A strong Town reserve side beat Luton Town 3-0 at Portman Road on Monday night. Goals from Danny Haynes, Dean Bowditch and French trialist Steve Marlet secured the three points.

All of the Blues' starting eleven had tasted first team action, with the exception of Marlet. Luton included left-back Sol Davis, who suffered a stroke before the first team game between the two sides last October.

Town made the perfect start after three minutes when full-back Chris Casement delivered a fine cross which Danny Haynes headed past Luton keeper Ross Faulds.

Faulds made good stops from Sito and Liam Trotter, before tipping a Steve Marlet header round the post for a corner.

Trotter once again came close on 25 when a good crossfield ball from Richard Naylor allowed Jaime Peters to tee-up the young midfielder, whose low shot went just wide.

Town had the ball in the net again before half-time when a Gary Roberts corner fell to Haynes but the referee's whistle had gone for an earlier push.

Soon after half-time, the visitors also had an effort ruled out when Jake Howell was penalised for fouling Alex Bruce after Shane Supple had lost possession on the edge of his area. Soon after, Bruce was booked for a foul on Luton striker Daniel Bocande.

Town continued to create chances though and Bowditch's shot was straight at Faulds, before Marlet saw another header loop over the bar and onto the roof of the net.

Luton came closest to scoring on 66 when a corner was headed against the Town bar before being cleared by Bruce.

Sito saw another effort tipped over the bar after a surging run from left-back, before the 423-strong crowd thought Town had scored their second.

The visitors couldn't clear the ball and after a goalmouth scramble, Bowditch hit a shot that hit the netting behind the goal and not the goal net.

But the former England U19 international wasn't to be denied a goal and he headed powerfully home after a pin-point cross from Peters on 78 minutes.

The Hatters almost pulled a goal back three minutes later when Calvin Andrew broke the offside trap but sub Tommy Smith got back to deflect the ball over the bar.

Trialist Marlet completed the scoring on 88 when he rose highest to head home a Peters corner.

Midfielder Trotter impressed with his foraging runs forward, whilst Danny Haynes looked lively up front. Marlet did the simple things right but doesn't look as though he will be taken on.

Town reserves: Supple, Casement, Sito (Smith 80), Bowditch, Naylor, Bruce, Peters, Trotter, Haynes (Upson 59), Marlet and Roberts (Synnott 59). Unused: Fenn and Plummer.

Luton reserves: Faulds, R Sinclair, Davis, O'Leary, Beaven, Asafu-Adjaye, Charles, Osborne-Ricketts (Hamilton 89), Andrew, Bocande (Farthing 79) and Howell (S Sinclair 66). Unused: Hogarth and Biggi. Ref: I Cooper. Att: 423.

Report by James Ager.

Photo: Action Images

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