Kadeem Harris’s goal was enough to send Sheffield Wednesday to the top of the Championship with victory against Luton Town.
The winger pounced onto Steven Fletcher’s knock-down header to score the only goal of a game which lacked quality after Jacob Murphy had floated the ball to the back post early in the second half.
The goal sparked a flurry of chances for Fletcher, who headed narrowly wide and had an effort ruled out for offside.
Wednesday managed to defend their slender advantage to retake the early lead at the top of the table as Luton – who are still without a league win since winning promotion – failed to capitalise on a solid first-half display at Hillsborough.
Andrew Shinnie had almost given Graeme Jones’ side the lead after Owls keeper Keiren Westwood sliced his clearance straight to the winger.
Shinnie shot from distance as Westwood scrambled back to his line to tip the ball over the bar.
After the interval, Luton’s defence began to struggle as Wednesday pushed and broke the deadlock with Harris’ second goal of the season to earn them a third win from four league games.
The Hatters’ night got worse when defender Martin Cranie was stretchered off with an injury and replaced by debutant Luke Bolton.
Last season’s League One champions have taken only one point from their first four games, with their sole victory coming in the Carabao Cup.
Sheffield Wednesday caretaker manager Lee Bullen told BBC Radio Sheffield:
“We had one of two decent spells in the first half. We didn’t really have the balance of play that we wanted.
“We had to change the way we structured the midfield three and it paid dividends really right from the start of the second half.
“Don’t underestimate how big that three points is today. They are no mugs. It was a dug out three points, it wasn’t fantastic.
“There’s not many times I’m going to be more pleased this season than that three points because it proves another side of what we have got in that changing room.”
Luton Town manager Graeme Jones told BBC Three Counties Radio:
“I feel like we deserved something from the game but we can’t keep repeating that story.
“We need to win a game of football and that’s where we are. We are together, the whole group, the staff, the players and we will get there.
“If playing in the Championship was easy, everybody would be doing it and they’re not.
“We are there technically, tactically, physically and it’s just that last mental step. Once we win a game of football in the Championship we will be absolutely fine.”
