Match report: Maidenhead United 0-1 Luton Town

Hatters forward Mark Cullen scored the only goal as Maidenhead United were beaten 1-0 by Luton Town in a pre-season friendly at York Road today.

The pacey striker was played in by Solomon Taiwo and crashed a right-foot shot passed Maidenhead keeper Elvijs Putnins midway through the first half.

The home side began brightly, and new signings Michael Malcolm and Danny Green went close in the opening 10 minutes.

But the Conference National side gradually asserted their dominance and should have been out of sight by half time.

Minutes after scoring, Cullen broke the offside trap again dinking his shot over Putnins, but also wide of the post.

And as half time approached the blond haired forward's acrobatic volley was pushed away by Putnins, who signed for Maidenhead from Woking this summer.

At the other end Tony Mendy, who scored 28 goals for AFC Hayes last season, almost equalised when his spectacular overhead kick was parried by Luton's Elliot Justham.

United boss Johnson Hippolyte rung the changes at half time with Billy Lumley, Daniel Brown, Curtis Ujah and Reece Tison Liscaris replacing Putnins, Waha Ahmidi, Matt Ruby and Green.

Maidenhead looked more of a threat in the second half and should have levelled when Harry Pritchard's low shot was saved by Justham on 50 minutes.

Moments later Malcolm missed a guilt edged chance for Maidenhead, heading wide from six yards from a Reece Tison Liscaris cross.

At the other end Luton midfielder Jonathan Smith’s shot cannoned back off the cross bar on 65 minutes.

Former United striker Alex Wall was brought on by Hatter’s manager John Still with 10 minutes remaining, but nursing a calf strain, he was unable to have much of an impact on the game.

Maidenhead more than matched Luton in the second half and supporters thought they'd grabbed a deserved equaliser late on, but Tison-Liscaris' right footed strike was ruled offside.

Maidenhead play Marlow FC away in their next friendly on Tuesday.