Luke Garrard’s men began their pre-season campaign with a tough test against League One opposition, falling to a 3-0 defeat at home to Luton Town. Despite showing moments of promise, Wood were ultimately undone by a clinical Hatters side. Among those that featured in the game were new signings Aaron Henry, Jeff King and Joe Newton.

The game got off to a high tempo start, and although Wood looked to settle into their shape early on, it was the visitors who took control. On 10 minutes, Cauley Woodrow broke the deadlock with a composed finish beyond Nathan Ashmore. The goal came after new Hatters signing Jake Francis intercepted a Wood pass and laid the ball off for Woodrow, who bent a precise shot into the bottom corner.

Wood responded positively, and five minutes later Trialist B stung the palms of James Shea with a long-range strike. The Wood had another chance just after the half-hour mark as the ball dropped invitingly in the area from a corner, but the resulting effort flew over the bar.

Ashmore was kept busy throughout the first half, denying Milli Alli from a tight angle and reacting well to a close-range effort from Shandon Baptiste. Former Luton loanee Callum Reynolds came closest to levelling the score five minutes before the break, his powerful header from a corner crashing against the woodwork.

HT: Boreham Wood 0–1 Luton Town

Both sides introduced entirely new outfield line-ups for the second half. The Hatters didn’t take long to double their advantage. Just ten minutes into the second half, Zack Nelson robbed possession on the edge of the Wood box and teed up Lamine Fanne, who slotted calmly inside Ashmore’s near post.

Despite the scoreline, Wood kept pushing. Charles Clayden showed glimpses of danger down the left, while Abdul Abdulmalik carried the ball with intent in the final third. However, the final touch often eluded Luke Garrard’s side. At the other end, Ashmore stood tall to deny Nordas twice in quick succession, first parrying a low drive around the post in the 72nd minute and then saving again just three minutes later after Fanne put the Norwegian striker through on goal.

But Luton found their third shortly after. A flowing move saw Made Andersen thread a ball into the right channel for Izzy Jones, whose cutback found Fanne. The Spaniard cleverly worked space on the edge of the box before rifling home his second of the match to seal the result. Nordas and Fanne both had late chances to add to the scoreline, but Ashmore and a touch of inaccuracy kept the margin to three.

FT: Boreham Wood 0–3 Luton Town

While the scoreline was a harsh reflection of the match, Wood can take positives from their attacking intent and some strong individual performances, particularly from Ashmore and Clayden. Against a well-drilled and sharp Luton side preparing for a campaign at the end of which they will be hoping for a return to the Championship, this pre-season test will offer valuable lessons ahead of the new National League season.

Boreham Wood (First half): Ashmore, Coxe, Trialist A, O’Connell, Trialist C, Benton, Newton, Henry, Reynolds, Trialist B, Rush.

Luton Town (First half): Shea, Walters, McGuinness, Mengi, Johnson, Baptiste, Walsh, Luker, Richards, Alli, Woodrow.

Boreham Wood (Second half): Ashmore, Ilesanmi, Payne, Trialist C, Whelan, Dixon, Abdulmalik, King, Clayden, Trialist D, Trialist E.

Luton Town (Second half): Shea, Jones, Makosso, Andersen, Naismith, Phillips, Clark, Saville, Lamine Fanne, Nelson, Nordas.

Man of the Match: Nathan Ashmore.

Match report written by Dom Gadd.