Bristol City ended a four-game winless run as they beat fellow mid-table side Luton Town 1-0 in the Championship.

A low-entertainment game was brought to life soon after half-time as Scott Twine blasted into the top corner from the edge of the box to score what proved to be the winner.

Sam Bell had a second goal for City disallowed for offside after an hour as the hosts began to get the upper hand.

Both sides had penalty claims waved away before Carlton Morris headed Luton's best chance over the bar from six yards with 10 minutes to go.

The win lifts City up to 11th having been victorious in back-to-back Boxing Day matches for the first time in a decade after victory over Watford the day after Christmas 12 months ago.

The Hatters slip two places to 17th as they failed to replicate the two late goals that saw them beat Derby County 2-1 on Friday night.

City had the better of a quiet first quarter in of possession and territory, but only had an early effort from Fally Mayulu, which was easily saved by Thomas Kaminski, to show for it.

Luton grew into the game as the half went on - Elijah Adebayo glanced a header off target, then saw his 38th-minute cutback just evade Tom Krauss before Jordan Clark had a long-range effort easily saved.

The game - which had been tepid up to the break - was brought to life less than three minutes into the second half when Max Bird cut in from the right and laid the ball off to Twine whose thunderous right-footed strike left Kaminski with little chance of saving.

Luton's Tahith Chong has a weak penalty appeal dismissed after going down as he challenged with Ross McCrorie shortly before City half-time substitute Bell side-footed home Yu Hirakawa's from the right, but was correctly flagged offside.

City felt they should have had a penalty appeal seven minutes later when Twine tangled with Tom Holmes as the hosts began to take control before Morris rose highest to connect with Chong's cross from the right but saw it take a slight nick as it went over.

Luton's Cauley Woodrow forced a diving save from Max O'Leary in the sixth minute of stoppage time with a powerful effort from the edge of the box as the Robins kept their sixth clean sheet of the season.

Bristol City head coach Liam Manning told BBC Radio Bristol:

"It wasn't an easy game, understandably, they're difficult to play against, extremely physical, and I thought we stood up to that really well.

"Ultimately we win the game off that aggression, but then also a moment of real high quality, it was a fantastic goal.

"We know what he (Scott Twine) can do, I have so much belief in him, I know he can do that at this level and we've been unfortunate not to be able to pick him at times due to the injuries and then he was sick.

"Hopefully he can get his season going now, in the last few games he's managed to pick up a few goals and long may it continue."

Luton Town manager Rob Edwards told BBC Three Counties Radio:

"The game today was a typical example, especially in the Championship, of a real game of fine margins.

"There was nothing in it, they stuck one in the top corner from 20-odd yards on the angle and we weren't quiet able to capitalise on a couple of chances that we did create and we end up losing.

"I think a draw would have been a fair result. I think if you look at it with your eyes and all the data it was just such an even game.

"We did create two really good chances - Carlton's header and Cauley's one as well late on, but there was nothing in it."