Fanne bags a brace as Luton net pre-season victory at Boreham Wood

Midfielder Lamine Fanne scored twice as Luton Town kicked off their pre-season campaign with a 3-0 victory at National League new-boys Boreham Wood this afternoon.

The 21-year-old was one of 11 changes made at the break by boss Matt Bloomfield who gave a run-out to 21 players, goalkeeper James Shea the only one to stay on the pitch for the entire contest, as he produced two clinical finishes to top off an impressive second half showing by the visitors. With new addition Jake Richards getting an immediate run-out having officially joined from Exeter City on the morning of the game, Town went with a mixture of first team players and youngsters in the opening 45 minutes, Teden Mengi and Mark McGuinness both starting along with Jayden Luker and Joe Johnson.

A poor touch early on saw Milli Alli with an opening but a desperate block prevented him from curling home Luton's first goal of the pre-season campaign. Cauley Woodrow then had a volley charged down, although he did break the deadlock on 11 minutes when Richards won possession back from the hosts' defence allowing the attacker, who finished last season on loan with Blackburn Rovers, to drive forward and with keeper Nathan Ashmore out of position, confidently stroke into the far corner.

Shea was called into action with a quarter of an hour gone, easily gathering a 20-yard drive from a home trialist, as Luker, who was playing wide right and back from a successful stint at Grimsby Town, almost got clean though when a bounce beat a home defender, only for the ball to get stuck under his feet, as he was shouldered off it by a recovering Joe Newton.

Midway through the half, Alli, who was increasingly looking Luton's biggest threat in the final third, as he did in the final stages of last season, jinked his way into a shooting position, Ashmore standing up well and then gathering Woodrow's follow up volley. Richards showed he could be a useful set-piece operator for the Hatters, with a teasing left-footed corner that was met by Johnson at the far post, his misdirected header flying wide.

The closing stages of the half saw a short corner routine played back to Alli who danced past his maker and then let fly from 25 yards, his fierce effort well wide of the target. With a few minutes left, Town threatened again, a deep cross met by Luker and when his header wasn't properly dealt with, the midfielder teed up Liam Walsh whose first-time attempt rippled the side-netting on its way behind.

Bloomfield made wholesale changes for the second period, summer signings George Saville and Kal Naismith both introduced, plus youngster Josh Phillips, with Lasse Nordas leading the line. Town's added class really began to show, a driving run by Jordan Clark seeing him take the ball from virtually one penalty area to another, finding Nordas, only for the forward to scuff disappointingly into the stands.

Luton did double their lead on 55 minutes when Zack Nelson won the ball back high up and Fanne tucked his low attempt past Ashmore, who had gambled on the midfielder choosing the opposite direction. Town kept on pressing, Nordas finding Nelson to his left, his effort deflected, as the Wood keeper made a superb save to keep it at 2-0, when a quick throw by Saville saw Izzy Jones find Nelson who looked to have found the bottom corner, only for a quite brilliant fingertip stop by the home keeper.

He was almost punished for dealing unconvincingly with Clark's corner, only for Christ Makosso to send his close range volley well over the bar, while Nordas was almost celebrating with 72 minutes gone, released by Nelson's pass, he was denied a goal by the reactions of Ashmore. The pair almost combined again, Nelson pinching possession back only for the forward to unwisely go for goal from an almost impossible angle when he had team-mates in a better position.

It was clear it wouldn't be Nordas's afternoon as he was found by Fanne again, opening up his body well to get his left-footer off, but Ashmore read his intentions. The expected third did arrive on 77 minutes, Shea's long ball seeing Jones motor away on the right and slip a pass inside for Fanne, who displayed some eye-catching trickery to initially look like he had made the chance harder for himself, but demonstrated a cool head to beat Ashmore.

With Wood tiring, Luton could and should have added to their tally in the final eight minutes, Nelson, who was a real bright spark for Bloomfield, arrowing in an attempt only for Ashmore to gather well. In the final moments, Nordas still couldn't get his goal, as one-on-one, he took his opportunity first time, and was inches wide.

Fanne then had a crack for his treble from outside the box, unable to test Ashmore, while Clark rifled inches over and then saw his final attempt take a slight deflection preventing it from nestling in the corner of the net.

Hatters XI first half: James Shea, Reuell Walters, Joe Johnson, Mark McGuinness, Teden Mengi, Shandon Baptiste, Liam Walsh, Milli Alli, Jake Richards, Jayden Luker, Cauley Woodrow. Hatters XI second half: James Shea, Kal Naismith, Mads Andersen, Christ Makosso, Josh Phillips, George Saville, Jordan Clark, Izzy Jones, Zack Nelson, Lamine Fanne, Lasse Nordas.

Wood: Nathan Ashmore ©, Cameron Coxe, Trialist, Charlie O'Connell, Trialist, Jon Benton, Joe Newton, Aaron Henry, Callum Reynolds, Trialist, Matt Rush. Subs: Femi Ilesanmi, Jack Payne, Tom Whelan, Junior Dixon, Abdul Abdulmalik, Jeff King, Charles Clayden, Trialist, Trialist. Referee: Dave Rock.