A second-half brace from substitute Zack Nelson was not enough as the Hatters ended their pre-season trip to Slovenia with a 3-2 defeat to Turkish top-flight side Göztepe.
Göztepe, who secured promotion by finishing second in the second tier, raced into a 3-0 goal lead before for Nelson’s late show almost pinched the Town a draw.
Boss Rob Edwards gave starts to new signings Reuell Walters and Shandon Baptiste in their first taste of action in Town colours, but in a low-key beginning it wasn’t until Elijah Adebayo tested the Göztepe goalkeeper on 15 minutes that either side forced a chance of note.
However, as the first half grew, so did the confidence of the Town’s opponents and two goals in the space of four minutes moved Göztepe into a 2-0 lead.
Firstly Tom Holmes was dispossessed on the edge of his own penalty area leading to a cool finish for the first, before a well-taken volley from just inside the box doubled the Turkish outfit’s lead.
Trailing at the break the Hatters came close to halving the deficit moments after the restart when Alfie Doughty’s low shot from just inside the penalty area was deflected wide.
But back came Göztepe and two minutes after blazing a glorious chance over the bar for 3-0 the Town were caught cold at the back and simple finish past James Shea put the Turkish side in control.
The woodwork then came to the Hatters’ rescue shortly before the hour mark with Göztepe guilty of missing a great chance for 4-0 with an opportunity at the far post.
Nelson was introduced in the 63rd minute, and with nine minutes of his introduction the 19-year-old pulled one back when finishing cooly after combination play between fellow substitutes John McAtee and Joe Taylor.
Almost seconds after the kick-off McAtee missed a chance to make it 3-2 and, as the Town pressed, with 15 minutes left Doughty saw a free-kick from the edge of the box blocked.
As the Hatters poured forward with time against them, Shea made a good save to prevent a fourth goal with 12 minutes left before Andros Townsend then curled an effort over the bar.
With a minute left Nelson was on target to score his second of the afternoon when finishing smartly having been sent into the box by McAtee to set-up a frantic finale.
The youngster then almost grabbed himself and the Hatters a dramatic third in injury time, only for the outstretched leg of the Göztepe goalkeeper to deny him.
So defat in the final friendly in Slovenia but up next for the Hatters this pre-season is a trip to Dundee United next Friday. See you then.
Town: Shea, Ogbene, Doughty, Walters (sub Francis-Clarke), Holmes (sub Bateson), Johnson (sub McAtee), Mpanzu (sub Nelson), Baptiste (sub Clark), Chong (sub Luker), Woodrow (sub Townsend), Adebayo (sub Taylor).
Subs not used: Horlick, Piesold.
