Luton Town moved ten points clear at the top of League One after an ultimately comfortable victory over Hartlepool.
Goals from Steve Howard, Ahmet Brkovic and Gary McSheffrey gave Mike Newell's men their sixth home win from six games.
But they were made to fight all the way after a strong first-half showing from the Pools.
Hatters showed two changes to the side that drew 1-1 at Tranmere on Saturday.
Howard returned from suspension at the expense of loan forward McSheffrey and Keith Keane deputised at right-back for Kevin Foley, who was absent on Republic of Ireland Under-21 duty.
The evening began on a sour note when Steve Robinson picked up his fifth booking of the season after just five minutes for an innocuous looking foul on Richie Humphreys.
But the Irishman didn't let the caution get him down and got on the end of Rowan Vine's super 30-yard run and pass a minute later to test Jim Provett from 15 yards.
Howard headed Robinson's corner just wide in the tenth minute before Gavin Strachan hit a half-volley wide from the edge of the area after Matty Robson's cross a minute later.
Hartlepool were not overawed by travelling to the league leaders and looked dangerous on the break.
Alan Pouton played a neat one-two with Eifion Williams in the 27th minute and almost ran clean through only for Dino Seremet to narrow the angle causing the Pools midfielder to stab wide.
Two minutes later Williams cut inside Keane, but saw his 20-yard shot deflect wide off Curtis Davies.
The visitors should have taken the lead after half-an-hour when Robson caused more problems down the left and his cross was missed by Davies, only for Joel Porter to blast over with the goal at his mercy.
Three minutes later Hartlepool missed an even better chance when Humphreys' long throw was completely missed by Seremet and Williams blasted wide when faced with an open goal.
But Luton took the lead totally against the run of play in the 36th minute when Howard powerfully headed home Robinson's inswinging corner off the crossbar at the far post for his sixth of the campaign.
Hartlepool threatened again two minutes before the break when Strachan headed Michael Barron's deep cross just wide from ten yards.
Town calmed the home fans' nerves six minutes into the second half when Sol Davis crossed, Vine saw his low shot parried and Ahmet Brkovic netted from the rebound for his fifth goal of the season to make it 2-0.
McSheffrey wrapped things up with a superb piece of opportunism in the 84th minute.
A super turn on the halfway line saw two Hartlepool players crash into each other and after making a loose pass, McSheffrey seized on indecision in the visitors' defence to run clean through and calmly slide home.