Luton Town picked up a huge victory towards their survival hopes as they won a relegation six-pointer 1-0 away at Derby County.
Millenic Alli scored the game’s only goal inside the opening ten minutes to win the day for Matt Bloomfield’s side, with a defensive performance seeing the Hatters keep Derby out to take the points.
A win wasn’t enough to lift Luton out of the relegation zone but with three games to go, they are only inside the dropzone on goal difference after drawing level on points in the table with the Rams. The Hatters remain in contention in a tight scenario at the bottom end of the table, where just 5 points separate Hull in 20th from bottom side Plymouth.
Luton arrived at Pride Park needing a result after losing at home to Blackburn last time out, and with three games against play-off contenders to close their season, it made it vital they could get a win against fellow strugglers Derby County.
The game’s first goal would come Luton’s way as they scored inside ten minutes. A Jordan Clark corner was headed across goal by Carlton Morris to Mark McGuinness, who headed it back across the face of goal for Alli to thump into the back of the net and duly celebrate in front of the adjacent away section with an acrobatic celebration.
Luton would miss decent opportunities to make it 2-0 as the first half continued, with Lamine Fanne missing the target when well placed and Christ Makosso hitting a shot into the side-netting.
Although Derby struggled to create opportunities, the hosts very nearly equalised in added time just before the break, as Jerry Yates’ strike beat Thomas Kaminski only for McGuinness to make a diving block to divert it away from the target.
McGuinness would then make another intervention after the break, with the Irish defender stopping Marcus Harness’ effort from going in.
Luton then survived another Derby attack, as Yates saw a strike saved by Kaminski and Kane Wilson’s follow-up was blocked on the line by McGuinness, who made his third goalline clearance of the game.
Derby continued to push in search of an equaliser, but interventions by Kaminski to deny Kayden Jackson and then Harness kept the Rams attack at bay.
Despite eight minutes of stoppage time, Derby County couldn’t find a way past a valiant Hatters rearguard, allowing Bloomfield’s team to pick up a huge three points.
With Hull, Cardiff and Plymouth all failing to win in later kick-offs, its a result that means Luton’s hopes of avoiding back-to-back relegations are boosted.
Luton will be aiming for back-to-back wins but face a tricky pair of tests in their next assignments as they welcome Bristol City and Coventry sides currently sat in the play-offs to Kenilworth Road in their final two home games of the season.