Yuki Ohashi's winner for Blackburn Rovers was his ninth goal of the season
Ten-man Blackburn Rovers held on for a victory that ended an eight-game winless run and kept alive their slim Championship play-off hopes, but left Luton Town deep in relegation trouble.
Yuki Ohashi scored with Blackburn's first attempt on target seven minutes after the break following an uneventful first half with very little goalmouth action.
Although Kristi Montgomery was sent off for the visitors for a second yellow card six minutes later, Rovers held on for more than 30 minutes and 12 minutes of injury-time, to move six points off the top six with four games remaining.
The Hatters, whose five-game unbeaten sequence had brought fresh optimism about their survival hopes, had plenty of the ball and 18 attempts.
But they only managed three on target and - following Plymouth Argyle's dramatic late win over Sheffield United - they are level on points with the league's bottom side and are now three points from safety.
Luton's mini-revival had seen them pick up two wins and three draws - their best run of the season.
However, a stubborn Rovers side survived the increasing pressure to see out a first victory under Valerien Ismael.
The Hatters have not been out of the bottom three since their defeat by QPR three months ago, which was former boss Rob Edwards' final game in charge of the club.
And despite their dominance, they did not create many clear opportunities.
Mark McGuinness sent a header over the bar in the first half while Millenic Alli went close on a couple of occasions.
But the game's telling moment brought a worthy winner. Lewis Travis and Tyrhys Dolan combined to free up Ryan Hedges, whose delightful pass enabled Ohashi to race through and beat Hatters keeper Thomas Kaminski with a classy outside of the boot finish.
Montgomery's red card, on his first Rovers start, ensured a fine rearguard action was needed, however.
Thelo Aasgaard smashed a shot against the underside of the bar and Alli blasted an attempt over for the hosts.
And, although Alli hit the bar for Luton in time added, Rovers were able to see out a first-ever league win in 23 attempts at Kenilworth Road.
Luton Town manager Matt Bloomfield told BBC Three Counties Radio:
"We really felt we were building momentum and our performances have been good. But that wasn't good enough for the standards we have been setting and we are very disappointed.
"Blackburn have had a tough run of results but they have a very good group of players.
"We gave a goal away just after half-time which gave us a mountain to climb and we lacked that bit of composure at the top of the pitch.
"There were loads of final-third entries and we hit the bar twice but we have not been clinical enough to get the equaliser and then chase the winner.
"We believe in the group we have. We've had some tough moments and have always come out the other side and it's up to us to do it again."
Blackburn Rovers boss Valerien Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"Congrats for the boys. Until the red card it was the gameplan we expected.
"In the first half we wanted to be really strong as we knew we had to face the challenge with a team who are fighting to survive.
"They put a lot of balls in the box so you have to defend and show togetherness and we made it perfectly.
"In the transition we didn't play well. We wanted to get more in behind but the main focus was to stay strong. That was the first step and the second one was to get behind them and we made it perfectly with the goal we scored.
"After the red card it was another plan to survive and the boys made it perfectly. The boys showed a lot of desire and we were lucky for sure - but you need some luck and it doesn't change the performance."
