Hayden Carter’s first ever goal for Rovers ensured their bid to finish in the play-offs will go down to the final day.

They looked all but over when Tom Lockyer headed Luton Town into the lead early in the second half as Rovers were made to pay for a host of missed chances in the opening 45 minutes.

Carter then headed in a Sorba Thomas corner with three minutes remaining to ensure that while it is now out of their hands, Rovers can still finish in the top six, despite going an eighth game without a win.

The failure to add in January will come increasingly under the microscope as a side without a recognised striker failed to make the most of a strong opening 45 minutes, and a host of chances created.

From the moment that Lockyer put Luton ahead however, Rovers looked lost for ideas, but all hope wasn’t lost as Carter glanced in an equaliser that could yet prove crucial.

Jon Dahl Tomasson was positive in defeat against Burnley, and stuck with the same XI, though there was a return on the bench for Daniel Ayala, and no Thomas Kaminski in the squad as he missed out for personal reasons.

The permutations for Rovers were simple, and they sat out their stall to be on the front foot, committing bodies forward to the attack.

Harry Pickering was named winner of the goal of the season award ahead of kick-off, but had a much simpler chance 14 minutes in, only to side-foot wide from six yards out after Lewis Travis’ blocked shot ran his way.

The jeopardy for Rovers was their shortage of goals, and struggles when conceding the first goal, and their carelessness did almost cost them.

Jordan Clark profited from a loose Ben Brereton pass, and although Adam Wharton did well tracking back to initial deny him, the Luton man still managed to get a shot away that forced Aynsley Pears into a save.

Likewise, Tyrhys Dolan lost the ball which allowed Carlton Morris to take up the attack, his shot deflected just wide of the post off player-of-the-season Dom Hyam.

Rovers’ weren’t perturbed though and continued to force the issue against a Luton side who looked there for the taking amid the prospect of minds being cast elsewhere.

Sam Szmodics was at his busy best and sniffing chances in the box, with Amari’i Bell throwing himself in the way of a well-struck shot.

Then, on the half hour, Joe Rankin-Costello used his body to good effect to get away from the attentions of Bell and fire across Ethan Horvath who stuck out a boot to keep his effort out, before a more straightforward save from the next attack as Hayden Carter took aim from distance.

Promising positions weren’t taken advantage of, but Rovers’ intensity was such that they kept coming.

Dolan robbed Sonny Bradley of the ball to break forward towards his goal, his shot across Horvath beating the outstretched hand of the ‘keeper, but also the far post. Bradley then atoned for his error by throwing himself infront of a curling Dolan strike to ensure it was goalless at the break.

It was hard not to think of the impact of a recognised striker could have had as Rovers again didn’t make the most of a strong showing.

Yet they couldn’t continue that in the early stages of the second half, requiring a fine Pickering block to deny Luke Berry before the visitors found a way through five minutes after the restart. Morris kept the ball alive from a set play to deliver a cross that was flicked in by centre half Lockyer who stayed up from the initial corner.

Knowing they needed a response, Tomasson didn’t wait long to turn to his bench, as Sorba Thomas and Bradley Dack replaced Hedges and Dolan.

A second would have sealed it for Luton, even so early in the second half, with Pears making a key stop to beat away a powerfully hit Elijah Adebayo strike.

It was becoming a little desperate for Rovers who were trying to force the issue without the quality they had shown in the first half.

Rankin-Costello, forward from right back, looked as good a chance of a goal as anyone, and almost found an equaliser in the 62nd minute, taking aim from Hyam’s knockdown, with Bell in the way to deflect behind.

Ewood was becoming increasingly flat as the game drifted, Luton going close to a second as Pears missed his punch before Bradley hit the bar from Morris’ knock-back.

Rovers looked to have lost belief as Luton starved them of the ball, and territory, with the final throw of the dice coming as Harry Leonard was introduced as part of a double switch, with Callum Brittain also sent on.

Szmodics and Brereton exchanged passes before the latter had a curling shot deflected wide before Dack ballooned a shot over the bar as a set piece wasn’t fully cleared.

It was left to centre half Carter to provide the finishing touch, glancing in Thomas’ corner to set up a grandstand finish.

It could have proven to be the most glorious of endings, only for Szmodics’ rasping drive to hit the underside of the crossbar and bounce down on the wrong side of the goal-line.

The point means Rovers must now go to Millwall on the final day and win, and hoping that results go their own way if next week isn’t to be their final game of the season.

Rovers: Pears, Rankin-Costello, Carter, Hyam, Pickering (Brittain 80'), Travis (Leonard 81'), Adam Wharton, Hedges (Thomas 54'), Szmodics, Brereton, Dolan (Dack 54')

Subs: Hilton, Ayala, Garrett

Luton: Horvath, Lockyer, Bradley, Bell, Drameh (Potts 83'), Berry, Nakamba (Campbell 74'), Clark (Mpanzu 66'), Doughty (Onyedinma 66'), Morris (Freeman 75'), Adebayo

Subs: Shea, Taylor