Wells then came close to adding a third for the Hatters in the dying moments with a low shot and that was the final act as the Town saw out victory.

There’s one friendly left before the season starts – and that comes at Kenilworth Road on Saturday at home to Tottenham. We’ll see you then.

Town: Keeley, Andersen (sub Lonwijk 45+2), Mengi (sub Makosso 12), Johnson (sub Kodua 54), Walters (sub Naismith 65), Doughty (sub Luker 65), Walsh, Clark (sub Saville 46), Richards (sub Wells 79), Nelson (sub Alli 65), Woodrow (sub Nordås 46).

Sub not used: Shea.

Attendance: 1,919 with 179 shouting for the Town.