Luton suffered their third defeat of the season at Crewe when two goals in the final three minutes from Kenny Lunt and Luke Varney helped seal maximum points for the home-side.

It looked as if Luton had done enough to claim a share of the spoils after Dean Morgan's fourth goal of the season was cancelled out by a Billy Jones strike.

However, Lunt's sublime diving header combined with a cool finish from Varney helped seal Crewe's first win in 12 competitive fixtures to lift them off the bottom of the Championship table.

All three of Luton's international players were named in the starting line-up as Carlos Edwards, Markus Heikkinen and Warren Feeney returned unscathed from their duties during the week.

Hatters boss Mike Newell, who named an unchanged starting line-up from the one that beat Cardiff a fortnight ago, was also boosted by the return of Rowan Vine and Kevin Foley who were named amongst the substitutes.

Crewe boss Dario Gradi made two changes to his side from the one that were narrowly defeated by Ipswich as Anthony Tonkin and Mark Rivers were recalled to the starting line-up.

Luton wasted little time in threatening to break the deadlock in the early stages after Kevin Nicholls' cross-field ball found Morgan unmarked but the former Reading midfielder shot straight into the arms of Crewe goalkeeper Ben Williams.

Neither side looked particularly promising until Williams spectacularly saved a towering header from Peter Holmes on nine minutes after Edwards had delivered an inch perfect cross from the right flank.

Crewe themselves were enjoying some encouraging spells in the game and almost broke the deadlock through Stephen Foster's header, two minutes later, which beat Hatters goalkeeper Marlon Beresford but came back off the crossbar.

After 15 minutes: Crewe 0 v 0 Luton

Luton were enjoying more of the possession but Crewe must have been wondering how they hadn't broken the deadlock when, after a scramble in the Luton defence, the ball broke kindly to Rivers on 18 minutes who thumped a shot against the crossbar.

Luton were catching Williams in inspirational form when the Crewe goalkeeper was called upon to make a key save on 21 minutes after Morgan drilled a low volley across goal. Williams dived low, to his right, and palmed away the midfielder's shot who had struck his effort with some power.

The visitors finally made the breakthrough after 29 minutes when Morgan slammed home his fourth goal of the season. The Luton midfielder was found in acres of space at the back post as Ahmet Brkovic's cross was not dealt with by the Crewe defence which enabled Morgan to bring the ball down on his chest and fire past Williams.

The Crewe defence were adamant that Morgan had used his hands in the build-up to the goal but the former Colchester loanee displayed great composer to finish off a good Luton move.

After 30 minutes: Crewe 0 v 1 Luton

As Crewe's wayward defence struggled to cope with Luton's fluent attacking football, the home-side once again had Williams to thank for another important intervention - this time pulling off a one-handed save from Feeney's turn-and-shot.

Luton's lead lasted eight minutes when Crewe got themselves back on level terms as the visitors' defence were caught sleeping. Lunt's free-kick was lofted straight down the heart of the Luton defence and as Newell's team failed to clear their line, Jones' turn-and-shot crept under the body of Beresford.

Williams was in inspiring form for Crewe as he once again kept his side on level terms thanks to another full stretched save from Feeney on 40 minutes.

Luton should have been in front moments before the half-time whistle as Feeney wasted a golden opportunity after the Northern Ireland striker failed to test Williams who had been put in the clear by Steve Howard.

AT HALF-TIME: CREWE 1 V 1 LUTON

Luton came out strongly in the second-half and Howard almost gave the visitors a perfect start when his run-and-shot sailed narrowly over the crossbar.

The visitors had certainly come storming out of the blocks in the second-half and Edwards' cross across the face of Crewe's goal on 50 minutes was almost turned into his own net by Foster.

Steve Jones struck the side netting on 53 minutes after a rare mistake from Heikkinen as the home crowd tried to rally around their team.

After 60 minutes: Crewe 1 v 1 Luton

Luton were almost caught on the break on 61 minutes as the visitors nearly capitalised on a mistake from Morgan as Steve Jones failed to connect cleanly to a cross from the right flank.

Foley was brought into the action and operated in a right midfield role as Luton's management team changed tactics with Brkovic swapping flanks.

This was a game evenly balanced as Gary Roberts flashed a shot narrowly wide of Luton's goal on 71 minutes as the home-side slowly upped the tempo to their game.

Howard should have found the target to put Luton into the lead on 74 minutes but wasted his chance when the former Northampton striker fired over from eight yards after Brkovic's corner was not dealt with by the Crewe defence.

After 75 minutes: Crewe 1 v 1 Luton

Holmes came close on 79 minutes as the midfielder found space on the edge of the Crewe penalty area to curl a shot wide of the target.

Luton continued to apply the pressure as Enoch Showunmi continued to look dangerous for the visitors and it was his cross on 81 minutes that should have been put away by one of his team-mates.

It looked as if Luton would claim a share of the spoils until three minutes from the end, Lunt connected with Luke Rodgers' cross from the left flank to flash a diving header past Beresford.

To rub further salt into the wounds of Luton, Crewe added a third in the final moments of the game when Varney shrugged off a challenge from Heikkinen to smash home a first-time shot.

AT FULL TIME: CREWE 3 V 1 LUTON

Crewe: Williams, Moss, Tonkin, B Jones, Foster, Lunt, S Jones (Cochrane 89), Rivers (Rodgers 74), McCready, Johnson (Varney 69), Roberts

Subs not used: Tomlinson, Walker,

Bookings: Moss (80)

Luton: Beresford, Davis, Coyne, Edwards, Nicholls, Feeney (Showunmi 69), Brkovic, Howard, Morgan (Foley 65), Heikkinen, Holmes

Subs not used: Brill, Perrett, Vine

Bookings:

Referee: Mr A Bates

Attendance: 6,604

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