Millenic Alli's winner against Derby was just his second goal for Luton
Luton Town moved equal on points with relegation rivals Derby County after Millenic Alli's frantic first-half goal earned the Hatters a hard-fought and nervy victory against the Rams at Pride Park.
While the victory was not enough to lift Luton out of the drop zone, it is now only goal difference that separates them and Derby, who are just outside the relegation places, in 21st with three games remaining.
Alli gave the Hatters the ideal start with a thumped close-range finish after the hosts failed to deal with an inswinging corner from Jordan Clark.
Mark McGuinness went on to make a series of crucial blocks to deny Derby an equaliser, the most dramatic of which was off the line to foil Kane Wilson after Jerry Yates had his initial shot saved by Thomas Kaminski.
Keeper Kaminski ensured victory with decisive late saves to deny Kayden Jackson and Marcus Harness.
While both Burnley and Sheffield United finished below that Hatters in the Premier League when they were relegated together last season, Luton have continued to plummet as the other two clubs are looking make immediate top-flight returns.
Victory against John Eustace's resurgent Rams, however, has given their hopes of staying in the second tier a huge boost.
For Derby - who handed goalkeeper Josh Vickers his first start in eight months after number one Jacob Widell Zetterstrom was ruled out for the remainder of the season because of a facial injury - their second defeat in four games, after winning four in succession, means they will slip into the bottom three later on Friday if Cardiff beat promotion-chasing Sheffield United.
Alli put Luton ahead with cool finish in the midst of chaos in Derby's penalty area after McGuinness prodded the ball back across goal when a flicked Carlton Morris header from a corner found the Republic of Ireland international at the back post.
It was forward's second Luton goal since arriving from League One side Exeter City in January, and he celebrated the potentially season-defining strike with a somersault in front of the 3,000 travelling fans.
Derby lost forward Nathaniel Mendez-Laing to injury soon after and were fortune the first half did not get any worse for them, as Lamine Fanne wastefully blasted a chance over the bar from 12 yards out before Christ Makosso lashed an effort into the side netting for the visitors.
And while Derby did not manage to register a shot on target in the first 45 minutes, Yates did have a goal-bound effort crucially blocked by McGuinness in the second minute of stoppage time at the end the first half.
And after getting in the way of a Harness shot in the second half, McGuinness made it a hat-trick of interventions when he got back to scuff Wilson's attempted finish away after the ball ricocheted into the defender's path after Yates was denied by Kaminski.
Derby pressed relentlessly in search of a leveller, but Kaminski stood in the way.
He thrust a boot out to foil Jackson in the 78th minute, and showed great reflexes to keep a glanced Harness header out at point-blank range minutes later, to a chorus of groans from the home fans.
'Nothing is done yet' - reaction
Derby County head coach John Eustace told BBC Radio Derby:
"The first half wasn't what we had been like and what we expected, so that is disappointing.
"We looked a little bit anxious. It was a big game, it's a full house and I thought Luton set up really well and made it really difficult for us and we just couldn't get our game going.
"But the way we approached the second half was excellent and the attitude of the group was good.
"In the second half the effort of the group was fantastic, we had two or three golden chances that we just couldn't put away.
"The most important thing is that we react on Monday [when Derby face West Bromwich Albion], which I know we will. We are a team of fighters."
Luton Town boss Matt Bloomfield told BBC Three Counties Radio:
"I thought first half, for an away performance, we were excellent. We passed the ball incredibly well, we had a goal threat and the only disappointment is that we didn't come in two or three up to kill the game off.
"It was always going to be a tough second half with Derby supporters right behind their team and creating the noise they do here.
"But to put on that kind of defensive display, I'm so proud of the lads. We took a real punch on the nose last Saturday in the defeat against Blackburn, but I didn't want it to ruin the momentum we had been building.
"It was important that we kept our heads today, because if we got too uptight and anxious, and built it up to be too much, then we weren't going to come and perform. It was really important that we stayed calm in this situation.
"I've just delivered the message to the boys that nothing is done yet, just like it wasn't over last Saturday when we were beaten by Blackburn.
"We have to show that fighting spirit at the Kenny [Kenilworth Road against Bristol City] on Monday."
