Cheltenham Town added three vital Coca-Cola League One points to their tally after a gutsy performance at Whaddon Road tonight.
An early Andy Lindegaard goal was enough to split the sides on the night, but a remarkable Shane Higgs save, deep into injury time, preserved his side's lead to claim the win.
The Robins were good for their slender half time lead, and displayed the sort of battling qualities and commitment after the break they will need to move out of this relegation scrap.
The win means the last five league outings have returned a couple of wins, a pair of draws and one defeat as manager Keith Downing's tenureship begins to gather momentum.
Robins' boss Keith Downing handed Guy Madjo a full debut after his two cameos against Leeds United and Leyton Orient last weekend.
Paul Connor made way for the Cameroonian, otherwise Ashley Vincent missed out through injury so Adam Connolly stepped up to the bench.
The home side made the perfect start, claiming the opening goal with only two minutes on the clock.
David Bird launched one of his long throws from the left, Damian Spencer flick-headed at the near post and Lindegaard nipped in at the back to plant the ball beyond Hatters' goalkeeper Dean Brill for his first in a Cheltenham shirt.
It was a great start for Downing's side, but the Luton response was swift and Shane Higgs was called into a trio of saves inside ten minutes.
First Cheltenham struggled to deal with a couple of corners from which Marc Wilson drew a pair of sharp saves with headers.
Then Matthew Spring was denied from distance by a fine stop by the goalkeeper diving to his right.
It was an open game in freezing conditions with both sides creating chances in the opening 20 minutes.
Jerry Gill got in behind Richard Jackson at left back and picked out Dean Sinclair but his attempted bicycle kick floated over.
A moment later, a firm Damian Spencer effort from 18 yards picked up a deflection and Brill did well to kick it away, but a lack of communication between Steven Gillespie and Madjo saw the loose ball go to waste.
At the other end, Higgs needed to touch Spring's 25 yarder onto the bar, while Darren Currie struck the woodwork directly from a corner on the left with ten minutes remaining of the first half.
Paul Furlong, with nine goals to his name this season, was kept quiet as Luton's lone striker but it was Currie and Spring that caused the Cheltenham defence the majority of problems in the opening period.
Gillespie, who almost latched onto a Keith Keane mistake with the half drawing to a close, looked menacing alongside Madjo, who roamed with intent without really getting a sight of goal.
The striker, booked in the 43rd minute for a late challenge on Keane, had the first clear chance after the break when he surged down the middle before releasing a low drive that was smothered by Brill.
Madjo followed suit, displaying great strength to carry the ball into the Luton penalty area before finally losing the ball as he teed one up.
Sinclair then fired over as Cheltenham, as in the first half, made the stronger start to the second.
Luton, who reverted to 4-4-2 as they chased the game, created their first opportunity when Currie delivered a sublime free-kick from the right touchline into the six-yard area.
Spencer though did well to guide over the crossbar under pressure from Hatters' skipper Chris Coyne lurking at the far post.
Cheltenham played superbly well to pressure Luton throughout, denying the former League Cup winners the time and space to craft any meaningful pressure in the closing stages.
But when Spring dug out a searching ball from the left touchline, Higgs somehow clawed Wilson's header, which looked destined for the top left-hand corner, to the feet of Gavin Caines who thumped it to safety with the last kick of the contest.
CHELTENHAM TOWN: Higgs; Gill (c), Duff, Caines, Wright; Lindegaard, Bird, Sinclair, Spencer; Gillepsie, Madjo (Connor 83). Subs not used: Brown (Gk), Connolly, Gallinagh, D'Agostino.
LUTON TOWN: Brill; Jackson (Andrew 81), Perry, Coyne, Keane; Currie, Robinson (Talbot 61), Edwards (Grant 67), Spring, Wilson; Furlong. Subs not used: Goodall, McVeigh.
REFEREE: S.J. Bratt (West Midlands)
ATTENDANCE: 3,702 (355 from Luton)