Two goals in two minutes from Jhon Viafara and Marek Saganowski lifted Southampton back into the Coca-Cola Championship play-off places and made it a miserable homecoming for new Luton boss Kevin Blackwell.

Viafara struck from the edge of the area and Saganowski volleyed in a second in first-half stoppage time to nudge the rock-bottom Hatters a step closer to the drop.

Luton failed to muster a single shot on target in the opening period, but Bedfordshire-born Blackwell will have at least been encouraged by their second-half display on his first home game in charge.

Drew Talbot had two close-range efforts ruled out for offside and fit-again Ahmet Brkovic rattled a post to offer a glimmer of hope for the remaining five games.

Saints struggled to get a foothold in a desperately scrappy opening 15 minutes, their only chance coming from a Gareth Bale free-kick headed tamely wide by Darren Powell.

On-loan Liverpool youngster Danny Guthrie was then inches away from finding the net with a drive from the edge of the area before Jermaine Wright fired over the top.

Luton had a double let-off in the 23rd minute when, first, Lewis Emanuel turned Andrew Surman's dangerous cross inches over his own crossbar.

Saganowski, last week's hat-trick hero in Saints' 6-0 drubbing of Wolves, then latched onto a loose ball in the Town area only to thump his shot against the upright.

Guthrie should have come up with a better finish following a surging run into the box, but his weak shot was comfortably gathered by Dean Brill.

But Saints finally made the breakthrough in the 44th minute when Viafara received the ball from Guthrie, made room for a shot and hammered the ball past Brill from 20 yards.

And shell-shocked Luton fell two behind in first-half stoppage time when Leon Best flicked on goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski's clearance and Saganowski smacked a first-time volley past Brill.

Saganowski has now scored eight goals since his arrival on loan from French side Troyes in January.

Blackwell made two changes at the interval, throwing on young forward Calvin Andrew and Austrian rookie Besian Idrizaj and switching to 4-4-2.

He was almost rewarded immediately when Talbot bundled home Brkovic's half-cleared corner, but the effort was ruled out for offside.

At the other end Saganowski had the ball in the net from Bale's corner, but Darren Powell had already been penalised for a foul.

Incredibly, 13 minutes into the second-half, Talbot headed home another Brkovic corner which Saints had once again failed to clear but, again, he was denied by an offside flag.

And Luton's luck was summed up when Brkovic beat Bialkowski from eight yards, only to see his angled drive rebound off the inside of the post and back into the Polish goalkeeper's arms.

The lively Brkovic was also denied by Bialkowski late on as Saints saw out the closing moments to climb into sixth and rekindle their hopes of a top-flight return while leaving Luton contemplating life in League One.