Hatters Czech triallist Zdnek Kroca put in a man of the match performance at the back and then showed the front men how to finish as Luton took a well deserved 1-0 victory over Kilmarnock at Kenilworth Road.
Our Scottish Premier League visitors seemed more concerned with defending a 0-0 result than winning the game, which allowed Luton to dominate proceedings and craft some neat flowing moves to the delight of a disappointing crowd of less then 2000.
Despite their possession and free-flowing movement, however, Luton found the final telling pass very difficult to muster against such negative tactics from Kilmarnock.
Wearing the new dark blue away strip, they began with:
Kevin Pilkington, Dan Gleeson, Zdnek Kroca, George Pilkington, Shane Blackett, Adam Newton, Adam Murray, Keith Keane , Matthew Barnes-Homer, Tom Craddock, Danny Crow, with Andy Drury rested.
Gleeson looked an improvement at right back and Adam Murray seems to be a real coup for the Hatters, sharing the burden of central midfield with Keane allowing both to be creative and covering for each other.
In truth the match seemed destined to be played in the midfield and there was little end product to be enthused about.
Luton had most of the few half chances but went in at half time 0-0.
Gallen and Howells joined the action at the start of the second half with Crow and Barnes-Homer making way.
Finally, Luton managed a killer pass and it came from Howells, who slipped it to Craddock, but he lost composure and hit it wide, but that move apart there was still little threatening action.
On the hour, another good move from the Hatters saw Murray feed Howells whose clever lob all but beat the visiting keeper but he just managed to claw it away with a defender completing the tidy-up at the expense of a corner.
Murray took the corner and placed it in the near post danger area where Kroca rose majestically to head over the Killie keeper for a 1-0 lead to the Hatters.
Luton nearly made the game safe on 75 minutes after Murray and Gallen played a 1-2 and fed Gleeson overlapping down the right. Gleeson put Gallen in with time and space but only Kevin will know how he managed to spear it narrowly wide, opting for a first time strike when there was time to settle on it.
Drayton finally managed to test Kevin Pilkington for Killie, with a well flighted free kick but Pilks the gloves managed to tip it over the bar and Pascali tried to be too clever with a backward bicycle kick which endangered Easy Jet’s aircraft more than the Hatters goal.
The usual few last quarter of an hour changes were made but to little effect in a game that looked nailed on for a 0-0 almost from the outset, before the one moment of quality at the sharp end by Kroca had spoiled Killie’s plans.
Luton were well worth the victory and are showing that they will again be a force to be reckoned with this season.
I think this will be a very good season for Jake Howells who looks stronger and faster and is showing more intelligence in his decision making. Good luck to the lad, it seems he has been working very hard in the close season.
Luton Town: Kevin Pilkington, Dan Gleeson (Adam Watkins 75), Zdnek Kroca, George Pilkington, Shane Blackett (Newman Carney 75), Adam Newton, Adam Murray, Keith Keane (Godfrey Poku 68), Matthew Barnes-Homer (Jake Howells 46), Tom Craddock (Dan Walker 86), Danny Crow (Kevin Gallen 46)
Substitutes not used: Alan White, Freddie Murray, Mark Tyler, Dan Walker, Alex Lacey, Taylor Nathaniel.
Kilmarnock: Cameron Bell, Tim Clancy, Sissoko (Stephen Old 72), Triallist, Frazer Wright, Manuel Pascali (Graham Owens 88), Jamie Hamill, David DeSilva, Craig Bryson, James Dayton, Danny Invincible (Liam Kelly 62).
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