Nottingham Forest beat managerless Luton in the FA Cup third round to extend their winning run in all competitions to seven matches.
Both teams had chances in a closely-fought first half, but the hosts struck five minutes before the interval when Ryan Yates sent a stooping header into the corner from Ramon Sosa’s delivery.
Yates had earlier struck the crossbar with a rasping long-range effort, while Forest goalkeeper Carlos Miguel produced fine saves to deny Liam Walsh and Luton debutant Isaiah Jones at the other end.
Championship side Luton – playing their first game since the departure of manager Rob Edwards earlier this week – enjoyed plenty of possession after the restart, but could have fallen further behind when Taiwo Awoniyi shot straight at goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski from Jota Silva’s pass.
Forest remained a threat on the counter-attack and doubled their advantage in the 68th minute when Paraguay forward Sosa turned in Jota’s low cross for his second goal for the club – and first since September – after a summer move from Talleres.
At other end, Tom Holmes failed to convert Jacob Brown’s flick-on and Carlton Morris nodded straight at Miguel as Luton rallied, but Nuno Espirito Santo’s side – currently third in the Premier League – kept a fifth successive clean sheet to book their place in the fourth round.
Forest clinical as Danilo makes welcome return
A Forest side showing 11 changes from Monday’s victory at Wolves soon hit their stride at the City Ground, and it took a diving block from Luton defender Mark McGuinness to deny Jota an early opener.
Awoniyi should have done better from the Portuguese midfielder’s lay-off in the first half, but the Hatters gradually began to establish a foothold before carving out one or two opportunities of their own.
Summer signing Miguel was kept busy on his second Forest appearance, parrying Walsh’s swerving 20-yard effort behind for a corner, before saving at the feet of Jones – who only joined Luton from Middlesbrough on Friday.
But Yates’ well-placed header provided the platform for Forest to grind out a hard-fought victory and inflict an 11th consecutive away defeat on the Championship strugglers.
Despite registering only three shots on target to the visitors’ six, the hosts were clinical with their opportunities and gave themselves breathing space through Sosa’s close-range finish midway through the second period.
One of the biggest cheers of the evening, however, was reserved for second-half substitute Danilo as the Brazilian midfielder made his first appearance since suffering a broken ankle in Forest’s opening game of the season against Bournemouth.
Nuno’s side return to action on Tuesday, when leaders Liverpool visit the City Ground in a key game at the top of the Premier League.
Luton, meanwhile, welcome Preston to Kenilworth Road next Saturday, looking to increase their current two-point cushion above the Championship’s bottom three.
