The Hatters moved to within three points of the Sky Bet Championship play-offs with a terrific 1-0 win at Swansea tonight.

Harry Cornick netted his first goal since returning from injury, and his eighth of the season, to secure all three points for the relentless Hatters, lifting Nathan Jones' side up to ninth in the table.

Jones made two changes to the side that drew 0-0 at home to Blackburn on Saturday, with Danny Hylton making his first start since February 2021 up front, with Cameron Jerome on the bench and Elijah Adebayo remaining sidelined.

Reece Burke replaced Tom Lockyer in defence, whilst deadline day signing Jed Steer is amongst the substitutes.

The Hatters were dominant in the opening exchanges, pressing high as Swansea attempted to play out from the back and that almost reaped a dividend when Allan Campbell closed down keeper Andy Fisher, making his debut, and might have had more luck with the ricochet that went away from goal.

Hylton went close with a glancing header from a perfect James Bree free-kick, whipped in from the left, then Campbell saw an angled effort go just past the same far post from an Amari'i Bell cross.

Swansea finally managed to play through the Town lines and their swift passing created an opening for Olivier Ntcham, which Burke cleared, before a delightful pass from their captain Matt Grimes split the Hatters' defensive for Michael Obafemi to guide the ball goalwards, James Shea making a brilliant reaction save with his left boot to keep the score blank.

Fred Onyedinma had driven at the Swans' defence a couple of minutes before that, but his 12th-minute shot was deflected just wide, and former Hatters loanee Flynn Downes had been booked for a late challenge on Kal Naismith in a blistering opening quarter-of-an-hour.

A slower period followed, but Hylton burst into life again just after the half-hour, when he nutmegged Ryan Bennett on the right edge of the Swansea box and sent a cross-shot towards the hosts' goal, Fisher parrying out into the six-yard box and away from danger.

The Town number nine was soon into Langford's notepad for a foul on Grimes, but he was also the closest to opening the scoring once again as half-time approached, meeting Bree's free-kick, this time from the right, with a header that was just over the bar with Fisher rooted to the spot.

Two minutes into added time at the end of the first half, Burke tried his luck after a wonderful interplay on the right touchline between Bree and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu. Burke received the ball 25 yards out, on the angle of the Swans' box, and cut inside to curl a left-footer just over Fisher's bar.

There was still time for Bree to deliver yet another inch-perfect cross, this time for Campbell coming in at the far post, but the Scot headed over and ref Langford immediately whistled for the break.

Swansea went closer ten minutes after the restart, centre-half Ben Cabango heading against the outside of Shea's left post, with Bennett only able to stab the follow-up into the side-netting.

Obafemi shot straight at Shea just before the hour, then Jones made his first changes of the evening, bringing Harry Cornick and Jerome on for Onyedinma and Hylton, who had both run themselves into the ground.

Ryan Manning shot high over Shea's bar on 67 minutes, before Cornick and Bree broke at the other end and almost created a great chance for Jerome at the near post.

The next opportunity was presented to the Town on a plate by keeper Fisher, whose attempt to play the ball out into midfield was intercepted by Campbell, who fed Cornick, but the sub's shot was straight at the City stopper.

The breakthrough came in the 72nd-minute, just after Osho had produced a goal-saving block inside the six-yard box on Obafemi as the ex-Southampton striker pulled the trigger.

Campbell's header set Jerome free down the right and the veteran striker cut the ball back into Cornick's path for him to curl a beauty away from Fisher's dive and into the corner of the Swans' net.

Shea had to make a late save from substitute Joel Piroe's header as the hosts tried to find a way back, but the Town's tireless display had been more than enough to satisfy the 300 travelling Town fans who had made the long journey, and make it one defeat in nine matches in all competitions, as we head into FA Cup action at Cambridge on Saturday in excellent form.

Goals:

LT - Cornick 72

Att: 16,598