A strong Luton outfit hung on to beat Wycombe Wanderers after a strong second half by the home side.
Steve Howard showed why he has scored 14 goals this season with two well-taken efforts during a 15-minute spell of the first half.
Luton had looked well in control by half time and could have led by a greater margin than 2-0 after 45 minutes. However Wanderers drew themselves up and made a real game of it when 18-year-old Johnny Dixon scored his second goal in two appearances to give the Blues a chance of a point.
The visitors ended stoutly with big frontman Howard, his brace in the first half separating the teams, coming back to help out the rear.
The Hatters started the game the stronger, after just two minutes Emmerson Boyce made tracks on the right and crossed to the far post where Howard's header was well saved by Frank Talia in the home goal.
From the resulting corner Dean Crowe shot just over and Wycombe came back with midfielder Steve BrownÂ’s free-kick struck the Luton upright from 25 yards.
Luton took the lead on 21 minutes, their superiority deservedly rewarded. The Wycombe defence, failing to clear the ball properly and from 25 yards Howard smashed the ball into the bottom corner.
The home side huffed and puffed and young forward Dixon volleyed over after a cross from strike partner Andy Rammell.
The Hatters extended their lead on 34 minutes, a long throw was headed into the net by Howard for his 14th goal of a productive season.
Howard almost had his way a third time with the Wycombe defence, when he worked a good shooting opportunity just before the hour, but his fiercely struck shot went just wide.
The second half saw a Wycombe revival of sorts with Luton seeming to take their foot off the pedal.
The home side halved the deficit just after the hour mark as Wycombe playmaker Michael Simpson swung in a free-kick from the left which was headed up in the air by the Luton defence.
The former Colchester custodian in the Luton goal, Carl Emberson, couldn't claim the ball and Dixon bundled it over the line for his first home league goal following on from his strike against QPR on Boxing Day.
The home side almost grabbed an equaliser with ten minutes remaining as home defender Danny Senda was sent flying 25 yards from goal. From the free-kick combative midfielder Dannie Bulman hit a screamer that Emberson did well to tip away for a corner.
The visitors played out the half without further alarm and deservedly travelled home with all three points. Despite losing, Wycombe moved up one place in the table as their visitors continued their upward pressure in the top six.