Anel Ahmedhodzic has scored two goals in two games for Sheffield United
Anel Ahmedhodzic sent Sheffield United back to the top of the Championship with the only goal of the game against bottom side Luton Town.
Bosnia-Herzegovina international Ahmedhodzic's close-range finish ensured the Blades moved above Leeds United, who have to wait until Monday for the chance to return to the summit when they host fellow promotion hopefuls Sunderland.
While the Blades and Hatters are at the opposite ends of the table, it was the lowly hosts that repeatedly threatened.
Thelo Aasgaard curled an early shot onto the crossbar and Elijah Adebayo squandered a close-range effort before the interval.
There were chances at both ends soon after the restart, with Carlton Morris kept out by Blades goalkeeper Michael Cooper before Ben Brereton Diaz hit the post for United 30 seconds later, but Ahmedhodzic came up with the decisive moment with 11 minutes left at Kenilworth Road.
Luton fans directed jeers at the match officials at full-time as they felt Ahmedhodzic had been offside for the goal.
But while it was a hugely improved performance from Luton, their inability to make it count with a goal meant they have failed to score in four successive home Football League games for the first time in their history.
The Hatters and Blades were relegated from the Premier League together last season, but have experienced vastly different fortunes in the second tier.
United started the day 40 points and 22 places better off than the hosts, but Luton started the brighter of the two sides.
Aasgaard - who was one of just four Hatters players to keep their places in the starting line-up following their 2-0 midweek defeat by Sunderland - tested United goalkeeper Cooper inside two minute, while Adebayo also sent an early header off target for the hosts.
The woodwork denied Aasgaard in the 15th minute, and Isaiah Jones failed to beat Cooper after latching onto the rebound.
Adebayo went on volley Luton's most inviting first-half chance over the bar from six yards, and it was not until the 44th minute that Tyrese Campbell tested Thomas Kaminski at the other end.
Morris was quick to call Cooper into another save after the interval, but United almost hit the hosts on the counter after that as Brereton Diaz directed his sliding close-range effort onto the woodwork.
Luton were closing in on a valuable point that would have lifted them off the bottom of the table before Ahmedhodzic netted his second goal in three days - his effort in the 3-1 win against Middlesbrough on Wednesday being his first of the season.
It leaves Hatters boss Matt Bloomfield still looking for his first victory since making the move from Wycombe Wanderers.
'It never felt like top v bottom' - reaction
Luton Town boss Matt Bloomfield told BBC Three Counties Radio:
"That is a Luton performance. It had the identity, the character and personality of a Luton team. That is what we asked for before the game and the lads gave it to us in droves.
"I'm really disappointed for the lads because they are working so hard, but I'm really proud of what they did. We have to replicate that. That has to be our minimum now.
"We could have got all three points today against one of the best teams in the league and on another day it would have gone in our favour.
"It was close margins, a couple of decisions go against us as well. We have to concentrate on ourselves, the work we do every day on the training ground, our intensity in the way we work, and if we do that then things will improve."
"That was a Luton performance, it had the identity and character and the personality of a Luton team" - Matt Bloomfield
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield:
(When asked about it not being a pretty win) "That's the understatement of the season. Their approach to it, from the off – especially when we saw the team sheet with a few of the experienced boys – we talked about having to expect the Luton Town of old.
"It was everything from the year they went up, it was everything in the Premier League that Premier League teams struggled to cope with - the two centre forwards. It came long from the off, we saw it went straight back to the goalkeeper and bang on top of you. And every free-kick was on top of you.
"You just have to deal with it and, at times, it's really difficult to come out of it and try play your natural, normal game. We tried at times, but they were massively up for it.
"The target on our back, because of the position that we are in and because it was Sheffield United against Luton Town, it never felt like a team at the top of the division versus a team that was rock bottom.
"You have to show different qualities for different games if you want to be successful, and we showed huge personality and huge character."
