Adebayo and Potts score as Hatters hit back to beat Cobblers

Second half goals from Elijah Adebayo and Dan Potts saw Luton recover from conceding early on to beat League Two Northampton Town at Sixfields this afternoon.

The Hatters went strong from the word go as they look to up their preparations for the Championship campaign, Cauley Woodrow, Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo all in the starting XI.

Town fell behind with 10 minutes on the clock though when they were caught out in the middle of the park and with a lack of defensive cover on the right, it allowed Kieron Bowie to burst into the area, his cross-shot turned home by Mitch Pinnock from close range.

It was the start of a good spell for the hosts, who had former Luton striker Danny Hylton in their ranks, his first outing against his old team-mates the forward’s angled drive not missing the top corner by too much.

Luton's first effort in anger came on 15 minutes when Jordan Clark let fly from 25 yards on his left foot, keeper Lee Burge opting to punch away, the home stopper then fisting Alfie Doughty's attempt behind at his near post too.

Hylton, who only scored twice from outside the box in his entire Town career, tried his luck from around 45 yards, and showed why that was the case, failing quite spectacularly to beat a retreating Ethan Horvath.

The ex-Hatters attacker forward was much closer just before the half hour, cleverly turning Potts inside the area, only to see his close range shot produce a sharp save out of Horvath, who also gathered Jon Guthrie's downward header.

Town continued to struggle to fashion anything of note, Carlton Morris's header simple for Burge to just throw his cap on, but if Luton struggled to get going in the opening 45, it was a different proposition after the break.

Looking to press their opponents higher up from the off, it paid instant dividends when Adebayo caught Cobblers skipper Guthrie on the ball on the edge of his area and faced with Burge, emphatically slammed his side-footed finish into the bottom corner.

Three minutes later and Luton led, Cobblers conceding a corner when Ryan Haynes forced Burge into an awkward header behind, the resulting set-piece taken short to Doughty and his cross saw Potts volley home from close range off the inside of the post.

Now with their tails well and truly up, it became one way traffic, Morris denied his first goal in Luton colours by Burge, as Clark's curler deflected inches wide, with some dawdling Cobblers defence almost punished by Woodrow, Burge flicking behind.

With 65 gone, Luton swapped their entire outfield players, as summer signing Luke Freeman was one introduced, with Hylton also making way for the hosts after a good hour.

Horvath was called upon to keep the scores level, saving well low down from Peter Abimbola after he got the better of Tom Lockyer, but Admiral Muskwe almost had an instant impact, showing some tricky feet and then rifling off target.

Home stopper Burge made rather a meal of captain Sonny Bradley's header, eventually batting it away for a corner, while Muskwe had appeals for a penalty turned down, Freeman's effort from outside the box bouncing tamely wide.

Northampton sub Sam Hoskins looked to catch out Horvath from range, but the USA international was up to the task, with Cornick doing the hard work and then scuffing wide with two minutes to go.

In the final seconds, Horvath was off his line well to nick the ball away from the toes of Liam Cross as the Hatters made it four wins from four and now go to League One Peterborough United on Tuesday night.

Hatters first 60: Ethan Horvath, James Bree, Alfie Doughty, Reece Burke, Gabe Osho, Dan Potts, Allan Campbell, Jordan Clark, Cauley Woodrow, Carlton Morris, Elijah Adebayo.

Hatters final 30: Ethan Horvath, Tom Lockyer, Sonny Bradley, Luke Freeman, Henri Lansbury, Luke Berry, Carlos Mendes Gomes, Dion Pereira, Cameron Jerome, Harry Cornick, Admiral Muskwe.

Attendance: 2,386 (1,115 Luton).