Alfie Jones scored a freak own goal to gift Luton a 1-0 victory in their relegation six-pointer at Hull.

Hull captain Lewie Coyle smashed a clearance into his team-mate Jones and it backfired by ending up in their own net early in the second half.

That meant Luton, in the relegation zone, snatched a precious away triumph that moved them just three points behind Hull.

It was a resolute defensive showing by the visiting Hatters, as the home side suffered the familiar problem of lacking goal threat.

Hull had arrived on the back of a four-game unbeaten run – including two successive home wins against fellow strugglers Plymouth and Oxford – but that came to an abrupt end.

The Tigers continued their poor recent record against Luton, scoring just one goal in total against them in their previous seven league meetings now, including failing to score in the last four.

Luton brought former Hull defender Reece Burke into their starting line-up, while the Tigers made three changes.

The visitors produced a scare in the seventh minute as Jordan Clark dabbed the ball forward for Elijah Adebayo, whose angled shot from 10 yards struck the far post.

Hull then proceeded to have more of the ball in the first half while struggling to break down their visitors.

Tigers midfielder Kasey Palmer tried to crack the resistance with a diagonal ball for Abu Kamara but he fired wide from 25 yards in the 32nd minute.

Joe Gelhardt, playing wide left in the first half, made a driving run into the box and fell when challenged by Christ Makosso but there was no foul.

There was then a big chance for the hosts just before the break as Gustavo Puerta swung over a cross for Gelhardt to tee up Palmer, who had his 12-yard shot blocked by defender Mark McGuinness.

There was then a calamitous start to the second half for the Tigers, as Jones inadvertently diverted the ball into his own net within 15 seconds of the game re-starting.

The East Yorkshire club had their first shot on target in the 54th minute when Coyle’s cross was met by a close-range header from Puerta straight into the arms of Thomas Kaminski.

Luton defender Amari’i Bell then did well on the hour mark to crucially dispossess striker Kyle Joseph in a dangerous position after Palmer had threaded the ball forward.

The Hatters threatened to double their advantage when Thelo Aasgaard took a shot but Jones produced a crucial block.

Luton managed the latter stages of the game well as the toothless Tigers struggled to threaten, with Kamara dragging a shot wide.

Charlie Hughes had a late attempt for Hull but his fierce 20-yard strike in added time was tipped over by Belgium-capped Kaminski.