Wall hits treble in Hatters romp

The forward, who has seen boss John Still bolster his attacking options over the summer, did his own chances no harm at all with an all-action display.

As promised, Hatters picked a strong side to begin with, as the likes of Steve McNulty, Jake Howells and Fraser Franks all started.

New signings Luke Wilkinson and Ross Lafayette both began too, while trialist Mark Onyemah was handed an opportunity at left back.

Town threatened first with four minutes on the clock when Lafayette flicked a long ball on and Howells, despite having his shirt pulled back, ballooned wastefully over the bar.

Centre half Wilkinson impressed throughout the first half, showing both sides of his game, with an uncompromising header clear, before a delightful raking crossfield ball.

He came close to an opening goal too, rising highest to head Howells’ corner goalwards, but Garry Jones nodded off the line.

Luton were in front on 12 minutes with a glorious goal from Shaun Whalley. Coming off the left flank, he kept on going before curling a beautiful effort beyond Tahj Bell and inside the far corner.

Howells then took aim but was denied by Bell, before Hitchin’s Gary Warton ran from vitually his own box and sent a long ranger straight at Elliot Justham.

Robbie Burns floated a free kick narrowly wide, while Wall sent two wild efforts into the trees behind the goal.

His sights were closer on 25 minutes, with Bell sprawling to to tip wide, before Wall added the second on the half hour, glancing in Whalley’s pinpoint free kick.

Matt Lench saw his tame shot gobbled up by Justham, with Howells close to a third, slicing off target on the angle.

The second half saw the same 11 take to the fiel as Wall swiftly added a second, meeting Howells cross with a delightful flick volley that flew into the roof of the net.

Dominating possession against their counterparts, a lovely passing move then saw Franks play in Wall and he was sent tumbling for a spot kick by the sliding David Corran.

Unsurprisingly, the forward grabbed the loose ball and despite a slip in his run up, sent Bell the wrong way to complete an excellent hat-trick.

Hatters made wholesale changes just after the hour mark as Paul Connolly, Luke Rooney, Andy Drury and Mark Cullen came on, along with Peacehaven striker Charlie Walker.

Alex Lawless’ low drive was parried away by Bell, while Lacey rose highest to nod narrowly wide from a corner.

Another summer signing Ricky Miller was given his chance in place of McNulty with 18 minutes left and the fifth arrived in unfortunate fashion for the Canaries as Cullen took aim from outside the box with a deflection cruelly wrong-footing Bell.

Rooney was then denied by keeper and Miller twice sent shots wide, as Town finished comprehensive winners.

Hatters: Elliot Justham (Mark Tyler 63), Fraser Franks (Paul Connolly 63), Steve McNulty (Ricky Miller 72), Luke Wilkinson (Alex Lacey 63), Mark Onyemah (Scott Griffiths 63), Jake Howells (Alex Lawless 63), Shaun Whalley (Luke Rooney 63), Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu (Andy Drury 63), Matt Robinson (Jim Stevenson 63), Ross Lafayette (Mark Cullen 63), Alex Wall (Charlie Walker 63).

Subs not used: Danny Fitzsimons, Luke Trotman.

Referee: C O’Donnell.

Attendance: 1,454.