A first half Jordan Clark brace proved the difference as Luton Town beat Gillingham 2-0 in a pre-season friendly at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium.
Gills had the chance to pull a goal back in the opening seconds of the second half when Joe Gbode was brought down inside the penalty area. However, Max Clark saw his penalty well saved by James Shea in the Luton goal.
Gareth Ainsworth started Glenn Morris in goal for the fixture.
Armani Little partnered Robbie McKenzie in the centre of midfield, with Seb Palmer-Houlden and Joe Gbode leading the line.
In the seventh minute, Palmer-Houlden did well to fashion an opportunity for himself. He was played in behind the visiting defence down the left before cutting back inside onto his right foot. He got a shot away, but his effort took a deflection, taking the power off his attempt.
Andy Smith produced a fantastic last-ditch sliding challenge to deny Nakhi Wells after 24 minutes. Wells entered the penalty area and did well to get beyond one Gillingham defender before readying himself to shoot. However, as he was about to get his strike away, he was upended by Smith's sliding challenge, who timed it perfectly to take the ball off the foot of the Luton forward.
Jordan Clark gave Luton the lead just before the half-hour. The ball was played out to Reuell Walters, who fizzed the ball back towards Clark on the edge of the penalty area. Clark struck his effort into the ground, taking a favourable bounce as it carried the ball into the far corner of the net, leaving an outstretched Morris with little chance of keeping it out.
The visitors doubled their advantage when Clark scored his second of the afternoon. Millenic Alli did well getting down the left-hand side before cutting the ball back to Clark, who drilled it into the back of the net.
HALF-TIME: Gillingham 0-2 Luton Town
The hosts were awarded a penalty in the opening seconds of the second period. Remeao Hutton did well to down the right to eventually get a cross away, floating the ball into the box. As he played it into the danger area, Gbode was dragged down to the ground, leaving the referee with no choice but to point to the penalty spot.
Max Clark took the spot kick but was denied by James Shea. The left-back directed his attempt to the right of the centre of the goal, which Shea read, getting down to parry the ball away from the goal.
Morris was brave to deny Zack Nelson shortly after. The Luton forward made his way into the Gillingham penalty area, taking the ball past several players. However, as he was heading towards the six-yard box, he was met by the oncoming Morris, who went down to gather the ball ahead of Nelson.
Bradley Dack fired over from a free-kick in the 58th minute. Luton were penalised for a handball after Shea accidentally carried the ball outside of his penalty area without realising. The ball was positioned to the right of the centre, with Dack taking the initiative. He got the ball up and over the wall but could not keep it down as it fizzed over the crossbar.
In the 68th minute, Gills made two changes, as Jake Turner and Jonny Williams replaced Morris and Dack respectively.
The hosts made nine more changes on 75 minutes, as they changed to a back four, with Logan Dobbs and Ethan Coleman at the heart of the defence. Josh Andrews led the line with Jack Nolan, Elliott Nevitt and Marcus Wyllie playing behind him.
Turner did well to deny Alli in the closing stages. The visitors played a long ball over the top of the Gillingham defence, which Alli got on the end of, getting in behind. He brought it into the penalty area but was denied by a strong save from Turner, who was quick off his line to close the angle and block the shot.
FULL-TIME: Gillingham 0-2 Luton Town
Gillingham: Morris (Turner 68’), Smith (Webster 75’), Masterson (Coleman 75’), Ogie (Dobbs 75’), Hutton (Wyllie 75’), McKenzie (Khumbeni 75’), Little (Nolan 75’), Clark (Trialist 75’), Dack (J. Williams 68’), Palmer-Houlden (Nevitt 75’), Gbode (Andrews 75’)
Unused Substitutes: Theodore, Bridle, Waldock
Luton Town: Shea, Walters, Naismith, Alli, Clark, Wells (Nordas 64’), Saville, Baptiste (Walsh 46’), Makosso, Nelson (Doughty 64’), Lonwijk (Johnson 64’)
Unused Substitutes: Thomas, Woodrow, Richards, Chigozie, Luker
Referee: Isaac Searle
Attendance: 1967 (333 away fans)
