Potts on the spot to seal Luton's victory over the Eagles

James Collins celebrates his goal against Bedford this afternoon

Dan Potts scored a second half penalty as the Hatters won 2-1 at Southern League Division One Central outfit Bedford Town this afternoon.

The Hatters picked a strong side, with six new signings Marek Stech, Jack Stacey, Alan McCormack, Andrew Shinnie, James Collins and Elliot Lee all starting, while youngster Arthur Read was involved too.

Town started positively as Stacey's cross was dummied by Read and Lee scuffed his effort at Adam Harpur, who then tipped over Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu's header.

Shinnie's deadball delivery caught the eye in the early stages, as he picked out Scott Cuthbert, who should have done better than powering his effort waywardly behind.

The hosts, were had been beaten here 9-0 last season, took a surprise lead on 10 minutes when McCormack was dispossessed dribbling back to his own area by Kyujon Marsh-Brown.

He raced unchallenged into the box, rounding Stech before teeing up Lee Roache to fire into the net.

Buoyed by their advantage, Ryan Auger tried to beat Stech from the half way line, only narrowly failing to do so.

Town were level on 22 minutes though when Mpanzu's ball over the top dropped perfectly for Collins to show exactly why Luton paid decent money for him, beating his defender and expertly finishing beyond Harpur.

Lee then came close on the half hour, his shot taking a deflection before Harpur pounced just ahead of the lurking Collins, as Roache continued to look the dangerman for Bedford, denied a second by Cuthbert's timely intervention.

On 35 minutes Luton again should have scored from another set-piece as Reed's ball found Mullins completely alone, as he somehow headed down into the ground and behind.

Jack Senior then got away on the left, Lee nodding goalwards only to see Harpur save at the second attempt, with Lee's snapshot over the top too.

In the second period, Town swapped their entire 11, with keeper James Shea getting his first run-out, as the likes of Alan Sheehan, Glen Rea, Isaac Vassell and Luke Gambin all came on as well.

Eagles went closest though, Roache getting the better of Sheehan and Kyjuon Marsh-Brown firing against Rea, hooking the rebound off target.

With 20 minutes to go, Town were in front when Dan Potts's advances into the box drew a foul from Paul Cooper, and the defender dusted himself down to send Harpur the wrong way from the spot, scoring for the second successive campaign at the Eyrie.

The visitors should have had a third on 80 minutes, as Vassell spun his man and laid it on a plate for Gambin, only for the Maltese international to shank well wide of the post.

Bedford: Adam Harpur, Paul Cooper, Ronayne Marsh-Brown (C), Jemale McKenzie-Lowe, Ollie Swain, Devante Stanley, Dylan Gittens, Ryan Auger, Lee Roache, Ben Sawyer, Kyjuon Marsh-Brown.

Subs: JJ Lofthouse-Smith, Kyle Forster, Matty Clifford, Dean Dummett, Peter McDonald, Kwai Marsh-Brown, Romaine Walker, Drew Phillips, Omar Naseri, Steven Karkari, George Brinkman.

Hatters (first half): Marek Stech, Jack Stacey, Jack Senior, Johnny Mullins, Scott Cuthbert, Alan McCormack, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Andrew Shinnie, Arthur Read, James Collins, Elliot Lee.

Hatters (second half): James Shea, Frankie Musonda, Alan Sheehan, Glen Rea, Dan Potts, Tyreeq Bakinson, Jordan Cook, Olly Lee, Lawson D'Ath, Luke Gambin, Isaac Vassell.

Subs: Akin Famewo, Michael Shamalo, Jack James, Kavan Cotter.

Attendance: 1,279.