The Town spurned several chances as they fell to their first home defeat of the season against Cardiff at Kenilworth Road.

The Hatters could not force the ball past Bluebirds keeper Nathan Trott following a series of excellent opportunities with George Saville and Mark McGuinness both denied by superb stops from the visiting keeper.

However, the defining moment came on 69 minutes when Joe Willock thumped a finish past Josh Keeley and it proved to be the only goal of the game to condemn the Hatters to defeat on home soil for the first time in League One.

It was a harsh lesson on the Town who came into the game buoyed by Tuesday’s win victory Wigan. Matt Bloomfield made three changes to the side that won in the week with Christ Makosso, returning to the side after serving a three-game ban, and Nahki Wells and Lasse Nordås preferred in attack.

The visitors, who arrived unbeaten, started the brighter and on the front foot yet it was the Town who created the first meaningful opening when Wells shot wide from Jordan Clark’s pass on 17 minutes.

Moments later, though, the Bluebirds missed the chance to take the lead when Callum Robinson mis-hit a shot with the goal at his mercy as the Bluebirds broke on the counter. McGuinness bravely blocked the follow-up before David Turnbull then saw another effort cleared by Liam Walsh.

That chance came amid a sloppy period of play by the Town, who were guilty of gifting the ball to the visitors. Yet for all their mistakes in possession, the Hatters continued to create chances. Milli Alli’s left-wing cross was volleyed over by Wells, Saville was denied in the penalty area 30 seconds later before Nigel Lonwijk headed straight at Trott.

Back came the Bluebirds. Keeley produced a magnificent save when tipping the ball over the crossbar to prevent an outrageous effort from the half-way line from Robinson creeping in before McGuinness deflected a cross onto his own post.

Somehow the game stayed goalless as half-time approached. Saville’s sweet strike from 20 yards was kept out well by Trott on 34 minutes before Wells and Nordås both came close on 35 minutes.

And Trott was again in the way just before the half-time whistle when getting down well to keep Makosso’s shot from close range.

It was the same story after the break when the Cardiff goalkeeper produced another great save to deny the Hatters, this time plunging to his right to stop a powerful header from McGuinness following Kal Naismith’s left-wing cross.

Bloomfield made a double change before the hour, introducing Jerry Yates and Gideon Kodua, and the Town came close with minutes of their introduction when McGuinness and Saville saw shots blocked and Makosso fired wide as the ball pinballed around the Cardiff penalty box.

You sensed the momentum was with the Town but, on 69 minutes, the visitors took the lead. The Hatters couldn’t clear their lines and Willock was able to drift into the penalty area and unleashed a fine finish past Keeley.

Nordås tested Trott as the Hatters hunted an instant reply before Zack Nelson and Shandon Baptiste joined the fray for the final 15 minutes.

As the Town pushed for the equaliser in the final moments, Cardiff should have sealed victory with three minutes left when Rubin Colwill raced clear only to clip a finish the wrong side of the post.

Five minutes were added at the end of the 90 minutes but the Hatters could not muster a final chance and Cardiff were able to see out victory.

Town: Keeley, Lonwijk (sub Kodua 58), Alli, Makosso, McGuinness, Naismith, Saville (sub Baptiste 73), Walsh (sub Nelson 72), Clark, Wells (sib Yates 58), Nordås (sub Bramall 90+1).

Subs not used: Shea, Holmes.

Attendance: 11,456, including 1,345 in the away end.