Huddersfield beat fellow promotion hopefuls Luton to move up to third

Huddersfield moved up to third in the Championship table and four points clear of top-six rivals Luton after second-half Jon Russell and Naby Sarr goals secured a 2-0 win over the visiting Hatters.

In between, 16-goal top scorer Elijah Adebayo missed a penalty for Luton and the vital victory also opened up a six-point cushion for Carlos Corberan’s men over seventh-placed Blackburn in the jostle for play-off spots.

Earlier, Danny Ward and Sorba Thomas had combined to create the first chance of the evening for Lewis O’Brien, who lifted a 15-yard attempt over the visitors’ crossbar.

But otherwise it was a cagey start to the contest by both teams with neither committing a single foul during the opening 16 minutes.

The hosts began to assert themselves thereafter, with Russell driving over from distance following positive play between O’Brien and Thomas.

Danel Sinani’s shot on the turn from eight yards out was then kept out at the near post by Hatters keeper James Shea after Thomas had threatened again through the left channel.

Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu went on to flash a header just wide of his own goal following a dangerous O’Brien centre and, moments later, a 20-yard Thomas strike deflected off both visiting skipper Sonny Bradley and Terriers defender Levi Colwill, requiring Shea to adjust well and save with his legs.

Colwill also headed over from a Sinani cross, while Luton’s only goal attempt of the first half saw Harry Cornick’s edge-of-the-box effort parried to safety by Lee Nicholls.

After the break, Sinani’s 20-yard shot was deflected over following a Kal Naismith block before the Terriers broke the deadlock just before the hour mark.

Henri Lansbury had just exited the action with a neck injury and his replacement Dan