Rovers leave it late to claim vital three points against Luton

A game devoid of clear-cut chances looked to be heading for a deserved stalemate until some quick thinking from Lewis Holtby helped create the winner four minutes from time.

Rovers need a goal-line clearance from Barry Douglas, and the linesman’s flag, to deny Luton an equaliser seconds later as quiet game came to life in the closing stages.

But back-to-back clean sheets, and a ninth clean sheet of the season, has seen Rovers climb two more places and secure an unbeaten January.

Rovers made two changes, both enforced, as Stewart Downing and Ben Brereton came in for the injured Bradley Johnson and Jacob Davenport.

Adam Armstrong had managed just two goals in his last 11 matches and had a golden chance to end that run when played through by a Luton boot just three minutes in. However, he never got the ball fully out of his feet as he tried to get a shot away, Luton scrambling back to deny him a shot on goal.

Brereton was playing more as a strike partner for Armstrong than from the left, as Joe Rothwell and Bradley Douglas combined to set up a shooting chance for the attacker whose effort was blocked.

That was part of a strong opening for Rovers who were working themselves into good positions in the final third.

Armstrong asked his team-mates why they weren’t in position to turn home his fine cross 13 minutes in, before going himself shortly afterwards when teed up by Harvey Elliott, but failed to hit the target.

Elliott then went himself, bring out his inner Marvin Emnes to cushion a Rothwell pass before driving forward to the edge of the box where a shooting angle opened up, one he failed to take however, as he shot well over.

That was a story of the first half, that Rovers weren’t able to make the most of their territory, failing to register a shot on target as they went a sixth successive Ewood fixture without a goal in the opening 45 minutes.

To their credit they were defending their box well, repelling a series of Luton crosses late in the half, with Thomas Kaminski rarely troubled.

He did well to smother a Jordan Clark effort from  Harry Cornick cross, though the offside flag had been raised.

Elsewhere, the dangerous Mpanzu had one shot blocked by Downing at the end of a breakaway, with a fine Jarrad Branthwaite tackle denying him a clear sight of goal before the break.

The first half may have seen neither side have a shot on target, but the second didn’t even have to wait a minute. Armstrong collected the ball near the corner flag, wriggled his way beyond Bradley before shooting goalwards, with Simon Sluga well positioned to hang on.

Lewis Travis then had a minute to forget, his loose pass allowing Luton to break forward as Lenihan did well to block James Collins’ shot, before a foul on Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall saw him booked. The midfielder curled the subsequent 25-yard free kick over the bar.

Mowbray had seen enough, turning to his bench on the hour, making a quadruple substitution as Holtby, Dolan, Dack and Gallagher were all introduced.

It did little, a few Tyrhys Dolan dribbles apart, to liven up the game, or Rovers.

Dolan did have a break chance with 18 minutes left as Rovers pinched the ball high up the pitch. All four subs combined as Dack fed Dolan, Gallagher’s cross found Holtby who despite losing his feet worked the ball to Dolan whose shot from 12 yards was deflected over.

It was as clear a sighting of goal as Rovers had enjoyed for some time as the clock continued to tick towards the 90.

The left flank was offering a bit of joy for Rovers, Barry Douglas having a good game at left back, with Dolan slicing one shot wide before defenders threw themselves in the way of an Armstrong attempt.

There were some tiring legs, not least those of Travis, as Luton fashioned a shot on target with six minutes to play as Dewsbury-Hall’s 25-yard was straight at Kaminski who held on.

Then came the controversy. The referee rolled the ball to re-start the game, after Bradley went down for treatment. His cross was nodded across by Gallagher and into the net by Armstrong.

Luton boss Nathan Jones was left furious as Rovers celebrated. His mood wouldn’t have improved as Luton hammered the ball home from a set play, after Douglas cleared off the line. Rovers escaped, as the linesman raised his flag for offside.

Rovers: Kaminski, Nyambe, Lenihan, Branthwaite, Douglas, Rothwell (Dolan, 60), Travis, Downing (Holtby, 60), Elliott (Gallagher, 60), Brereton (Dack, 60), Armstrong

Substitutes: Pears, Buckley, Evans, Bennett, Magloire

Luton Town: Sluga, Potts, Bradley, Pearson (Cranie, 71), Cornick, Lockyer, Rea, Mpanzu, Clark, Collins (Hylton, 65), Dewsbury-Hall

Substitutes: Shea, Berry, Moncur, Naismith, LuaLua, Nombe, Morrell