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Kal Naismith's goal was his third of the seasonKal Naismith's penalty gave Luton Town a priceless victory over play-off rivals Nottingham Forest at Kenilworth Road.
Naismith scored from the spot eight minutes before half-time after a handball by Jack Colback, as the Forest midfielder tried to block a cross from James Bree near the right-hand edge of the area.
The result means leaders Fulham will seal promotion back to the Premier League if they win at relegation-threatened Derby later on Friday.
Victory lifted Luton, who played the final 13 minutes with 10 men after defender Sonny Bradley was sent off, a point above Forest, having played two games more.
Hatters captain Bradley was shown a second yellow card after fouling Sam Surridge.
Philip Zinckernagel almost scored a brilliant late equaliser when he fired against the post after cleverly evading two challenges.
Forest also completed the match with 10 men after on-loan Aston Villa striker Keinan Davis limped off a couple of minutes before the end, with the visitors having used all three of their substitutes.
The East Midlands side, who had won their previous five Championship games in a 10-game unbeaten league run, were denied an equaliser early in the second half when Djed Spence had a goal disallowed for offside after racing down the right and firing past keeper James Shea.
However, Fred Onyadinma touched the ball while trying to prevent it reaching Spence, who was therefore onside.
There was some controversy about Bradley's dismissal too, as contact with the ball by Zinckernagel meant Surridge was in an offside position before being brought down.
Forest will also rue missed chances to level, the best of which fell to Zinckernagel, who headed Brennan Johnson's cross straight at Shea soon after coming on as a substitute.
Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper told BBC Radio Nottingham:
"The Djed Spence (disallowed) goal is a huge error by the linesman. The left-back (Onyadinma) has played Djed in. That's cost us.
"I don't think a (refereeing) mistake like that should happen at this level. It's had such an impact on the game. Everyone saw it.
"In saying that, we missed a load of good chances as well. We've created more than enough chances in the second half to have got at least one point.
"There was no doubt that we needed to play better in the second half, and we did. We created a load of chances.
"There's no doubt that the best team lost, but sometimes it goes that way.
"But we were going to lose a game at some stage, even if we didn't really deserve to lose. Now we have to show that we can handle that."
Line-ups
Luton
Formation 3-1-4-2
- 1SheaBooked at 69mins
- 16BurkeBooked at 63mins
- 5BradleyBooked at 77mins
- 29Bell
- 4NaismithBooked at 49mins
- 2Bree
- 22CampbellBooked at 63mins
- 12SnodgrassSubstituted forKiosoat 82'minutes
- 24OnyedinmaBooked at 56mins
- 7CornickSubstituted forHyltonat 65'minutes
- 11AdebayoBooked at 90minsSubstituted forLockyerat 90+3'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Potts
- 9Hylton
- 15Lockyer
- 20Kioso
- 21Isted
- 26Muskwe
- 28Thorpe
Nottm Forest
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 30Samba
- 4WorrallBooked at 74mins
- 3FigueiredoBooked at 90mins
- 26McKennaSubstituted forZinckernagelat 66'minutes
- 2Spence
- 22Yates
- 37GarnerBooked at 44mins
- 8ColbackSubstituted forLolleyat 81'minutes
- 20Johnson
- 7GrabbanSubstituted forSurridgeat 75'minutes
- 9DavisBooked at 63minsSubstituted forat 87'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Horvath
- 11Zinckernagel
- 14Laryea
- 16Surridge
- 17Mighten
- 18Ribeiro Dias
- 23Lolley
Referee:James Linington
Attendance:10,070
Live Text
Match ends, Luton Town 1, Nottingham Forest 0.
Second Half ends, Luton Town 1, Nottingham Forest 0.
Attempt blocked. Joe Lolley (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from more than 40 yards on the right wing is blocked. Assisted by Joe Worrall.
Attempt missed. Danny Hylton (Luton Town) right footed shot from more than 35 yards misses to the right. Assisted by Peter Kioso.
Attempt blocked. Brennan Johnson (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Philip Zinckernagel.
Tobias Figueiredo (Nottingham Forest) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Tobias Figueiredo (Nottingham Forest).
Danny Hylton (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Joe Lolley (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ryan Yates.
Tobias Figueiredo (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Danny Hylton (Luton Town).
Attempt missed. Philip Zinckernagel (Nottingham Forest) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Joe Lolley.
Substitution, Luton Town. Tom Lockyer replaces Elijah Adebayo.
Elijah Adebayo (Luton Town) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Joe Lolley (Nottingham Forest).
James Bree (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Elijah Adebayo (Luton Town) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Amari'i Bell.
Keinan Davis went off injured after Nottingham Forest had used all subs.
Foul by Philip Zinckernagel (Nottingham Forest).
Amari'i Bell (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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