Midfielder Matthew Spring scored his eighth goal of the season to give Division Two play-off hopefuls Luton a 1-0 victory over neighbours Wycombe.
Spring struck after 57 minutes to give the Hatters a well deserved victory against a Wanderers team that managed just one shot on target all afternoon.
Wycombe went into the game unbeaten in four matches, their last defeat was at home to Luton last month, but Joe Kinnear won this battle over fellow ex-Wimbledon hero Lawrie Sanchez.
A scrappy first half saw more yellow cards than goal scoring chances with referee Clive Wilkes dishing out five bookings.
Wycombe's Australian keeper Frank Talia turned an Emmerson Boyce shot around the post after just two minutes and saved a weak Steve Robinson effort moments later.
The Australian then saved a low shot from Howard at the near post and stopped a firm 30-yard drive from Luton's top scorer on 41 minutes.
A spectacular volley from Paul Hughes was saved by Talia early in the second half and Steve Howard then headed narrowly wide from Boyce's cross.
Dannie Bulman's dismal free kick was sliced 15 yards wide for the visitors before Spring scored the only goal of the game.
An overhead kick by Hughes found Tony Thorpe in the Wycombe penalty box and, when he failed to get in a shot, the ball broke for Spring who, despite a heavy first touch, fired into the roof of the net from an acute angle.
Wycombe's only on-target attempt came after 61 minutes, but Danny Harris' 25-yard volley only required a routine save from Carl Emberson.
Mark Rogers then hooked the ball wide from six yards but that proved to be the Chairboys last chance.
Home substitute Ahmet Brkovic then fired into the side netting from 10 yards, Howard volleyed wide and Spring went close with a 30-yard drive.
And Howard was then denied his first goal of 2003 when Talia spectacularly tipped over his stoppage-time header.