Huddersfield moved up to third in the Championship table and four points clear of top-six rivals Luton after second-half Jon Russell and Naby Sarr goals secured a 2-0 win over the visiting Hatters.
In between, 16-goal top scorer Elijah Adebayo missed a penalty for Luton and the vital victory also opened up a six-point cushion for Carlos Corberan’s men over seventh-placed Blackburn in the jostle for play-off spots.
Earlier, Danny Ward and Sorba Thomas had combined to create the first chance of the evening for Lewis O’Brien, who lifted a 15-yard attempt over the visitors’ crossbar.
But otherwise it was a cagey start to the contest by both teams with neither committing a single foul during the opening 16 minutes.
The hosts began to assert themselves thereafter, with Russell driving over from distance following positive play between O’Brien and Thomas.
Danel Sinani’s shot on the turn from eight yards out was then kept out at the near post by Hatters keeper James Shea after Thomas had threatened again through the left channel.
Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu went on to flash a header just wide of his own goal following a dangerous O’Brien centre and, moments later, a 20-yard Thomas strike deflected off both visiting skipper Sonny Bradley and Terriers defender Levi Colwill, requiring Shea to adjust well and save with his legs.
Colwill also headed over from a Sinani cross, while Luton’s only goal attempt of the first half saw Harry Cornick’s edge-of-the-box effort parried to safety by Lee Nicholls.
After the break, Sinani’s 20-yard shot was deflected over following a Kal Naismith block before the Terriers broke the deadlock just before the hour mark.
Henri Lansbury had just exited the action with a neck injury and his replacement Dan Potts, along with fellow substitute Robert Snodgrass, was caught napping from a right-wing throw-in by Pipa.
Their sloppiness allowed Russell to loft a 12-yard shot at goal over Shea and into his top-right corner after the ball had bounced up off the turf invitingly.
In response, Adebayo headed a Naismith cross wide for Nathan Jones‘ men but he then squandered an even better chance to level the scores in the 70th minute.
Referee Geoff Eltringham pointed to the spot after Sinani tangled with James Bree as the Hatters full-back sprinted on to Naismith’s ball through the right channel.
But Adebayo’s subsequent penalty glanced the outside of Nicholls’ right-hand post and, in an ensuing melee, Naismith, Jonathan Hogg and Thomas all had their names taken.
Looking to make amends, Adebayo teed up Snodgrass for an edge-of-the-box opportunity that he scooped well over, while Amari’i Bell also curled wide from a similar distance.
But centre-back Sarr put the outcome beyond doubt in the 89th minute – just six after being introduced off the bench to replace striker Ward.
He was left unmarked at the far post and headed in Thomas’ left-wing corner from three yards.
Thomas then had a chance to rub salt in the wounds with a third on the counter but drilled a low shot straight at Shea.
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