The Hatters Development Squad kicked off pre-season with a hard-earned 2-1 win at Hitchin Town in front of a crowd of over 1,000 at Top Field this afternoon.
Tyrelle Newton opened the scoring just before the half-hour mark, and after Finley Wilkinson had dragged Hitchin level seconds into the second period, Millar Matthews-Lewis netted an injury-time winner for Adrian Forbes' young Hatters after the Southern League Premier Division Central side had enjoyed the better of the second half.
The Town started brightly with Zack Nelson playing Tyrell Giwa in on the right to cross low for Tyrelle Newton racing into the box, but home goalkeeper Charlie Horlock gathered low by his the midfielder's feet.
Hitchin had three former Luton academy starlets in their starting XI - Ciaren Jones, Isaac Galliford and Jack Snelus - with the latter curling narrowly wide with 12 minutes on the clock, just after impressive midfielder Diogo Freitas-Gouveia had dragged a shot right across the face of goal.
Oli Lynch headed just wide on 15 minutes, climbing highest to meet a left-wing Nelson corner, but the lead wasn't long in coming.
Giwa's pressing won possession high on the right wing, and after the ball flew into Trialist C's path, he cut it back into Newton's path to slam it past Horlock at his near post.
Hitchin mounted a spirited fightback, first Aidan Francis-Clarke blocking a Layne Eadie header at the far post before Snelus looped one onto the roof of the net as the Canaries sought an equaliser.
Ben Tompkins was introduced to the right side of the back three on the half-hour, but it was Hitchin who continued to have the better of the goalmouth action, Gouveia drawing a fine save out of the Town's trialist goalkeeper with four minutes to go to half-time.
Giwa fired over the bar moments later, then Hitchin defender Toby Syme threw himself in the way of a Nelson shot, before the Hatters made eight changes at the break.
Htchin were level within the first 30 seconds of the restart when Finley Wilkinson cut in from the right and placed a left-footed shot into the bottom corner of the Town net.
The hosts had introduced another couple of ex-Hatters in Kav Cotter and Dan Idiakhoa at half-time, and it was Cotter who drew a fine save from the keeper before Galliford tried his luck, forcing him to tip over the bar.
Syme twice went close to giving the hosts the lead as Hitchin started the half dominantly, but a drinks break on the hour gave Town chance to regroup and Francis-Clarke was soon reintroduced in place of Jack Bateson.
Town had plenty of possession without creating a clear-cut chance, then Idiakhoa - who left Town in the summer after spending half of last season on loan with the Canaries - fizzed a low shot just wide of the post.
A patient build-up saw the Hatters finally carve out a second-half opportunity to retake the lead, Jacob Pinnington eventually cutting the ball back for Matthews-Lewis, who couldn't direct his header on target.
Then Matthews-Lewis and Jayden Luker linked up well in the box, before the latter cut the ball back and Idiakhoa was prevented from netting an own goal via an unfortunate deflection by his alert goalkeeper.
Cotter saw a free-kick deflected wide after Town's trialist keeper had brought down Canaries striker George Devine right on the edge of his box.
Then, with time almost up, the Hatters won the game in the 93rd minute when a Burger free-kick on the right was recycled to the left, with Matthews-Lewis finding space to wrong-foot goalkeeper Horlock from close range and net the injury-time winner.
First Half XI: Trialist A, Giwa, Odell-Bature, Piesold, Francis-Clarke (Tompkins 30'), Bateson, Newton, Nelson, Lynch, Trialist B, Trialist C.
Second Half XI: Trialist A, Pinnington, Bateson (Francis-Clarke 64), Tompkins, Scott, Allen, Luker, Burger, Trialist D, Braney, Matthews-Lewis.
Goals:
LT - Newton 27', Matthews-Lewis 90+3'
HT - Wilkinson 46'
Att: 1,095