Blackburn Rovers secured their survival in the Championship with a dramatic 2-0 win at Champions Leicester City.
Rovers knew that a point would be enough for them to stay in the division regardless of results elsewhere. It was a nervy afternoon though, with all four teams at the bottom winning.
Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth Argyle and Birmingham City were all winning in the second half with Rovers goalless, meaning a Leicester strike would've put them in the relegation zone.
Instead of wilting, Rovers took care of their own fate. Sam Szmodics, who else, was the man to save their season yet again. He burst onto a favourable bounce by the touchline, ran the length of the Leicester half and coolly slotted into the bottom corner.
READ MORE: Rovers player ratings as Szmodics is the hero again
Ecstasy for the 2,000 travelling fans. The man who has never let them down delivered yet again.
It was still a nervy finish for Rovers. Ricardo Pereira's shot had to be cleared off the line by Harry Pickering before Aynsley Pears made the most important intervention.
The ball broke for Harry Winks and his goal bound shot was destined for the top corner but for a touch from Pears, who lifted it onto the crossbar.
Remarkably, that proved to be the Foxes' last real effort on goal. In fact, Rovers finished the job in stoppage time as Szmodics raced through, rounded the goalkeeper and ended any uncertainty.
Rovers were safe and by their own making too. A small step towards redemption after a disastrous campaign that nobody will want to remember.
Szmodics led Rovers out on a defining afternoon with captain Dom Hyam ruled out through illness. That meant Ben Chrisene coming into the side with Harry Pickering shifting to left-centre-back.
Rovers started the game brightly, sitting deep in their defensive shape but springing on the counter-attack. They had a few early openings with Leicester slack in their defensive play.
Gallagher dragged a shot just wide of the near post when he should have hit the target before a last-ditch intervention stopped Callum Brittain from tucking in at the back post.
The Foxes played with the intensity of a side with the title already sewn up. There was nothing on the line for them and their passive approach suited Rovers.
Their best chance was of Blackburn's own marking. Jamie Vardy was stood in an offside position but Hayden Carter's wayward header put him through on goal.
He lifted the ball over Pears but wide of the near post. Abdul Fatawu's shot from range which the goalkeeper dealt with was their only other first-half opportunity of note.
At half-time, it was so far, so good, at The King Power. Sheffield Wednesday were safe, leading 2-0 at Sunderland. The main sucker punch was Plymouth's 1-0 lead against Hull City.
With very little happening, the focus was on scores elsewhere. Birmingham City's early second-half lead was a dagger to the heart. One goal for Leicester and Rovers were in the bottom three.
But it was Blackburn Rovers who took matters into their own hands. A fortunate break of the ball and Szmodics was in but with so much to do.
He raced the entire length of the Leicester half and coolly slotted in goal number 26 of the league season. 32 and counting in all competitions and this the most important of any goal.
Leicester stepped up their pressure. Pickering was forced to clear in front of the goal line to keep out Pereira's shot from equalising.
Pears then stepped up and produced his most important contribution of the season. Winks' piledriver was heading for the top corner until the goalkeeper tipped it onto the bar, keeping Rovers ahead.
Leicester's lack of urgency allowed Rovers to slow the game down and navigate a nervy six added minutes. The full-time whistle saw players slump to the floor in relief. They had done it.
Make no mistake, it should have never come to this. But they got over the line and didn't rely on others to do the job.
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