Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Luton Town: Matty Pearson goal beats former club

Pearson (right) started his career as an academy player at Blackburn but left without making an appearance

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.

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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
• Match Stats
• Live Text

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

Home TeamBlackburnAway TeamLuton

Possession

Home66%

Away34%

Shots

Home15

Away8

Shots on Target

Home2

Away5

Corners

Home8

Away1

Fouls

Home11

Away8

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Blackburn Rovers 1, Luton Town 2.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+7'

Second Half ends, Blackburn Rovers 1, Luton Town 2.

Booking

Posted at 90'+5'

Dan Potts (Luton Town) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 90'+4'

Foul by Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers).

Posted at 90'+4'

Dan Potts (Luton Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 90'+2'

Foul by Greg Cunningham (Blackburn Rovers).

Posted at 90'+2'

James Bree (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'

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.

Posted at 90'

Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Sonny Bradley.

Posted at 89'

Lewis Travis (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 89'

Foul by James Collins (Luton Town).

Posted at 87'

Attempt missed. Lewis Holtby (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left.

Posted at 87'

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

Posted at 87'

Substitution, Luton Town. Lloyd Jones replaces Harry Cornick.

Posted at 86'

Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Matty Pearson.

Posted at 85'

Offside, Luton Town. Simon Sluga tries a through ball, but Harry Cornick is caught offside.

Booking

Posted at 84'

Lewis Travis (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 84'

Foul by Lewis Travis (Blackburn Rovers).

Posted at 84'

Harry Cornick (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 83'

Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Ryan Tunnicliffe.

Substitution

Posted at 83'

Substitution, Luton Town. Luke Berry replaces Jacob Butterfield.

Substitution

Posted at 81'

Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Dominic Samuel replaces Elliott Bennett.

Posted at 80'

Foul by Lewis Travis (Blackburn Rovers).

Posted at 80'

Callum McManaman (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 78'

Offside, Blackburn Rovers. Derrick Williams tries a through ball, but Bradley Dack is caught offside.

Posted at 77'

Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Sonny Bradley.

Posted at 77'

Attempt blocked. Danny Graham (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Lewis Holtby.

Posted at 75'

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.

Posted at 74'

Attempt blocked. Lewis Holtby (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Posted at 73'

Attempt missed. Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (Luton Town) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.

Posted at 73'

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.

Posted at 72'

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.

Posted at 71'

Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Dan Potts.

Substitution

Posted at 71'

Substitution, Luton Town. Callum McManaman replaces Isaiah Brown.

Posted at 69'

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.

Posted at 68'

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.

Posted at 64'

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.

Posted at 63'

Lewis Travis (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 63'

Foul by Isaiah Brown (Luton Town).

Posted at 62'

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.

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