Luton and Republic of Ireland striker James Collins scored a hat-trick as boss Nathan Jones marked his 200th game in charge of the club by recording his 100th win during a comfortable 3-0 victory against Preston.
Collins opened the scoring in the 20th minute and doubled his tally nine minutes later before securing the match ball midway through the second half.
Alan Browne, who along with international teammate Seanie Maguire, featured for Preston North End, lambasted his team's performance afterwards, describing it as "embarrassing and inexcusable", noting that the one positive was that "it can't get any worse."
Teemu Pukki scored twice as Championship leaders Norwich made it three straight wins with a 2-1 victory at Blackburn.
Pukki opened the scoring in the 22nd minute and, after Liverpool loanee Harvey Elliott netted a brilliant equaliser just before the hour mark, the Finland striker turned in Emiliano Buendia's effort to restore his side's lead.
Bournemouth remained three points behind the Canaries as they swept aside Huddersfield 5-0.
Dominic Solanke's brace and a David Brooks effort had the hosts 3-0 up after just 21 minutes.
Junior Stanislas scored a superb individual effort in the 67th minute before substitute Sam Surridge added a fifth.
Swansea, Watford and Reading all won to remain one point behind Bournemouth.
Jamal Lowe doubled his Swansea goals tally in one afternoon as his brace saw off Cardiff 2-0 in the south Wales derby.
Lowe struck in each half to leave Cardiff without a win in the fixture for over seven years.
Troy Deeney scored an 85th-minute penalty to earn Watford a 1-0 win at Birmingham.
The Hornets looked to be extending their winless away run to six games but Kristian Pedersen was shown a second yellow card as he gave away a spot-kick, and lifelong Blues fan Deeney stepped up to convert.
Reading left it even later to win at QPR, with Michael Olise marking his 19th birthday with an 89th-minute strike in a 1-0 win.
Brentford moved up into the play-off places with a 3-1 win at Nottingham Forest.
Henrik Dalsgaard's first goal of the season and late efforts from Josh Da Silva and Ivan Toney - his 15th strike of the campaign - saw off Forest, who replied through Joe Worrall deep into stoppage time.
Derby remained in the bottom three but moved level on points with rivals Forest as Wayne Rooney extended his unbeaten run as caretaker boss with a 0-0 draw with Stoke.
Tony Pulis is still searching for his first win as Sheffield Wednesday boss after Barnsley came from behind to win 2-1 against the league's bottom club at Hillsborough.
Coventry skipper Liam Kelly scored two first-half goals before being forced off through injury as the Sky Blues extended their unbeaten run to seven games with a 2-1 win at Wycombe.
Middlesbrough returned to winning ways by brushing aside Millwall 3-0, with all the goals coming in the first 20 minutes
