In their final pre-season friendly, Welling United played a different outfield team in each half against a youthful Luton Town side.

At half time, the Wings had a two goal lead but late Luton strikes ensured that the spoils were shared

David Kamara had the first opportunity of the match when meeting Crossley Lema’s cross for Welling but his bullet header flew just over.

Taylor Curran then had a great chance when meeting Will Wood’s corner but his firm header went narrowly wide of the near post. Cameron Andrews fizzed a shot over before a trialist met Lema’s cross at the near post but couldn’t turn it home.

Midway through the first half the Wings went ahead. The trialist twisted and turned inside the area and was tripped giving the referee no option other than to point to the spot. Kamara stepped up and slotted it under the Luton trialist goalkeeper.

Zack Nelson had a low free kick well saved by Ben Winterbottom but Welling were soon on the attack again and Curran got on the end of corner, this time delivered by Andrews, but could not head on target as he stretched to reach it.

However, it was third time lucky for him on the half hour. Wood sent over a free kick that was nodded down and Curran hooked it home from close range.

There might have been a third shortly before half time but TJ Bramble’s pull back was slightly behind Kamara and he couldn’t force it home.

Other than goalkeeper Winterbottom, it was all change for Welling at half time but they still continued to threaten and James Vaughan wasn’t too far over with a shot from the corner of the penalty area.

That changed though as Luton started to create openings through pressing the Welling defence, causing them to make errors. Nelson had a shot that was deflected across the face of goal and Ollie Lynch’s reaction header went wide.

Nelson then broke and squared for substitute Jayden Luker. He opened his body but side-footed beyond the post from eighteen yards. Tobia Braney had a shot that Winterbottom pushed up and over via the crossbar as the visitors continued to threaten.

Josh Allen then went past Welling substitute goalkeeper Javarn Pitterson but Donald MacAuley got across to make a brilliant last ditch tackle. In their next attack Allen’s shot hit the bar and flew over.

Eventually, Welling’s resolve was broken and with fourteen minutes remaining, Nelson slotted home.

Pitterson twice kept Welling in front with saves from Allen and Burger but he was powerless to stop Luton from levelling with one minute remaining. Luker did the hard work before pulling it back for Allen to roll it home.

One last chance went Welling’s way when Ollie Godziemski burst through but the Hatters’ goalkeeper did well to stop the young striker from rounding him.

On Saturday, Welling start their league campaign with an away game at newly promoted Truro City, to be played at Plymouth Parkway’s ground.

Welling United: First half: Winterbottom, Lema, Trialist, Bramble, Curran, Burchell, Andrews, Bayford, Kamara, Trialist, Wood.

Second half: Winterbottom (Pitterson 68), Macauley, Olomowewe, Vaughan, MacAllister, Odusanya, White (Church 79), Goziemski, Papadopoulos, Lugboso, Browne.

Goalscorers: Kamara pen (22), Curran (30)

Luton Town: Trialist, Kayibanda, Heron (Luker 54), Piesold (Burger 63), Bateson, Odell-Bature, Trialist (Pinnington 63), Newton, Lynch, Nelson, Braney (Allen 63).

Sub not used: Hockey

Goalscorers: Nelson (76), Allen (89)

Referee: Isaac Searle

Assistants: Rhys Jeffery and Peter Conn

Attendance: 413

Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.