Blackburn piled the pressure on relegation-threatened Luton as they picked up a first league win at Kenilworth Road with a 1-0 success.
Yuki Ohashi’s goal seven minutes after half-time was enough for the visitors to end their eight-match unbeaten run and ensure manager Valerien Ismael picked up his first win since taking over at Ewood Park.
The Hatters were unable to take advantage of Kristi Montgomery’s 58th-minute red card as the end of their five-match unbeaten run and Derby’s 2-2 draw at Portsmouth left them three points from safety with four games to go.
The visitors looked to make a strong start in Bedfordshire, as Ohashi tricked his way into a shooting position only to fire well over.
Thelo Aasgaard’s low drive was blocked in a poor first half and just before the break Luton had their best opportunity when Jordan Clark’s free-kick saw Mark McGuinness head over from close range.
Blackburn were soon ahead after the interval.
Ohashi was played through the middle by Ryan Hedges and he kept his nerve to dink the ball over the advancing Thomas Kaminski.
The visitors were dealt a blow six minutes later as they were reduced to 10 men when Montgomery, on his full debut, was shown his second yellow in the space of 10 minutes for a foul on Millenic Alli.
Jordan Clark put the resulting free-kick over the top of Balazs Toth’s goal.
Despite ringing the changes, Luton never really looked like equalising until Aasgaard drifted past three players and hammered against the underside of the bar.
Luton poured forward in the closing stages looking for a leveller.
Alli fired horribly over and Reece Burke curled too close to Toth, before both Alli and Aasgaard sliced wide from range.
During stoppage time, McGuinness got up to meet Clark’s inswinging corner only to glance wide of the target.
Rovers might have sealed an even greater win when Tyrhys Dolan broke well on the right side but with Makhtar Gueye in a good position he went for goal and Kaminski saved.
Alli almost snatched a point when his hopeful cross-shot took a nick and somehow ended up hitting the crossbar with Toth rooted to the spot.
In the 100th minute, Luton had one last chance from a free-kick as they loaded the box and the ball dropped at the feet of Teden Mengi, but the former Manchester United defender’s low shot was straight at the keeper.
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