Luton Town began their pre-season schedule in positive fashion with a win against Peterborough United behind-closed-doors at St. George’s Park.
Last season’s top scorer Carlton Morris was on the scoresheet in the first half, while John McAtee and Dion Pereira also found the net for the Hatters after Jonson Clarke-Harris’ equaliser.
The first big chance for the Hatters came inside two minutes when Fred Onyedinma found space on the left to cross low to Elijah Adebayo at the back-post, whose first-time effort cannoned off the crossbar.
It took ten minutes for the next shot to be registered, this time by Peterborough as Joel Randall fired over from inside the penalty box.
Chances for Alfie Doughty and Adebayo followed, but Posh’s trialist goalkeeper was able to make two comfortable saves.
The deadlock was broken by the Hatters when Doughty won the ball back high up the pitch, Luke Berry delivered a cross from the right and Morris was at the back-post to head us into the lead.
Posh looked to respond five minutes later and it was Randall again who had an effort after good work from Kabongo Tshimanga, this time Randall stung the palms of James Shea.
A penalty was awarded to Peterborough moments later as Romoney Crichlow was judged to have been pulled back by Reece Burke from Harrison Burrows’ corner, but Tshimanga’s penalty was denied by the post.
The Hatters changed the line-up for the second half and Joe Taylor latched onto a defence-splitting pass from John McAtee, but Taylor’s first-time finish was wide of the target.
Just before Peterborough made their changes, Archie Collins smashed his effort onto the post after some good build-up play.
Shortly after the hour-mark, Peterborough made ten changes and Clarke-Harris found the equaliser for Posh, scoring with the outside of his left foot from inside the penalty area.
Town made an instant response just minutes later as McAtee found the top corner with a beautiful curling effort from the edge of the box.
McAtee turned provider as his lofted cross from the left found Pereira at the back-post, who squeezed his header under the goalkeeper.
Hatters youngster Aidan Francis-Clarke denied Kwame Poku’s close-range effort to clear off of the goal-line.
Goalkeeper Matt Macey was on hand twice in the final five minutes, first to palm away Clarke-Harris’ low effort and then to deny Ricky Jade-Jones as Luton Town secured the victory on their first outing of pre-season.
First Half XI: Shea, Doughty, Burke, Andersen, Potts, Onyedinma, Clark, Berry, Campbell, Adebayo, Morris.
Second Half XI: Macey, Pereira, Francis-Clarke, Bateson, Odell-Bature, Johnson, Nelson, Watson, McAtee, Taylor (Luker, 89), Woodrow.
Goals:
LT - Morris 28’, McAtee 68’, Pereira 70’
PU – Clarke-Harris 65’