“It’s a funny old world, football,” said Luton’s Matty Pearson after he scored the winner on his first return to former club Blackburn since he was released by Rovers as a teen.
The centre back scored a towering header in the 57th minute and James Collins’ 50th goal for the club was cancelled out be a thumping Lewis Travis leveller, both in the first half.
Pearson joined the Ewood Park club when he was nine and ten years later was released while injured, without ever having played a first-team game.
It saw the 26-year-old drop down to the Conference and Conference North at one stage and work part-time as a garage door fitter.
Read more: Blackburn Rovers 1 Luton Town 2 – match report
Asked how it felt to have scored against his first ever club, Pearson said: “It was seven, eight years ago. I’ve no real ties. Probably only Darragh (Lenihan), the centre back for them, was the only lad about when I was about.
“It’s been nice to come back. I haven’t been back to the stadium, since I left. It’s a funny old world, football.
“That’s exactly what we’re here for. We want to be playing in these games. It’s what you want as a footballer, at massive clubs. Blackburn’s a massive club so I just couldn’t be happier.”
Pearson’s second goal of the season ended two straight Championship defeats for the Hatters, but it was a 39-minute defensive rear-guard that ensured the three points came back to Bedfordshire with Luton.
“That’s our job,” said the defender, adding: “That’s our main aim, to win games and keep clean sheets. Obviously, we still haven’t kept a clean sheet. To get the win and a decent enough defensive display, I’m happy.
“It’s a great win and exactly what we needed after a tough two weeks.
“You heard their fans getting behind the team and towards the end, in the last 15-20 minutes it was backs to the wall. That’s probably how we got promoted last year.
“We played exactly like that. Maybe not every game, but definitely away from home, we tend to get that odd goal lead and clung on. That’s exactly what we want, and I’m just made up.”
Town conceded two goals, but the second didn’t count after Bradley Dack was eventually ruled offside following a discussion between referee Gavin Ward and his assistant Rob Smith.
Pearson said: “For me, it was clearly offside. I’m playing and it’s sometimes different. You’d have to ask the referee, I don’t know. For one minute I thought he was’t going to give it but thankfully he did.
“Once they discussed it, it was that obvious that it was offside. I thought it was offside, but sometimes they’re decisions you don’t get.”
Collins’ header in the first half against the run of play saw the Luton striker notch his half century of goals for Luton in just 102 appearances.
Pearson said: ““Collo’s Collo. We know exactly what we’re going to get from him. We know the goals are going to be there, so if we supply him, I hope, you can see through his work-rate, that he gets exactly what he deserves.”
