Match ends, Blackburn Rovers 1, Luton Town 2.
Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Luton Town: Matty Pearson goal beats former club
- From the section Championship

Defender Matty Pearson scored against his former club as Luton beat Blackburn to end a three-match losing run.
James Collins headed the Hatters in front early on before a clever strike from Lewis Travis levelled matters at the break.
Pearson's glancing header against the club where he started his career as an academy player then put Luton back in front.
Bradley Dack thought he had equalised again for the hosts late on but his close-range finish was ruled out for offside.
Collins had given the visitors the lead with his 49th goal for the club when he headed in from Izzy Brown's pinpoint cross.
In the first league meeting between the two sides since 1982, Rovers were level at the break after Travis rifled an unstoppable strike past Simon Sluga from the edge of the box.
But, just 12 minutes into the second half, Pearson rose above the Blackburn defenders to put the visitors back in front.
Luton then survived an onslaught from the hosts as Stewart Downing, Lewis Holtby, Adam Armstrong and Danny Graham all went close to making it 2-2.
Callum McManaman could have made it more comfortable for Graeme Jones's side, before Dack's goal was ruled out, but his fierce drive was pushed away by Christian Walton.
Blackburn head coach Tony Mowbray:
"It's a hugely frustrating day for us. The first 15 minutes of the game we played probably as well as we have all season.
"The frustration is that we didn't really create enough clear-cut chances and make their goalkeeper work.
"I don't think you can put it down as a bad performance, it was pretty dominant yet very similar to Charlton where we lost the game to a set play which has been unlike us from then until now."
Luton manager Graeme Jones:
"Matty has got such a character. Nothing is too big for him. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't but he's ready to have a go again. That's all you want from your players.
"I'm really satisfied for him. I'm sure it's a wonderful feeling scoring the winning goal at Blackburn Rovers. He deserves it and you get rewarded in the end.
"That's the pleasing thing. We won completely differently. Sometimes you have to be pragmatic. I've got a philosophy I believe in."
Line-ups
Blackburn
- 1Walton
- 31BennettSubstituted forSamuelat 81'minutes
- 26Lenihan
- 3Williams
- 5Cunningham
- 27TravisBooked at 84mins
- 4JohnsonSubstituted forHoltbyat 61'minutes
- 19Downing
- 23Dack
- 7Armstrong
- 9GallagherSubstituted forGrahamat 62'minutes
Substitutes
- 10Graham
- 12Samuel
- 13Leutwiler
- 17Bell
- 22Holtby
- 24Adarabioyo
- 39Buckley
Luton
- 12Sluga
- 26Bree
- 6Pearson
- 5Bradley
- 3PottsBooked at 90mins
- 29ButterfieldBooked at 55minsSubstituted forBerryat 83'minutes
- 17Mpanzu
- 4Tunnicliffe
- 24BrownSubstituted forMcManamanat 71'minutes
- 19Collins
- 14CornickSubstituted forJonesat 87'minutes
Substitutes
- 7McManaman
- 8Berry
- 10Lee
- 22Bolton
- 25LuaLua
- 28Jones
- 36Shea
- Referee:
- Gavin Ward
- Attendance:
- 15,319
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home66%
- Away34%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away5
- Corners
- Home8
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away8
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Blackburn Rovers 1, Luton Town 2.
Booking
Dan Potts (Luton Town) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers).
Dan Potts (Luton Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Greg Cunningham (Blackburn Rovers).
James Bree (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Adam Armstrong (Blackburn Rovers) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Stewart Downing with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Sonny Bradley.
Lewis Travis (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by James Collins (Luton Town).
Attempt missed. Lewis Holtby (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left.
Attempt missed. Derrick Williams (Blackburn Rovers) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Stewart Downing with a cross following a corner.
Substitution
Substitution, Luton Town. Lloyd Jones replaces Harry Cornick.
Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Matty Pearson.
Offside, Luton Town. Simon Sluga tries a through ball, but Harry Cornick is caught offside.
Booking
Lewis Travis (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Lewis Travis (Blackburn Rovers).
Harry Cornick (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Ryan Tunnicliffe.
Substitution
Substitution, Luton Town. Luke Berry replaces Jacob Butterfield.
Substitution
Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Dominic Samuel replaces Elliott Bennett.
Foul by Lewis Travis (Blackburn Rovers).
Callum McManaman (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Offside, Blackburn Rovers. Derrick Williams tries a through ball, but Bradley Dack is caught offside.
Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Sonny Bradley.
Attempt blocked. Danny Graham (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Lewis Holtby.
Attempt missed. Bradley Dack (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Danny Graham with a headed pass.
Attempt blocked. Lewis Holtby (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (Luton Town) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Attempt saved. Callum McManaman (Luton Town) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ryan Tunnicliffe.
Attempt missed. Derrick Williams (Blackburn Rovers) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Stewart Downing with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Dan Potts.
Substitution
Substitution, Luton Town. Callum McManaman replaces Isaiah Brown.
Attempt missed. Adam Armstrong (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Derrick Williams.
Attempt missed. Lewis Holtby (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Elliott Bennett.
Attempt saved. Danny Graham (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Elliott Bennett with a cross.
Lewis Travis (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Isaiah Brown (Luton Town).
Attempt missed. Stewart Downing (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left from a direct free kick.