The Hatters slipped to a fifth consecutive defeat away from Kenilworth Road as they were comfortably beaten by league leaders Leeds.
It took the hosts just 10 minutes to break the deadlock. Manor Solomon’s left-wing cross found Sam Byram in the six-yard box and, after seeing his initial shot blocked, the Leeds full-back was quickest to the loose ball to finish past Thomas Kaminski.
While Daniel Farke’s side were enjoying plenty of the ball, the Hatters’ first foray forward into the hosts’ half almost resulted in an equaliser. Victor Moses took Jordan Clark’s pass, bursting into the box. The former Chelsea man clipped a deft left-foot effort past Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier but with the crowd expecting the net to bulge, home skipper Pascal Struijk acrobatically cleared the ball off the line.
After going so close the Town then had to withstand heavy Leeds pressure as the hosts went in search of a second. Wilfried Gnonto saw a shot blocked on 24 minutes and Kaminski stopped a low shot from Brenden Aaronson a minute later.
It should have been 2-0 on 29 minutes only for Gnonto to side-foot straight at Kaminski. However the Hatters then spurned another great opportunity to level three minutes before the break. Carlton Morris’ fine curling cross from the right found Reece Burke unmarked at the back-post but the defender could not guide his header on target.
And that miss proved hard to take on the stroke of half-time as the hosts doubled their lead. From Joe Rothwell’s left-wing corner, Kaminski parried away as the ball bounced goalwards but Joel Piroe was quickest to the loose ball and the forward slammed home from two yards out. Instead of 1-1 it was 2-0 at the break.
Rob Edwards introduced Daiki Hashioka for Burke at the start of the second half and the hosts twice came close to adding a third after the restart when Ao Tanaka’s shot was held by Kaminski before Teden Mengi cleared a Piroe effort off the line.
On the hour Edwards made a double change in attack, introducing Joe Taylor and Elijah Adebayo for Morris and Brown, but Leeds’ pressure continued and Piroe wasn’t far away with a free-kick from the edge of the box that was deflected over the bar with 14 minutes left.
For all the home possession the Town weren’t still totally out of it at 2-0 and on 72 minutes Mengi saw a shot blocked from distance before Adebayo nodded over when well-placed on 76 minutes when rising to meet Clark’s corner.
But just like in the first half the Town conceded after spurning a decent chance as, on 81 minutes, Leeds made the game safe when Jayden Bogle’s fine pass released Dan James and he clipped a cool finish over Kaminski.
Kaminski then needed to be alert to prevent Mateo Joseph’s header from creeping home but, as the final moments ticked down, the Hatters continued to force half-chances. Shandon Baptiste’s fine low drive from the edge of the box was turned away well by Meslier before the Leeds keeper then pawed away a pot-shot from Clark in the third minute of time added on.
Kaminski kept out a fourth with the last action but it mattered not as the hosts were able to celebrate victory seconds later with the three points taking them back to the top of the Championship.
We’re on the road again on Saturday at Norwich. We’ll see you there. UTT.
Town: Kaminski; Burke (sub Hashioka 46), Moses (sub Chong 77), Mengi, McGuinness, Bell; Nakamba (sub Baptiste 74), Krauß, Clark; Morris (sub Adebayo 60), Brown (sub Taylor 59).
Subs not used: Krul, Woodrow, Mpanzu, Holmes.
Attendance: 35,340, including 1,087 in the away end cheering for the Town.
