A strong Blues U21s side was beaten 2-1 by Luton Town at Bent Lane in a pre-season friendly on Saturday afternoon with Tommy Taylor's first-half strike cancelled out after the break by a much-improved Hatters side.
John McGreal and Chris Casement named Leon Ayinde and Ryan Carr in their starting XI, both of whom have been involved with the first-team during pre-season, alongside New Zealand U20 international keeper Henry Gray, who spent much of last season on loan at Braintree Town. Tudor Mendel, who signed from Anderlecht last year, also started on the right wing.
The first half was pretty much dominated by an attacking Town side with Ayinde curling an effort just wide of the far post early on and the former Rochdale loanee fired inches over shortly after, following a good ball through from Mendel.
On 14, Ashton Boswell's corner from the left was met by Corbin Mthunzi and his powerful header was destined for the net, only for visiting keeper Liam Coyne to palm the ball away from danger.
Ayinde shot just wide soon after, before Jamie Mauge headed Mendel's cross in, only to see the flag raised for offside.
As the half-hour approached, a fine ball over left-back Kai Source released Mendel and he went outside his man and fired in a shot that Coyne somehow got fingertips to as the ball cannoned off the bar.
The Blues finally made their pressure pay as they took the lead on 37. Ayinde played a precise pass over the visitors’ backline which Taylor ran onto and although Coyne blocked his first effort, the captain reacted first and slotted the loose ball into the net from the rebound.
At half-time, trialist Tyler Young - with father and recent Town signing Ashley again watching on from the sidelines - was introduced in central midfield.
Two minutes after the restart, Town had Gray to thank for preserving their lead when the stopper was out quickly to deny striker Jamie Odegah after the Blues had been dispossessed in their own half.
Gray was powerless to prevent the Hatters from equalising just two minutes later, though. A ball in from the left was cut back to the onrushing Sam Anderson and he produced a fine first-time finish from just inside the box to level the scores.
A change of shape from the visitors had turned the momentum in their favour and although Town striker Mauge saw a shot deflect just wide just after the hour-mark, only minutes later Leon Elliott blocked Dylan Stitt's goal-bound effort on the line at the other end.
On 74, trialist El Hadj Malick Cissé stepped forward from centre-back and did well to win the ball before releasing Ash Boatswain, but the Montserrat international shot wide.
Just four minutes later, Town fell behind when a ball through the defence found Stitt, who finished well with a low shot across sub keeper Woody Williamson and into the far bottom corner.
Late on, Josh Pitts forced Coyne into another good save down low at his near post but in a proverbial game of two halves, it was the visitors who claimed the win after taking their chances when they came.
The U21s are next in action on Tuesday evening when they travel to the Getaway Cars Stadium to take on Bury Town (KO 7.30pm), who are managed by former Blues midfielder Cole Skuse.
U21s: Gray (Williamson 72), Elliott (Babb 65), Boswell (Lewis 65), Shabazz-Edwards (Cissé 65), Mthunzi (Heard 65), Onuchukwu (Young 46), Mendel (Morgan 65), Carr, Mauge (Boatswain 65), Taylor, Ayinde (Pitts 72).