Oldham Athletic keeper Les Pogliacomi kept his 17th clean sheet of the season as Iain Dowie's promotion hopefuls drew 0-0 at Luton.
The result also represented a blow for the home side's play-off hopes. Joe Kinnear's men are now six points behind sixth-placed QPR.
The draw marked a satisfying return to Kenilworth Road for Dowie, who used to play top-flight football for the Bedfordshire club.
An entertaining and evenly matched first half saw both sides create good opportunities to open the scoring.
Matthew Spring shot wide for Luton from six yards after just three minutes and Pogliacomi then produced a fine save to keep a close-range volley from the home side's top scorer, Steve Howard.
An underhit backpass from Luton left-back Sol Davis almost let Clyde Wijnhard in on 15 minutes, but on-loan Spurs keeper Lars Hirschfeld saved at his feet.
Hirschfeld then produced an instinctive save to keep out John Eyre's shot on the turn and the lively Wayne Andrews turned home defender Chris Coyne inside out before firing into the sidenetting.
Luton lost Hirschfeld on 24 minutes because of a leg injury and Carl Emberson, dropped by Luton six times this season, replaced him in goal.
Paul Murray ensured that Oldham went in level at the break after he cleared Tony Thorpe's header off the line.
The Latics had the better opportunities to win the game in the second half with skipper Lee Duxbury only denied a goal by an excellent saving tackle from Davis after Andrews had crossed from the left.
Eyre also went close with a fiercely struck 30-yard drive that whistled wide and Andrews tested Emberson with a low shot from the edge of the box.
Luton rarely threatened Pogliacomi's goal after the break, but Thorpe had a hopeful penalty appeal turned down after the slightest of contacts with David Beharall.