A stirring second-half display secured Luton's eighth away win of the season and enhanced their chances of a play-off place with victory over Port Vale.

Tony Thorpe opened the scoring four minutes after the interval and a Kevin Nicholls penalty sealed maximum points 15 minutes from time.

Luton showed little as an attacking force in the first half, with their defence working hard to keep Vale at bay.

And they needed help from the crossbar in the 10th minute when Steve McPhee's header left Mark Ovendale groping at thin air.

But the Hatters, no doubt given a tongue-lashing by manager Joe Kinnear, were a totally different proposition after the break.

Thorpe soon broke the deadlock when he rose, unopposed, to net a powerful header from a Nicholls corner.

Further opportunities went begging before Nicholls made no mistake from the spot after Thorpe was upended by Ian Brightwell.

Mark Boyd netted Vale's consolation four minutes from time when he drove in after Marc Bridge-Wilkinson's corner was only partially cleared.

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Port Vale: Goodlad, Rowland, Brightwell, Collins, Byrne, Bridge-Wilkinson, Boyd, Armstrong, Brooker, McPhee, Paynter. Subs: Delaney, Carragher, McClare, Durnin, Burns.

Luton: Ovendale, Boyce, Coyne, Willmott, Neilson, Brkovic, Spring, Nicholls, Hughes, Thorpe, Howard. Subs: Emberson, Kimble, Holmes, Hillier, Crowe.

Referee: L Mason (Lancashire)