Luton Town failed to capitalise on their opportunities in a goalless draw with Middlesbrough.

On a sunny day at Kenilworth Road, Matt Bloomfield’s side had the better opportunities against their play-off chasing guests, but couldn’t find a way through as the game ended 0-0.

With Cardiff beating Blackburn Rovers, it means that Luton now find themselves four points from safety with eight games of the season to go. The Hatters sit 23rd in the Championship table.

Luton had entered the contest on a high after beating Cardiff in South Wales in midweek and were chasing back-to-back victories in their pursuit of survival in the second tier.

They nearly made a fast start, as with just seven minutes on the clock, Elijah Adebayo’s deflected pass fell kindly for Thelo Aasgaard, only for the midweek matchwinner to wallop a strike over the bar.

Luton persisted with the best chances of the half, as they saw Alfie Doughty fire a strike wide before Aasgaard fired straight at Mark Travers after being picked out by Doughty.

Adebayo would then fire straight at Travers after intercepting a bad backpass, before Travers denied Carlton Morris and Adebayo couldn’t force the rebound on target.

Middlesbrough were a more robust obstacle after the break and nearly stole the lead for themselves, only for Finn Azaz to fire a strike off target.

Mark McGuinness and substitute Lasse Nordas would both miss the target for Luton, before the visitor’s Delano Burgzorg saw a late strike narrowly clear the bar in a game that saw Middlesbrough fail to have a shot on target.

Luton were however left frustrated, particularly on a day that also saw Derby and Cardiff win, as they remain in trouble going into the final international break of the season.

Bloomfield’s Hatters face a big game when the Championship returns in two weeks time, as they travel to a Hull City side currently six points above the bottom three. It forms part of a busy run-in, with Luton also scheduled to face away games against fellow strugglers Stoke and Derby, plus meetings with league leaders Leeds United and a final trilogy of games against play-off chasers Bristol City, Coventry and West Brom.