Leeds had fallen from top spot to fourth after Tuesday's results, but a sixth win in eight matches sent them straight back to the summit on goal difference above Sheffield United, and they did so with a display which deserved a more convincing scoreline.

A fifth successive away defeat leaves 16th-placed Luton just three points above the relegation places, a run in which they have conceded 16 goals and scored just once.

The Hatters' besieged defence were pulled this way and that by waves of slick attacks as Leeds bossed the first half, hogging almost 80% of possession.

Yet after Byram's 13th career league goal, Rob Edwards' side almost equalised out of nothing. A neat one-two allowed Victor Moses to chip the advancing Illan Meslier from an acute angle, but Struijk's acrobatic goalline clearance spared his goalkeeper's blushes.

The hosts continued to threaten, with Wilfried Gnonto's sidefooted finish forcing Kaminski into a low save, but once more Luton went close from a rare sight of goal.

Reece Burke sent a free header wide at the far post instead of finding team-mates lurking in the six-yard box, and just moments later Piroe lashed in his seventh of the season.

The one-way traffic continued after the break, with Piroe's goalbound shot on the turn blocked, but with Leeds having failed to find a killer third, Luton boss Edwards made attacking changes.

One of them, Elijah Adebayo, headed a gilt-edged chance just over with 14 minutes left - from Luton's first corner - and it was a Leeds substitute, James, who then delivered the knockout blow.

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke told BBC Radio Leeds:

"To show such a dominant performance, to create many chances, to score three goals and score more or less in the perfect moments, I'm pretty happy with our performance.

"At the moment we're showing great consistency in performances and also results, but efficiency to convert the chances - we've had this problem also in one or two away games where we haven't come home with three points.

"And although we were that dominant we allowed them a few chances. Three or four times, Illan (Meslier) had to be there switched on and Pascal (Struijk) was also there with a great clearance so there's always something to improve.

"But I don't want to be too critical because it was very close to a big performance."

Luton Town boss Rob Edwards told BBC Three Counties Radio:

"We pressed at the wrong times and that opened up too many spaces in that first 20 minutes where we needed to make better decisions.

"We wanted to be aggressive, we wanted to press, that's always the message, but we have to do it at the right moment with the right people.

"Away from home we're finding that balance in being aggressive and not opening up spaces behind something we're really searching for. It's difficult at the moment.

"The fight's there, but it's poor decision-making and then big mistakes that we're getting punished for and that's been the case for a long time."