Hatters secure Championship survival after beating Blackburn Rovers

Against all the odds, Luton Town secured their Championship after a magnificent 3-2 win against Blackburn Rovers on a night of high drama at Kenilworth Road this evening.

To be honest, you couldn't have expected anything else from a finale that began with seven teams in with a chance of either staying up or going down, plus points deductions potentially changing the outcome in the future.

Fortunately, Hatters' destiny looked very much in their own hands, pick up the three points and they were staying in the second tier.

To even be in this position was a startling achievement by the players and manager Nathan Jones, as they emerged from lockdown some six points adrift of safety, seven if you include the goal difference.

They had chipped away at the deficit over the previous eight matches, particularly on the road, winning at Swansea, Huddersfield and then most importantly, Hull City on Saturday.

That set up the soon to be must-win clash against a Rovers side who had nothing but pride to play for, unable to force their way into the play-off battle.

And what an evening it was, Luton falling behind, then leading, then conceding late on to, before seeing out 15 minutes of normal time and seven added on before being able to celebrate, eventually climbing outside of the bottom three for the first time since December to end the season in 20th place, some two points clear of the drop.

Town were unchanged, Jones resisting the temptation to start Saturday's match-winner Kazenga LuaLua, although Matty Pearson was somehow fit enough to replace Ryan Tunnicliffe on the bench.

The visitors certainly didn't make any radical alterations either, going with the same 11 that proved too strong for Reading at the weekend, winning 4-3.

Luton almost made the perfect start to settle any nerves, Elliot Lee getting his volley all wrong at the far post.

Rovers showed they were in no mood to set their sights on a socially distanced holiday, Ben Brereton dancing past Martin Cranie, his cross cleared by Cameron Carter-Vickers and then Bradley Johnson's 20-yard curler drawing a sprawling stop from Simon Sluga.

However, Rovers put a rather big fly in the ointment on just 10 minutes, when Luton couldn't clear their lines from a corner and there was Adam Armstrong to find the bottom corner from close range.

The hosts looked nervy, the occasion appearing to get to them, not putting enough pressure on the ball, Johnson allowed to line up a shot from 25 yards, skying his attempt, with Lewis Holtby also off target.

Hatters did managed to create an opening on 20 minutes, Harry Cornick's flick header from James Bree's cross nestling on the roof of the net, before the attacker then turned provider, with some superb skill to beat his man twice and dink over a ball that Collins nodded wide, when he should have left it for the onrushing Luke Berry.

However, with 28 gone, Luton had the equaliser they craved, not caring a jot for the untidy nature of the strike, Bree's free kick flicked on Berry for Hayden Carter to deflect past keeper Christian Walton and into the net.

Buoyed by the leveller, Town made it even better just seven minutes later, moving 2-1 in front, as a corner from the left was turned into his own net by Johnson this time, who was unable to sort his feet out in time.

There was even better news to come from Elland Road, with Charlton falling 2-0 behind at champions Leeds United, coupled with Birmingham being beaten by Derby saw Luton into the relative safety of 20th.

However, goals for Barnsley and Wigan against Brentford and Fulham meant that it wasn't all plain sailing, Hatters knowing an equaliser would see them straight back into the drop zone once more.

An equaliser for Fulham at Wigan further strengthened the Hatters position, while Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu had appeals for a penalty turned down, as he came off worse in a shoulder-to-shoulder challenge inside the area.

Rovers had huge amounts of possession in the opening exchanges, but didn't do a great deal with it and were made to pay on the hour when Cornick broke into the area and was sent tumbling to the ground by Jacob Davenport.

Referee Darren Bond did award the spotkick this time, Collins stepped up, and despite slipping in his run up, hammered the ball straight down the middle.

A fourth almost followed, Cornick doing superbly to go on the outside and send over a cross that was taken off Collins' head, before Rothwell wasted an inviting free kick, hammering it well over.

Just when it looked like Luton were going to enjoy a comfortable last 15, Rovers pulled one back, when a long free kick into the box was nodded down for sub Sam Gallagher to deftly volley past Sluga.

In a flash it was almost 3-3, John Buckley's volley deflecting just wide with Sluga beaten, before Joseph Rankin-Costello headed behind at the far post.

Jones threw Danny Hylton and LuaLua on with Hylton almost settling the increasing tension latching on to a mistake at the back, only to drag wide of the target.

Just when it couldn't become any more unbearable, news filtered through of a goal for Barnsley at Brentford, meaning the Hatters would drop back into the bottom three if they conceded, and having to wait on tenterhooks to see if Wigan's points appeal failed.

Elliot Bennett fired wide, but despite the visitors going longer and longer, Pearson heroically emerged off the bench to help repel Rovers' attacks and Town clung on through seven added minutes to ensure they are a Championship side next season, as Hull, Charlton and Wigan all fell through the trapdoor.

Hatters: Simon Sluga, James Bree, Martin Cranie, Sonny Bradley (C), Cameron Carter-Vickers, Glen Rea, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Luke Berry, Elliot Lee (Matty Pearson 78), Harry Cornick (Kazenga LuaLua 71), James Collins (Danny Hylton 72).

Subs not used: James Shea, Jacob Butterfield, Callum McManaman, Andrew Shinnie, George Moncur, Peter Kioso.

Rovers: Christian Walton, Ryan Nambe, Bradley Johnson, Adam Armstrong (Sam Gallagher 61), Joe Rothwell (Elliot Bennett 78), Ben Brereton (Danny Graham 61), Lewis Holtby (Jacob Davenport 46), Darragh Lenihan (C), Lewis Travis (John Buckley 46), Joseph Rankin-Costello, Hayden Carter.

Subs not used: Jordan Eastham, Harry Chapman, Amari'i Bell, Elliott Bennett, Jack Vale.

Booked: Travis, Cornick, Berry, Carter-Vickers, Hylton.

Referee: Darren Bond