Morris on target but Luton are beaten by Danish Superliga side AGF

Carlton Morris scored his second goal of pre-season but Luton were edged out 2-1 by Danish Superliga side AGF in a behind closed doors friendly at The Brache this afternoon.

The Hatters chose a strong XI to begin the contest, with centre half Tom Holmes getting his first minutes in a Town shirt, while Tahith Chong, Teden Mengi, Elijah Adebayo and Carlton Morris all started as well. Teenagers Joe Johnson and Zack Nelson were both included, although it was the visitors, managed by ex-Manchester City and Leeds striker Uwe Rosler, finishing fifth last season, who looked the sharper, unsurprisingly as it was their last run-out before their league campaign starts on Friday against Midtjylland.

Morris did send an early Doughty corner over, but the visitors almost went ahead when a cross was hooked in from the byline and former Brentford defender Henrik Dalsgaard planted his header over the top. There was no preventing them from taking the lead on 14 minutes though when a fine ball across the box was cleared by Alfie Doughty only to hit visiting attacker Gift Links and rebound into the net.

A terrific piece of defending from Doughty when Tobias Bech pulled the ball back kept the deficit to one, while Felix Beijmo sent in a cross-shot that James Shea handled well. Luton’s best moments came mainly when Chong was in possession, as the midfielder was often closed down by two opponents such was his threat with the ball at his feet, although he did manage to find some space with a delicious back-heeled flick that saw him away on the left hand side, the move eventually coming to nothing.

Former Sweden U21 international Beijmo was causing some real danger on the right, as another delivery was flicked over by Mikael Anderson, the Iceland international then somehow missing the target from a few yards out when found by Links’ inviting cross. A lovely passing move from the Hatters involving the quick feet of Nelson ended with Morris unable to turn Johnson’s deep cross in, but Rob Edwards’ side were then level on the stroke of half time.

This time Doughty sent a high, curving pass down the left and it was allowed to bounce, causing confusion in the visitor’s defence, Morris shrugging off his man to send a controlled volley beyond Jesper Hansen and into the net. Town made two changes at the break, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu and Daiki Hashioka on for Nelson and Holmes, as they began brightly, Johnson doing well to win the ball back and Chong’s attempt taking a slight deflection on its way narrowly wide.

AGF gained the upper hand for a while though, Shea springing to his left when a corner rebounded goalwards, while Mengi made one of his trademark blocks as Anderson pulled the trigger. A lighting break on the right left Beijmo racing away, his cross almost turned home by Links, the South African denied by a smothering stop from an alert Shea.

With Luton rolling their changes, giving a number of their Development squad minutes including Jack Bateson, Axel Piesold, Jayden Luker and Aidan Francis-Clarke, while both Joe Taylor and John McAtee came on, it was the Danish wide who continued to look the more likely. Links’ header was cleared off the line by Jordan Clark, Shea gathering the loose ball, but having made their subs, Luton then started to gain the initiative themselves, Andros Townsend inches away from picking out the far corner from range.

Edwards brought on Jameson Horlick in goal after his loan spell with Dorchester Town last year and the young stopper made a spectacular save late on when leaping to his right to palm away Anderson’s dipping volley. However, he was powerless to stop sub Jakob Andersen from winning the game with 10 minutes to go, the midfielder arrowing an angled drive into the bottom corner. Town now head out to Slovenia where they will face Ukrainian side Rukh Lviv and Turkish outfit Goztepe in the next week.

Hatters: James Shea (Jameson Horlick 72), Chidozie Ogbene (Andros Townsend 55), Tom Holmes (Daiki Hashioka 46), Teden Mengi (Jack Bateson 62), Joe Johnson (Aidan Francis-Clarke 69), Alfie Doughty (Axel Piesold 62), Zack Nelson (Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu 46) Jordan Clark (Jayden Luker 69), Tahith Chong (John McAtee 60), Elijah Adebayo (Joe Taylor 60), Carlton Morris (Cauley Woodrow 55).

Sub not used: Jacob Pinnington.

AGF: Jesper Hansen, Felix Beijmo, Henrik Dalsgaard, Frederik Tingager, Nicolai Poulsen, Mads Emil Madsen, Mikael Anderson, Patrick Mortenson, Gift Link, Tobias Bech, Abbew Jensen.

Subs: Sigurd Haugen, Janni Serra, Eric Kahl, Leopold Wahlstedt, Tobias Bach, Aksel Halsgaard, Mikkel Kannegaard, Jakob Andersen, Lica Kallo.