Brentford suffered a pre-season defeat against Sky Bet League Two Luton Town at Kenilworth Road.

The Bees had the upper hand for long stages but fell behind late in the first half.

Philipp Hofmann levelled before half time and Brentford had chances to win it.

But Luton won it late on with a goal against the run of play and Brentford were beaten.

Striker Hofmann started in a Brentford shirt for the first time as the central man in an attacking trio that also included Stuart Dallas and Andy Gogia.

The trio linked well early on with Marcos Tébar joining in from midfield and full backs Nico Yennaris and Yoann Barbet also keen to get up the pitch.

Hofmann had the ball in the net early on but was in an offside position and Ryan Williams fired wide for The Bees soon after.

Luton lined up with Luke Guttridge in behind Mustapha Tiryaki and that gave the hosts a solid base in midfield.

They were able to stop Brentford playing through them for much of the early stages.

And although the hosts did not create much, when they got Guttridge and Josh McQuoid in to the action, they had a threat.

Jack Bonham saved a Stephen O’Connell header and a Nathan Doyle shot deflected wide before Scott Griffiths missed the target with an effort when a corner was half cleared.

Brentford came close to a goal on the counter attack but Dallas was held up and when the ball was recycled the same man met a Gogia cross with a header that was saved.

Luton goalkeeper Elliot Justham made a good save low to his right from a Williams free kick and then denied Hofmann when the German striker got off a low shot.

Dallas saw a shot deflect wide and then forced Justham to top over as Brentford started to take control around the half hour mark.

Hofmann and Alan McCormack had shots blocked but Luton took the lead against the run of play five minutes before half time.

It came from a corner delivered from the right by Guttridge, Luke Wilkinson rose highest at the far post and nodded past Bonham and in to the net.

But Brentford hit straight back.

Gogia teased his way past O’Donnell on the left and delivered a low cross that Hofmann turned home on the stretch.

Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu had a shot blocked late in the half and Gogia fired narrowly wide as the teams went in all square.

Andreas Bjelland was introduced at the break for The Bees but with no other changes, it was perhaps surprising that the game lost its flow.

Jack O’Connell fired wide from distance just after half time for Brentford and Luton substitute Danny Green did likewise for the hosts soon after coming on.

The Bees appeared to take control on the hour mark and could have gone ahead when Gogia weaved his way inside but Justham saved his shot and then got up quickly to deny Hofmann from the rebound.

Andre Gray nearly marked his return to Kenilworth Road with a goal with his first touch.

The former Luton striker got on to a ball forward from O’Connell and was clear but Justham produced a fine low save to deny him.

Gray had another shot saved and Jota saw one blocked but Luton struck against the run of play.

Calvin Zola found space 25 yards out and drilled a low shot in to the corner.

Brentford tried to respond and Gray got on to a Yennaris cross but Justham, named Man of the Match by the home side, kept it out again.

Yennaris fired over at the death as The Bees pushed for an equaliser but could not find it and Luton took the win.

Luton Town: Justham; O’Donnell, McNulty, Wilkinson, Griffiths; Mpanzu (sub Green 60 mins), Doyle (sub Lee 60 mins), Smith (sub Marriott 86 mins), McQuoid (sub Lawless 60 mins); Guttridge (sub McGeehan 75 mins); Tiryaki (sub Zola 60 mins)

Brentford: Bonham (sub Smith h/t); Yennaris, Tarkowski (sub Bjelland h/t), O’Connell, Barbet (sub Dean 75 mins); Tébar (sub Judge 75 mins), Williams (sub Diagouraga 67 mins), McCormack; Dallas (sub Jota 75 mins), Hofmann (sub Gray 67 mins), Gogia (sub Bidwell 75 mins)

Attendance: 2,556 (242 Bees fans)

By Chris Wickham