Second half blitz sees Luton spoil Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock's milestone match with victory in front of the Sky cameras

Three goals in five thrilling second half minutes saw Luton come from 1-0 down to steamroller Middlesbrough at Kenilworth Road this evening and ensure visiting boss Neil Warnock's milestone match was not one he will care to remember.

With all the pre-match talk about Warnock setting a new record of an impressive 1,602 matches in charge of an English Football League club, beating former Crewe chief Dario Gradi, he couldn't mark it with a victory, as Town finally registered a first ever league win over the massively experienced 72-year-old at the seventh time of asking.

Hatters boss Nathan Jones sprung five changes to his side following the 2-0 defeat at Preston North End on Saturday, with striker Elijah Adebayo recovering from a hamstring injury to replace Cameron Jerome.

In also came Dan Potts for the first time since the 2-2 draw at Blackburn, along with Reece Burke, Henri Lansbury and Gabe Osho, Glen Rea and Jerome dropping to the bench, Jordan Clark, Tom Lockyer and Amari'i Bell missing out completely.

The Hatters attempted to make a high tempo start to proceedings, clearly trying to put the weekend's performance out of their system, with Adebayo in particular highlighting just what a miss he had been at Deepdale.

Luton couldn't create anything clear-cut early on, James Bree's corner being punched clear from under his bar by Luke Daniels, but with Town attacking, Lansbury's shot blocked and Bree crossing at the keeper, a blink of an eye later, the visitors led on 16 minutes.

Boro's rapid counter attack saw the home back-line sliced open, with Andraz Sporar's cross volleyed home by a sliding Josh Coburn.

Town threatened when Kal Naismith brought the ball out of defence and was found again by Adebayo's backheel, picking out the run of Harry Cornick who got it all wrong, the ball hitting his right foot as he went to shoot with his left.

Midway through the half, the hosts appeared fortunate not to concede a penalty as Potts bundled Isaiah Jones over inside the area, but referee Tim Robinson gave nothing.

Watching the replay back though, there was little that the full back could do to avoid the challenge, Jones cleverly dragging his leg to get the contact and go over.

Cornick made a decent connection with his next attempt, curling over from 25 yards when his route to goal opened up, while he had another go on 37 minutes, seeing his low effort deflected behind for a corner that was cleared.

Town's attacker had the next opportunity, found by Mpanzu's header when a free kick was half cleared, sliding in, but sliding wide, a chance in his recent goalscoring form he would have expected to put away.

Referee Robinson then incurred the wrath of the home fans for not penalising and potentially sending Matt Crooks off for clipping Adebayo after the midfielder had only just been booked.

Marcus Tavernier curled waywardly wide from 30 yards, as Town introduced last season's star loan signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to the home supporters at the break, the Leicester City midfielder picking up his supporters awards from last term, finally getting to see a full Kenilworth Road crowd in the process.

After the break, Jones brought on Fred Onyedinma for Potts and it had an immediate effect as Luton were level on 57 minutes when a deep corner by Bree was met by the completely unmarked Sonny Bradley.

He powered his downward header beyond Daniels, scoring for the second time against Boro in front of the Sky cameras, following up his wonder blast back in Town's opening Championship match of the season back in August 2019.

Rather than revel in the moment, Luton went for the jugular and had a second on the hour when another corner caused havoc, and after Adebayo had a shot blocked, Mpanzu's touch volley found the striker to bury his eighth of an increasingly productive campaign.

It then got even better for the hosts just three minutes later, as Lansbury pressurised the visiting midfield into a mistake, releasing Cornick clean through on goal, and he yet again proved that one-on-ones are no problem these days, slotting past Daniels to make it 3-1.

Luton then did take a breather in terms of scoring, as Onyedinma was booked for a foul on the edge of the area, Sluga getting two solid fists behind Tavernier's fizzing effort.

Striker Danny Hylton came on for the final 10 minutes, as Boro threatened from range, sub James Lea Siliki sending two efforts of varying danger wide, while in stoppage time, Lansbury would have put an even bigger cherry on the cake, lashing a first-time attempt into the stands.

The victory saw Luton bounce back into the play-offs though, as they climbed up to sixth ahead of Saturday's clash with Stoke City.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, James Bree, Reece Burke, Sonny Bradley, Kal Naismith, Dan Potts (Fred Onyedinam 55), Henri Lansbury, Gabe Osho, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Harry Cornick (Danny Hylton 80), Elijah Adebayo (Cameron Jerome 88).

Subs not used: James Shea, Allan Campbell, Glen Rea, Admiral Muskwe.

Boro: Luke Daniels, Anfernee Dijksteel, Marcus Tavernier, Onel Hernandez (Williams Kokolo 83), Andraz Sporar (Duncan Watmore 68), Jonny Howson ©, Paddy McNair, Sol Bamba, Matt Crooks (James Lea Siliki 77), Isaiah Jones, Josh Coburn.

Subs not used: Joe Lumley, Toyosi Olusanya, Lee Peltier, Jeremy Siv.

Bookings: Potts 30, Bree 31, Crooks 38, Coburn 59, Onyedinma 70, Watmore 74, Lansbury 79.

Referee: Tim Robinson.

Attendance: 9,790 (987 Boro).