Wells and Luker on target as Luton draw 2-2 with Bees

Luton continued their pre-season preparations with an entertaining 2-2 draw at League Two side Barnet this afternoon.

The visitors went with a strong starting XI once more for the contest, having beaten Hitchin Town 5-0 last weekend, with George Johnston starting in defence, but Barnet had the lead on just five minutes when it appeared Town were playing themselves out of a tight situation until Liam Walsh’s pass had too much on it for Sverre Sandal, as it eluded his control.

Striker Nnamdi Ofoborh capitalised, making his way to the edge of the box where his shot somehow trickled past the sprawling Josh Keeley and meandered into the bottom corner. Kasey Palmer and Gideon Kodua combined to win a flag-kick that Johnston nodded wide, as Barnet almost doubled their lead on 10 minutes when Luton’s back-line were caught too high, Jack Maskell attempting to lob Keeley from distance, only to get too much on his shot.

Luton began to feature as an attacking force themselves, Nahki Wells trying a speculative drive from 30 yards out that beat the back-pedalling Taye Ashby-Hammond but unfortunately clipped the top of the bar on its way over. Town started to up the gears, Kodua played through on the left only to delay for too long, allowing Kane Smith to get back and put a good block in, heading the resulting corner straight at the former Stevenage stopper.

Still Barnet were a threat though, the imposing Ofoborh meeting a cross, unable to divert his header on target, before Jake Richards went it alone from inside his own half, seeing his drive deflected behind. On 20 minutes, a lovely move by Town was started by the hugely impressive Fox, who penned his first professional contract in the week, as Sandal fed Izzy Jones on the right.

The winger, playing right back again on this occasion, beat his marker and played a good one-two with Wells, but his final touch was too heavy allowing Ashby-Hammond to gather at his feet. Midway through the half, Keeley prevented it being 2-0 in stunning fashion when Smith’s right-wing cross was met by the head of Danny Collinge, It looked in all the way, only for the keeper to fly to his right and claw away from underneath the bar.

The Irish international then came to the rescue again moments later as Wells’ clearance was charged down which allowed Will Wright to curl goalwards, Keeley tipping it away brilliantly at full stretch. In the closing stages of the first period, Luton should have levelled, Sandal winning the ball back well, before Walsh picked out the run of Jones, the Guyanan international not having the killer instinct, Ashby-Hamond able to make a comfortable save.

Hatters did have an equaliser on 42 minutes, with Palmer the architect, as he fed Wells who was able to lob the ball over his man and then sidefoot under the body of the advancing Ashby-Hammond to make it 1-1 and score for the second friendly running. Luton swapped almost their entire side for the second period, with only Christian Chigozie remaining out there, ex-Arsenal youngster Harrison Dudziak getting another chance to impress, while Cyprus U21 international Zach Ioannides out there too.

Shayden Morris got clear twice early on but couldn’t pick out the lurking Devante Cole, as Ashby-Hammond spilled George Saville’s corner, only for a defender to charge down Chigozie’s swivel and shot. The action then calmed down somewhat, teenager centre half Fin Evans replacing Chigozie on the hour mark, and having his wits about him to make an early clearance as Barnet fired the ball over the top, Luker then getting to byline, only for his cross to evade a team-mate.

Saville was nowhere near with a hugely ambitious first time attempt from range, before the dangerous Luker pounced on a loose ball and drove into the box only for a Bees defender to keep pace with him and deflect his shot over the bar. It was Luker who gave Town the lead for the first time on 72 minutes, no more than he deserved either, having looked the most likely for the visitors, getting on the end of Dudziak’s corner at the far post to crash home from close range.

No sooner than the Hatters had moved ahead, they were pegged back, as a deep cross gave Ioannides little chance against two sizeable Barnet forwards, with Kabongo Tshimanga hooking goalwards and Shea unable to keep it out. Luton had to take off Dudziak for Fox in the closing stages, Isiah Noel-Williams skying a decent chance over the bar as his side sniffed a winner.

Luton also had an opportunity when Saville’s corner was met by Odoffin, only for the centre half to miss the target. Jack Wilshere’s men ought to have won it with three minutes left, Saville picking off a poor pass out of defence and finding Luker who curled a pinpoint delivery on to the head of Jordan Clark, but with just the keeper to beat, he nodded tamely behind. With virtually the last kick, Shea tipped over a stabbed effort from outside the box and then grabbed the follow-up header to ensure the spoils were shared.

Hatters first half XI: Josh Keeley, Izzy Jones, Christian Chigozie, George Johnston, Harry Fox, Liam Walsh, Sverre Sandal, Kasey Palmer, Gideon Kodua, Jake Richards, Nahki Wells (C).

Hatters second half XI: James Shea, Zach Ioannides, Joe Johnson, Christian Chigozie (Fin Evans 60), Hakeem Odoffin, George Saville, Jordan Clark, Jayden Luker, Shayden Morris, Harrison Dudziak (Harry Fox 80), Devante Cole.