Town hold fellow Premier League side Wolves to goalless draw at Molineux

Luton continued their unbeaten pre-season run with a stalemate against fellow Premier League outfit Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux this evening.

Hatters boss Rob Edwards, returning to his former club, opted to select a side that could start to resemble their his top flight XI, with Tom Lockyer and Mads Andersen both getting through 90 minutes in defence for the visitors, while Tahith Chong and Marvelous Nakamba took their places in midfield.

Bar a few exciting surges from wingback Issa Kabore, the best opening of the contest went to the hosts with 10 minutes gone, attacker Matheus Nunes getting the better of Ryan Giles, who only swapped Wolves for Kenilworth Road last week, dragging wide with Matt Macey rushing out to meet him.

With Town's most likely outlet looking like summer signing Chong, he was stopped by a poor sliding challenge from Boubacar Traore that saw the midfielder booked by referee Darren Bond.

Wolves could well have gone ahead with 27 minutes gone when a ball forward caught out Lockyer and with Macey hesitating, Sasa Kalajdzic got there first, only to lob wide of the target.

As the hosts threatened to turn the screw, Lockyer, as he so often does, made an important block on Matt Doherty's fierce drive from inside the area.

The Hatters created a good chance just before half time, winning a corner on the right that Giles swung over and Andersen got up highest, only to head over the top.

Luton went on to have their best moments in the closing stages, Amari’i Bell pinging a delicious ball out to the left and Giles' cross wasn't met cleanly by Morris, Andersen's follow-up blocked away.

Then Lockyer won the ball back to jeers from the home fans in his own half who wanted a foul and Town counter-attacked thanks to Morris's excellent dummy.

Giles once more delivered, the home defence clearing to Luton's striker whose first-time effort was charged down.

After the break, Hee Chan Hwang fired over from an acute angle, before he then made a mess of controlling the ball when appearing to have the better of Kabore down the middle.

Wolves should have led with 51 on the clock, Luton opened up on their left hand side, the ball falling to Kaladzic just eight yards from goal, only for the Austrian international to sidefoot wastefully over the bar.

It was the same when Silva, who cost the hosts £35m back in 2020, set his sights, lashing over the top as Macey was once more untroubled.

Luton thought they had a splendid opening goal on 58 minutes when Giles got the ball out of his feet, ran at his man and sent over a wonderful cross that Adebayo slid in and finished terrifically, only for a linesman's flag to cut short the celebrations.

Wanders threatened again, Hwang continuing his tough time in front of goal by failing to connect with an inviting ball over the top as finally a keeper was called into action, Macey palming away from the increasingly influential Silva.

He had a far easier stop from Hwang's long-range attempt, but did well to stand up and block Silva's close range blast away with his legs.

With the game really starting to flow, both sides rang the changes on 68 minutes, Luton bringing on six players including John McAtee, Chiedozie Ogbene and Alfie Doughty.

Wolves did the same, which meant any momentum building was almost sucked out of proceedings, both teams looking to get minutes into their players ahead of the season starting in 10 days time.

McAtee was lively, before Wolves did fashion a presentable opportunity as Nelson Sarabia met a cross from the left, his downward header flipped over the top by an alert Macey.

Town's stopper then had a slice of fortune with four minutes to go, Sarabia's next header squirmed out of his grasp but clipped the top of the bar and nestled on the roof of the net.

Chiedozie Ogbene then made a terrific block in the closing stages to deny Wolves a late winner, as Luton ensured they left Molineux with a battling clean sheet for their efforts, ahead of Saturday’s double-header against Vfl Bochum.

Wolves: Dan Bentley, Matt Doherty (Nelson Semedo 74), Rayan Ait-Nouri (Hugo Bueno 68), Boubacar Traore (Harvey Griffiths 82), Joao Gomes (Joe Hodge 74), Hee Chan Hwang (Pedro Neto 82), Sasa Kaljdzic (Nathan Fraser 68), Maximilian Kilman (C Craig Dawson 68), Toti, Matheus Nunes (Pablo Sarabia 68), Fabio Silva (Matheus Cunha 68).

Subs not used: Jose Sa, Tom King, Josh Esen, Alfie Pond, Owen Farmer.

Hatters: Matt Macey, Mads Andersen, Tom Lockyer (c), Amari'i Bell (Dan Potts 68), Issa Kabore (Chiedozie Obgene 68), Ryan Giles (Alfie Doughty 68), Marvelous Nakamba (Luke Berry 75), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (Allan Campbell 75), Tahith Chong (Jordan Clark 68), Elijah Adebayo (John McAtee 68), Carlton Morris (Cauley Woodrow 68).

Subs not used: Jameson Horlick, Aidan Francis-Clarke, Joso Odell-Bature, Joe Johnson.

Referee: Darren Bond.

Booked: Traore 17.