Leeds lead the way after swatting aside Luton at Elland Road

Leeds regained top spot in the Championship after comfortably beating Luton 3-0 for their sixth straight home league win.

Sam Byram’s scissor-kick and Joel Piroe’s strike put Leeds 2-0 up at the interval and substitute Daniel James’ fine late finish lifted Daniel Farke’s side back above overnight leaders Sheffield United on goal difference.

Luton, relegated last season and who climbed out of the bottom three after last weekend’s win over Hull, spurned two clear-cut first-half chances before slipping to a fifth straight away defeat.

Leeds dominated straight from kick-off and Byram volleyed them into a 10th-minute lead, reacting sharply after his initial effort had been blocked to plant a right-footed finish into the bottom corner.

It was a timely opener, allowing home fans to celebrate before bursting into an 11th-minute tribute to Gary Speed on the 13th anniversary of the former Leeds and Wales winger’s death.

Leeds then rode their luck when skipper Pascal Struijk acrobatically cleared Victor Moses’ effort off the goal-line.

It was a rare foray forward for the visitors and Leeds should have extended their lead when Piroe sent Brenden Aaronson clear before Wilfried Gnonto fired straight at Thomas Kaminski.

Leeds continued to camp on the edge of Luton’s penalty area, but the visitors went close to grabbing an equaliser when unmarked defender Reece Burke headed Carlton Morris’ hanging cross wide at the far post.

Piroe gave the scoreline a fairer reflection in first-half stoppage time, pouncing on a rebound to bury his seventh league goal of the season after Struijk’s header from Joe Rothwell’s corner had been well saved by Kaminski.

Luton adopted a higher press in the second half, but a similar pattern emerged as Leeds continued to hog possession.

Ao Tanaka curled a shot straight at Kaminski and Piroe was crowded out after good work by Aaronson.

Luton stuck doggedly to their task to prevent Leeds from further improving their goal difference until James, a 69th-minute replacement for Gnonto, raced on to Jayden Bogle’s raking pass to lob home a neat finish.

Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier was forced into his first meaningful save in stoppage time, swooping low to turn away Luton substitute Shandon Baptiste’s low drive.

Bogle was denied a fourth for Leeds when his close-range block was blocked by Kaminski as Farke’s side reached the second tier’s summit for the second time this season.