Luton Town enjoyed a record-breaking day against Torquay, but they were made to sweat in the last 10 minutes.
Steve Howard's fourth of the campaign gave Luton a fourth consecutive win at the start of the season – a club record – and put Hatters top of the table.
Hatters began brightly, moving the ball well and Torquay's Tony Bedeau was booked after just six minutes for a crude challenge on the overlapping Sol Davis.
Steve Robinson whipped in the free-kick and Chris Coyne saw his far post header saved by Arjan van Heusden.
Coyne went close again in the 12th minute when his header from Paul Underwood's corner was held by Van Heusden.
Four minutes later Ahmet Brkovic tested Van Heusden with a 15-yard shot after a flowing move involving Rowan Vine, Robinson, Howard and Kevin Nicholls.
Brkovic then flashed a 20-yard effort over the bar after Robinson's 20th minute corner had only been half cleared.
Howard, chasing a club-record of scoring in eight consecutive games, headed Underwood's corner just over in the 35th minute.
But he went one better a minute later to set the record when he glanced home Keith Keane's right-wing cross from 13 yards out to send the Hatters fans wild.
Vine almost got on the end of another Keane cross six minutes later, but Van Heusden punched clear and then recovered to save Robinson's follow up.
Howard then produced a smart turn and shot a minute before the break, but his effort was well blocked by visiting skipper Steve Woods.
Luton continued to attack after the break and Howard flicked on for Davis to almost steal in at the far post, but Van Heusden blocked bravely at his feet.
Torquay showed slightly more adventure and Jo Kuffour flashed a shot wide before Martin Gritton was denied by a superbly timed Curtis Davies challenge in the 57th minute.
And Luton survived two late scares when Kevin Hill and substitute Adebayo Akinfenwa both ran clear in the 79th and 90th minutes respectively only for both to shoot wide.