A plucky second half performance couldn’t rescue the Hatters from a nightmare first 30 minutes at Queens Park Rangers which inflicted a fourth defeat of the season.
Town were down 3-0 in that period, but Harry Cornick was gifted a chance that he gobbled up nine minutes before the interval to hand Luton an unlikely lifeline.
He then turned provider early in the second half to lay it on a plate for James Collins to mark his 100th appearance for the club with a goal.
But they couldn’t quite scale the mountain they’d given themselves to climb.
From the third minute Izzy Brown – starting in place of Jacob Butterfield – gave the ball away in a dangerous area, and keeper Simon Sluga couldn’t get enough on an Ebere Eze shot.
The Rs ace was exceptional and he tore Town to shreds and should’ve had a hat-trick, but for the crossbar sparing Luton further punishment.
But those self-inflicted wounds proved far too deep to heal.
Toni Leistner’s long ball to Nakhi Wells was route one simplicity, with the striker greedily taking the opportunity to drill home, low and hard.
The striker then doubled his tally on 28 minutes when he combined with Eze and strolled into the box to pick his spot.
Luton were steamrollered and thoroughly outclassed, but then QPR keeper Tom Lumley inexplicably passed to Cornick who lifted into a empty net from 35 yards to hand Luton a lifeline.
And when the forward knocked Andrew Shinnie’s deep cross into the path of Collins, the striker made no mistake from close range for his third goal in three games for club and country.
QPR still had chances with top scorer Jordan Hugill passing up three good ones, but while the first half gulf in class had narrowed dramatically, Town couldn’t provide a grandstand finale.
