The Hatters succumbed to a second successive relegation on a disastrous afternoon at The Hawthorns.
Three wins in a row had propelled the Town out of danger and had survival in their own hands at West Brom – only needing to match Hull’s result to ensure another season of Championship football.
Instead, it will be back to League One for the first time since being crowned champions in 2018/19 as the Town were soundly beaten by the Baggies. Relegation on goal difference was confirmed after Hull earned a draw at Portsmouth.
On a goal-crazy afternoon, the Town fell behind in the seventh minute when Tom Fellows blasted past Thomas Kaminski.
The only brief moment of hope for the Hatters came two minutes later when Millenic Alli levelled with a low strike.
His goal was met by jubilant celebrations in the away end but those cheers were soon quietened in the 18th minute when news filtered through that Hull had taken the lead at Portsmouth.
With Preston also leading at Bristol City the Town knew they needed to up the ante but it went from bad to worse when two goals in three minutes had West Brom 3-1 in front. Daryl Dike – on his first start in over 700 days – nodded past Kaminski before Fellows finished well moments later.
In the second half the Town came out knowing what they had to do. However, hope – that damn thing – returned once more when Portsmouth equalised against Hull.
Any belief that the Hatters could bring survival back into their own hands was deflated further with another two-goal burst from the Baggies, this time from Albion’s Callum Styles. His first a close range flick, his second a deflected strike from 20 yards.
5-1 down the Town’s Championship chances solely rested on Portsmouth beating Hull but the Hatters reduced arrears on 65 minutes when Jordan Clark curled home from the edge of the box.
As time ticked down at The Hawthorns – never a happy hunting ground of ours – the Hatters got it back to 5-3 in the closing stages as Alli scored his second when placing a shot home from 18 yards.
But by this time, it mattered not. All eyes, ears and apps were looking south, 165 miles away. However hard you stared at the live score it would not change. 1-1.
Tahith Chong came close to making it 5-4 in the first of six added minutes as the Town tried in vain for score two goals that would keep them up.
But by the time the final whistle went it was also full-time at Fratton Park. A point for Hull kept the Tigers up and relegated the Hatters on goal difference.
A game to forget and a season to forget.
The Town have suffered a lot, lot worse down the years and have always bounced back stronger. Make no mistake, this will hurt. A lot.
That will need to happen once again when it’s time to regroup in League One come August.
We’ll see you then.
Town: Kaminski; Jones (sub Nordås 63), Bell, McGuinness, Mengi (sub Naismith 84), Makosso (sub Burke 46); Clark, Walsh (sub Fanne 63), Aasgaard; Alli, Morris (sub Chong 46).
Subs not used: Krul, Andersen, Baptiste, Nelson.
