Summary

  • Carter heads in late equaliser for Blackburn against Luton

  • Lockyer had given Hatters second-half lead

  • Blackburn must beat Millwall and hope West Brom or Sunderland fail to win to make top six

  • Boro loss means Hatters will finish third

  • Rotherham beat Middlesbrough to secure Championship safety

  • Odoffin strike from distances gives Millers victory

  • Dijksteel sent off for Boro who will now finish fourth in table

  1. Postpublished at 19 mins

    Blackburn 0-0 Luton

    Seeing Rob Edwards on the touchline, it's hard not to think of Watford's decision to get rid of him in September after just 10 league games.

    The Hornets haven't exactly excelled his departure.

    But their loss has very much been Luton's gain.

  2. Postpublished at 17 mins

    Blackburn 0-0 Luton

    A corner for Luton, but their set-piece prowess doesn't quite bear fruit this time.

    Defender Tom Lockyer is at the back post but he can't keep his header down and he can't repeat his goal from seven days ago against Middlesbrough.

  3. Postpublished at 17:46 British Summer Time 1 May 2023

    Blackburn 0-0 Luton

    Andy Bayes
    BBC Radio Lancashire's Blackburn commentator

    Blackburn's Harry Pickering puts his hands to his face, he cant believe it.

    If that shot goes anywhere on target it's 1-nil.

    Opportunity for Rovers wasted.

  4. CLOSE!published at 14 mins

    Blackburn 0-0 Luton

    Blackburn should be ahead!

    Harry Pickering finds himself in the ideal position as the ball drops to him about 12 yards out in the penalty area.

    But the left-back side-foots it wide off the target when the goal was at his mercy. They may not have too many better chances than this one.

  5. Postpublished at 17:42 British Summer Time 1 May 2023

    Blackburn 0-0 Luton

    Jonathan Smith
    Former Luton midfielder on BBC Three Counties Radio

    Blackburn are pressing and closing down quickly, they really want to win this game.

    Luton need to be aware of that because they've nearly been caught out a couple of times already.

  6. Postpublished at 11 mins

    Blackburn 0-0 Luton

    Almost a chance for Sammie Szmodics in the box as the ball ricochets towards him, but he can't bring it under control and it skids out of play for a goal-kick.

    An open start here at Ewood Park.

  7. Postpublished at 8 mins

    Blackburn 0-0 Luton

    The first save of the evening and it's from Aynsley Pears.

    A very loose pass from Ben Brereton Diaz gifts the ball to Jordan Clark, who drives at the heart of the Blackburn defence, all the way into the box.

    His shot is half deflected, but Pears reacts well to save.

    A warning for the home team.

    Blackburn v LutonImage source, Rex Features
  8. Postpublished at 17:38 British Summer Time 1 May 2023

    Blackburn 0-0 Luton

    Kevin Gallacher
    Former Blackburn striker on BBC Radio Lancashire

    It was a massive chance for Blackburn who played some great football to get into that position.

    Ben Brereton Diaz and Joe Rankin-Costello with a great move to start this game.

  9. Postpublished at 5 mins

    Blackburn 0-0 Luton

    Positive stuff from Blackburn, but no finish.

    Ben Brereton Diaz gets the ball in space on the left and rolls it into the run of Joe Rankin-Costello on the edge of the box.

    But rather than shoot, he opts to square it and the chance disappears.

  10. Postpublished at 4 mins

    Blackburn 0-0 Luton

    Only seven teams have scored fewer than Blackburn's total of 47 Championship goals. They still have a minus goal difference!

    They have not won for four games and they have scored just four goals in that run.

    Both those things need to change this evening.

  11. KICK-OFFpublished at 1 min

    Blackburn 0-0 Luton

    Basically, Blackburn's season rests on this 90 minutes. Technically, it is not must-win, but it really feels like it.

    Let's see if they have anything left after all those recent setbacks.

  12. What we knowpublished at 17:29 British Summer Time 1 May 2023

    Blackburn v Luton (17:30 BST)

    Blackburn:

    Win - They jump up to seventh and level on points with sixth-placed Millwall, ahead of a match at the Den on Sunday.

    Draw - They would move level with Sunderland and West Brom but with a vastly inferior goal difference.

    Lose - They would remain three points behind Millwall. They would then need to beat Millwall by at least seven goals and hope Sunderland and West Brom fail to win on the final day. In simple terms, they would be all but over.

    Luton:

    The Hatters are going to finish third, no matter what happens in their final two games.

    They will be involved in play-off semi-finals against the team who finishes sixth, on Saturday 13 May and Tuesday 16 May.

    Who knows? They could face Blackburn!

  13. Team news - Two changes for Hatterspublished at 17:26 British Summer Time 1 May 2023

    Blackburn v Luton (17:30 BST)

    Luton manager Rob Edwards shuffles his pack with a couple of alterations from the side which beat Middlesbrough at Kenilworth Road seven days ago.

    Jordan Clark and Luke Berry are the new additions, with Pelly Ruddock-Mpanzu and Allan Campbell making way.

    Luton: Horvath; Lockyer, Bradley (c), Bell; Drameh, Berry, Nakamba, Clark, Doughty; Morris, Adebayo.

    Subs: Shea (GK), Potts, Ruddock-Mpanzu, Campbell, Onyedinma, Taylor, Freeman.

  14. Team news - Rovers unchangedpublished at 17:26 British Summer Time 1 May 2023

    Blackburn v Luton (17:30 BST)

    Jon Dahl Tomasson has gone with the same starting line-up for Blackburn as the one which lost 1-0 to neighbours Burnley in last Tuesday's East Lancashire derby.

    With goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski again unavailable for family reasons, Aynsley Pears continues in between the sticks.

    Blackburn: Pears; Rankin-Costello, Carter, Hyam, Pickering; Travis (c), A. Wharton; Hedges, Szmodics, Brereton Diaz; Dolan.

    Subs: Hilton (GK), Brittain, Ayala, Garrett, Thomas, Dack, Leonard.

  15. Mission accomplished but Hatters want morepublished at 17:21 British Summer Time 1 May 2023

    Blackburn v Luton (17:30 BST)

    Luton Town duo Sonny Bradley and Tom LockyerImage source, Rex Features

    Middlesbrough's defeat at Rotherham earlier today means that Luton are guaranteed to finish third in the table.

    It is their highest league placing for 31 years since they were relegated from the old Division One in 1992.

    They have exceeded last year's sixth, when they lost to Huddersfield in the play-off semi-finals, but they know that a Premier League place is up for grabs.

    And with the other sides in and around the top-six, a place in the top flight is up for grabs, so why not Luton?

  16. One more punch would floor Roverspublished at 17:19 British Summer Time 1 May 2023

    Blackburn v Luton (17:30 BST)

    Coventry goalkeeper Ben Wilson scores at BlackburnImage source, Rex Features

    Blackburn Rovers have taken three huge blows in their last three games that have left their play-off hopes hanging by a thread.

    They were 1-0 up at home to play-off rivals Coventry on 19 April when Sky Blues goalkeeper Ben Wilson scored a 95th equaliser.

    Against fellow Lancashire side Preston, they again squandered a lead in the 94th minute to drop two more points in a 1-1 draw.

    Then last Tuesday, they lost at home to bitter rivals Burnley, seeing the Clarets win the title on their own patch in the process.

    Three blows that would hurt at any time. But can Jon Dahl Tomasson pick up his players to find the three points they need from this one?

  17. Welcome backpublished at 17:16 British Summer Time 1 May 2023

    Blackburn v Luton (17:30 BST)

    Blackburn v LutonImage source, Rex Features

    Welcome back for the second part of our Championship double-header.

    Whatever you have been up to for the last couple of hours of this Bank Holiday Monday, thanks for your company as we build up to another vital match.

    While Luton are now guaranteed third spot, this is crunch time for Blackburn in their quest for a play-off place.

  18. Time for a breatherpublished at 15:14 British Summer Time 1 May 2023

    Rotherham 1-0 Middlesbrough

    What a start to the Championship action.

    Rotherham had a big job to do, and thanks to Hakeem Odoffin's winner, they accomplished it.

    We'll be back later to see if Blackburn Rovers can keep their play-off hopes alive when they welcome third-placed Luton Town to Ewood Park (KO 17:30 BST).

    Grab yourself a breather, say hello to your family or friends or whatever other Bank Holiday activities you have planned.

    We will back at 17:15 BST with the build up for that one.

  19. Reading praying for a Blades favourpublished at 15:10 British Summer Time 1 May 2023

    Rotherham 1-0 Middlesbrough

    With Rotherham now safe, Huddersfield Town are the only team who could be caught by Reading.

    Huddersfield are three points ahead and crucially, have a game in hand over the Royals.

    If the Terriers avoid defeat at home to Sheffield United on Thursday night, they will be safe.

    But if the already promoted Blades win in West Yorkshire, relegation will come down to next Monday when the Royals face Huddersfield away.

    Will it be an epic last-day decider or will Neil Warnock's men relegate Reading on Thursday?

  20. Boro losing momentumpublished at 15:06 British Summer Time 1 May 2023

    Rotherham 1-0 Middlesbrough

    Middlesbrough's play-off spot has not been in doubt for a long time, but their form has stalled somewhat.

    This is a fourth defeat in the seven games since the last international break.

    It will count for nothing once the play-off games start, but it's far from ideal for Boro boss Michael Carrick.