Chris O'Grady's late strike snatched three valuable points for Leicester, whose hopes of beating the drop were boosted by a hard-fought 2-1 win at Luton.

Luton were left battered and bruised after they lost two players to injury and their slim chances of a play-off place suffered as Steve Howard's equaliser to Matt Fryatt's opener was rendered irrelevant by O'Grady.

Before either side could get into their stride in the first half Luton were dealt an early blow as Kevin Nicholls left the field struggling with an injury and was replaced by David Bell.

The visitors piled forward, hoping to take advantage of their hosts' setback, and Fryatt drilled a smart shot wide from the edge of the box, shortly before Richard Stearman put the ball wide of the same post from 10 yards further out.

Leicester continued to push for the opener as Iain Hume curled a delightful left-footed shot into the arms of Luton goalkeeper Marlon Beresford but with a quarter of an hour played, the deadlock was broken.

Gareth Williams' intelligent pass picked out the run of Fryatt, who advanced into the area and landed a powerful right-footed shot past Beresford and into the corner of the net.

Clearly aggrieved, Luton hit back by upping the physical battle in midfield and Leicester's chances soon dried up.

Steve Howard went close for the Hatters as Carlos Edwards' cross picked him out and he applied a clean finish, only to see his header crash onto a post.

The half ended with Luton in the ascendancy and Leicester goalkeeper Paul Henderson was tested by Edwards.

Luton boss Mike Newell looked to freshen up his side's attacking threat by sending on Warren Feeney in place of Rowan Vine in the second half but it was the head of Howard that again troubled Henderson.

Edwards' cross was hammered towards goal by Howard but Henderson was equal to it.

But the Leicester goalkeeper was powerless to stop the striker grabbing the equaliser moments later, as Paul Underwood's corner was touched on by Feeney and a diving header from Howard at the far post sent the ball into the net.

Underwood continued to provide the Hatters strikers with some fine deliveries and his cross teed up Feeney to head wide, shortly before Howard lashed a volley into Henderson's arms from 30-yards.

Leicester were struggling to get out of their own half but did create a chance on the hour mark, when Fryatt volleyed a left-footed shot goalwards for Beresford to gratefull claim.

Luton lost a second player to injury when Paul Underwood limped off and Enoch Showunmi was sent on to replace him.

The change did not stem the flow of Luton's attack and Showunmi himself fired just wide from 20 yards.

But as the second half entered its closing 10 minutes, Leicester rallied and substitute Andrew Welsh fired wide from 12 yards.

With three minutes remaining, Welsh turned provider as his pass picked out O'Grady, who lashed home from inside the area to steal the win.

Teams

Luton Beresford, Davis, Barnett, Coyne, Edwards,Underwood (Showunmi 69), Nicholls (Bell 8), Holmes, Foley,Howard, Vine (Feeney 45).

Subs Not Used: Perrett, Brill.

Booked: Howard, Coyne.

Goals: Howard 53.

Leicester Henderson, Johansson, McCarthy, Kisnorbo, Stearman,Hughes (Welsh 64), Williams, Gudjonsson, Maybury,Hume (O'Grady 79), Fryatt.

Subs Not Used: Brevett, Gerrbrand, Logan.

Booked: Gudjonsson, Hume.

Goals: Fryatt 16, O'Grady 88.

Att: 9,783

Ref: A Bates (Staffordshire).