Hatters left to rue their inability to score on the road as they are beaten by Brentford

Luton went down to a 1-0 defeat at promotion-chasing Brentford this evening, but can count themselves desperately unlucky to have left their first trip to the Bees' new stadium with nothing following an excellent second half display.

Trailing to Saman Ghoddos' 14th minute strike, the Hatters then dominated proceedings after the break going close on a number of occasions, but just couldn't take their chances as they went down to a incredibly harsh defeat.

Town boss Nathan Jones made just one change from Saturday's superb 1-0 win at Bournemouth, with George Moncur replacing Glen Rea, as Tom Lockyer was fit enough to play after the nasty cut he suffered at the Vitality Stadium, as the visitors revered to a four-man defence.

Rico Henry scuffed a volley wide from a corner as the hosts looked for an early goal which they would have had one on nine minutes, but for Simon Sluga excellently tipping over Sergis Canos's dipping 22-yarder.

The hosts were looking more and more dangerous every time they broke, Potts with a decent block, before the opener arrived on 14 minutes, Bryan Mbeumo's backheel allowing Ivan Toney to send over a glorious first time cross that Ghoddos buried with a downward header.

Canos tried his luck again, this time forcing Sluga into a far simpler save as the Bees looked like they were in the mood for racking up another big win against the Hatters, following last year's 7-0 success, Toney also flashing a snapshot off target.

Town finally had their first effort on target with 27 minutes gone, Moncur digging out a cross from the left and Luke Berry's flick header claimed underneath his bar by David Raya.

Home attacker Bryan Mbeumo was shown yellow for diving inside the area, which on replay was the correct decision, although Town were lucky Sonny Bradley's shove on Toney second earlier went unnoticed.

Luton had the odd opening now and again, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall powering forward before running into traffic, with Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu rifling over from outside the box.

Berry then redeemed himself from getting caught in possession with a perfectly-time sliding challenge as Toney prepared to pull the trigger when faced with Sluga.

After the break, Luton began to grow into the game even further, Mpanzu's dinked ball just out of the reach of James Collins, Raya out to smuggle away, with the striker also unable to connect with Moncur's outswinging delivery.

They carried on an impressive spell, finally taking the game to their opponents, who couldn't enjoy anywhere near the kind of dominance they had first half, barely featuring as an attacking force.

With a triple sub ready, Jones opted against making the changes to allow Luton to remain in the ascendancy, but Bees weathered the storm and made some opportunities of their own, Toney denied by Sluga and then Lockyer's well-timed tackle.

Midway through the half, Luton did make their alterations, Kazenga LuaLua, Jordan Clark and Ryan Tunnicliffe all on, with LuaLua almost having an instant impact, his cross glanced into Raya's gloves by Harry Cornick.

Sluga remained alert to gather Canos's tame effort, as Town continued to play with a real purpose, winning a number of corners and putting their hosts under increasing pressure.

The visitors had a real opening with 15 minutes to go, Bree picking out the run of Clark who on the angle, drilled his shot which eventually hit the corner flag.

Town's other substitute then came the closest of the lot, Tunnicliffe unleashing an audacious and quite brilliant backheeled volley from LuaLua's cross, Raya making a Superman-esque save to pluck it out of the sky.

Luton kept going and should have scored on 80 minutes, Bree, who caused real danger on the right flank, sending a low ball in that saw Cornick miss his kick from just eight yards out.

Cornick then raced away on the left flank, but the Bees got back to throw their bodies on the line as with Luton committing men forward, Mathias Jensen almost sealed the win, beating Sluga but missing the target.

In stoppage time the game then became a bad-tempered affair with Lockyer left in a heap from a challenge by Toney, the Town defender complaining an elbow had been thrown.

Still incensed, the centre half then tangled with the Bees striker as Sluga pumped the free kick forward, Lockyer shown a straight red, while Toney picked up a second yellow for his troubles.

That led to some angry exchanges between the two benches, with Lockyer protesting his innocence as he walked off, Toney joining him after taking an age to leave the field.

Luton gave it one last Hail Mary with Bradley upfront, but Bees cleared their lines for a final time, able to cling on for the victory as Town were left to rue their inability to score on the road, with a seventh blank of the season, netting just six goals from their 13 games away from Kenilworth Road.

Bees: David Raya, Rico Henry, Ethan Pinnock, Sergi Canos (Marcus Forss 73), Mathias Jensen, Ivan Toney, Bryan Mbuemo (Tarique Fosu 74), Saman Ghoddos (Jan Zamburek 83), Henrick Dalsgaard, Vitaly Janelt, Mads Bech Sorensen.

Subs not used: Luke Daniels, Charlie Goode, Halil Dervisoglu, Mads Roerslev, Fin Stevens, Alex Gilbert.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, James Bree, Dan Potts (Kal Naismith 76), Tom Lockyer, Sonny Bradley ©, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Danny Hylton 90), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Luke Berry (Ryan Tunnicliffe 64), George Moncur (Jordan Clark 64), Harry Cornick, James Collins (Kazenga LuaLua 64).

Subs not used: James Shea, Matty Pearson, Glen Rea, Sam Nombe.

Bookings: Mbeumo 32, Bradley 39, Toney 81.

Sent off: Toney 90, Lockyer 90.

Referee: Stephen Martin