A late goal from defender Anel Ahmedhodzic saw Sheffield United move to the top of the Championship as they picked up their fourth-successive victory when beating bottom-of-the-table Luton 1-0 at Kenilworth Road.

The struggling Hatters had looked by far the better side in the first half, Thelo Aasgaard’s snapshot from 20 yards well handled by the retreating Michael Cooper.

Luton kept the pressure up, forcing two corners, the second of which was taken short to Liam Walsh, his inviting cross headed off target by Elijah Adebayo.

The hosts were a whisker away from moving ahead after 15 minutes when a glorious team move ended with Aasgaard curling the ball against the underside of the crossbar and Izzy Jones’ follow up blocked by the legs of a grateful Cooper.

Town remained on the front foot, but could not get the goal their play most definitely deserved, Aasgaard teasing in a beautiful cross that Adebayo volleyed over from six yards.

They kept on shooting when the chance arose too, Aasgaard sidefooting at Cooper from 20 yards, Walsh blasting over the woodwork from further out.

In the final stages of the first half, the Blades had their best moment. Tyrese Campbell was slipped through but Luton goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski used his legs to save.

Aasgaard had another crack that flew into the stands, while in the second period, United came close but skipper Jack Robinson’s back-post header proved an easy save for Kaminski.

Then came a flurry of chances at both ends, Carlton Morris’ glancing header from Alfie Doughty’s cross palmed away by Cooper and Campbell’s low ball in prodded against the crossbar by a stretching Ben Brereton Diaz from a matter of yards.

The former Villarreal attacker ought to have really broken the deadlock midway through the half though, when a cross bounced kindly at his feet, thumping over the top.

Luton had another attempt after 75 minutes, Doughty clipping a free-kick into the box and there was Morris to send his header in, Cooper claiming easily.

Late on, it felt that Luton’s wastefulness would come back and bite them and after Kaminski kept out a header, the Blades won it when Ahmedhodzic turned the ball home, the Hatters supporters and players screaming for an offside flag that never came.

Callum O’Hare saw his attempt deflected over, but the visitors saw the game out professionally to leapfrog Leeds – who were not in action – and reach the summit of the English second tier.