Luton Town FC vs Barnsley (8th Feb 2022)

Match Report | Luton Town 2-1 Barnsley

Luton Town sit outside of the Sky Bet Championship play-off places on goal difference after a 2-1 win over Barnsley on Tuesday night.

Allan Campbell put the Hatters in front, forcing the ball across the line after a goalmouth scramble.

Barnsley would go into the break level, however, after Carlton Morris’ lifted effort.

But the three points would be Luton’s, after Elijah Adebayo’s emphatic penalty restored the lead. The victory sees Town move up to 7th in the league, level on points with West Bromwich Albion in the final play-off spot.

Nathan Jones made two changes from Town’s last league game, with Harry Cornick coming in for his first league start since November. Adebayo also returned to the Hatters’ starting line-up, having missed the last three league fixtures.

The visitors started off brightly and had a sight on goal within 60 seconds. Domingos Quina rounded James Shea, but couldn’t get his shot on target from a tight angle.

After a quiet 20 minutes, Town grew into the game. First, a penalty appeal was waved away by the referee after Adebayo went down in the box. Then, Cornick’s side-foot into the bottom corner was ruled out for offside.

Just before the half hour mark, the Hatters would be in front. James Bree’s corner caused havoc in the Barnsley area, with Campbell the player to force the ball over the line after a goalmouth scramble.

The away side would find an equaliser just before half-time. After being played in on goal, Morris lifted the ball over Shea.

Ten minutes into the second half, Town came close to restoring their lead. Amari’i Bell made a surging run into the area, but Cornick could only find the side netting from the cut-back.

Jones looked to his substitutes for inspiration, bringing on Fred Onyedinma for Gabe Osho. Only a minute after his introduction, Onyedinma won a penalty after being fouled by Bradley Collins.

From the resulting spot-kick, there was no doubt from Adebayo. The striker fired into the top corner to put the Hatters back in front, his 13th of the season.

There should’ve been a third for Luton not long after. Cornick won the ball back from a Barnsley defender, and found Adebayo in the area, who was unable to guide the ball goalwards.

Campbell almost added his, and Luton’s third, of the evening. A cross from Onyedinma was deflected to the back post, but the midfielder couldn’t stretch enough to guide his header towards goal.

Peter Kioso was introduced with ten minutes left of play, with Cornick playing 80 minutes on his first start for the club since November.

Town made their third and final switch a few moments later, as Danny Hylton replaced goalscorer Adebayo.

Five minutes were added on, but the away side were unable to find another equaliser, meaning the Hatters sit outside of the play-off places only on goal difference.

Goals:

Town: Campbell (28’), Adebayo (59’)

Barnsley: Morris (44’)

Att: 9,101 (306 away)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaL2P2KUDXc – match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xknCra1kl5o – Nathan Jones interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3WSYQtrMDE – James Bree interview

Nathan Jones' Barnsley reaction!

Nathan Jones was pleased his side were able to get over the line with a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Barnsley.

Allan Campbell and Elijah Adebayo ensured the Hatters would extend their unbeaten run to five matches in all competitions despite winning ugly, to which the manager said: “Sometimes you have to do that in the Championship. It is a good trait to have, we didn’t play particularly well and they are a difficult side to play against because they overload similar to Swansea in midfield. They play with a front man and they can cause you some problems.

“I thought the first half was a little bit slow but second half we were much better and we limited them to very, very little. A year ago, two seasons ago, we would have lost that game and so to do that in a scrappy game shows that we can dig these wins out as well.

“We should have had a penalty first half, it was a stonewall penalty and if Kal Naismith hadn’t tried to be Kaldini and try a backheel right on half-time it could have been far more comfortable.

"There’s lot of things to learn but I would have taken any win tonight because when we play teams at the top of the league we raise our game but we can also do it when sides are fighting for their live and come here and play with freedom.”

Adebayo on the spot as Luton finally end Barnsley's hoodoo at Kenilworth Road

Championship: Luton Town 2 Barnsley 1

Luton finally ended their long, long wait for home league win over Barnsley, registering a first victory since October 1993 in a game that won't live long in the memory bar for that fact this evening.

It was been almost 30 long years since the Hatters took the points against their Yorkshire opponents at Kenilworth Road, that coming when Scott Oakes' double and a young John Hartson were on target helped Town on their way to 5-0 hammering.

Nine meetings since had seen the visitors win seven and draw nine, and even though it looked like their best chance in all that time, the Tykes bottom of the table and 12 without a win, with no away triumph all term, it looked like their hoodoo was going to continue a fairly dismal first half.

That came after Town boss Nathan Jones had brought his two leading scorers back for the contest too, Elijah Adebayo and Harry Cornick replacing Danny Hylton and Fred Onyedinma from Luton's last Championship contest, that a 1-0 win at Swansea City last Tuesday night.

Although it meant the hosts' front two had 20 Championship goals between them, they could just not get going in the early stages, looking a mile off the pace and unable to wake themselves from their slumber that was enveloping the Kenilworth Road pitch and stands, with a display well below their usual standards.

Callum Styles curled wide of the target after the visitors, despite their perilous position, settled into their task well, first to second balls and having by far the better of what little quality was on show.

Luton finally looked like they were starting to get some kind of momentum building as the game progressed, Adebayo convinced he had won a penalty after appearing to have his legs clipped by Remy Vita, only for referee Andy Davies to wave his appeals away.

Town then had the ball in the net through Cornick, but defender James Bree was flagged offside in the build-up, but Luton did somehow have the lead on 28 minutes when Bree's corner from the left was on the money once more, punched up rather than out by Bradley Collins.

It landed for Allan Campbell to prod goalwards, the ball just crossing the line before Gabe Osho made sure, as Town's defender had to cut his celebrations short when it became apparent the Scot had his third of the season.

Josh Benson tried to restore parity, slicing wildly over the top, while another good set-piece routine saw Naismith's cross flick off the top of Cornick's head, Mads Andersen well placed to clear.

Luton still weren't defending with any real authority though, Shea dropping a simple ball into the area, Amari'i Bell then needlessly trying to clear with no danger around him, getting in all sorts of trouble and only just able to get back to prevent Amine Bassi from unleashing his shot.

Still, the Hatters couldn't exact any control though, and they paid the price just two minutes before half time, as Collins' throw caught Town's midfield square, with Carlton Morris getting the better of an unusually erratic Naismith and the sliding Osho to go through and coolly dink Shea.

After the break, Benson had a go from 25 yards, Shea solidly behind his free kick, before Bell then set off a wonderful run on the left, delivering a cross for Cornick to sidefoot wide.

Jones opted to bring on Fred Onyedinma for Osho, swapping to a 4-3-3, and it worked within seconds, the sub bursting on to a loose ball in the area, tripped by Collins for a clear spot-kick.

The Tykes players delayed the effort as much as they could, appealing for a handball, while Collins almost refused to get back on his line, standing on the six yard box, somehow avoiding punishment from Davies.

Try as they might, they couldn't put off Adebayo, who despite missing his last attempt at Nottingham Forest in November, kept his cool impressively to hammer his shot into the top corner for a 13th of the season.

He might have had a 14th moments later, Cornick sprinting away on the right and picking out his strike partner, who just couldn't sort his feet out in time, the effort dribbling behind.

Luton almost had breathing space, Campbell unable to grow enough inches at the back post to get over Onyedinma's deflected cross, the sub continuing to live things up since his introduction.

Cornick sent a header straight at Collins, who was now getting roundly booed whenever the ball came near him, as Town with Onyedinma in particular causing problem, were far more comfortable, Barnsley's first half confidence draining away as the finally looked a side who appear doomed for League One this term.

They still might have snatched a point though to extend their Indian sign over the Hatters, Romal Palmer's effort from range flying into the stands, before fortunately for Luton, Styles' glancing header in stoppage time dropped wide.

Hatters: James Shea, James Bree, Amari'i Bell, Reece Burke, Gabe Osho (Fred Onyedinma 55), Kal Naismith (C), Henri Lansbury, Allan Campbell, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Harry Cornick (Peter Kioso 80), Elijah Adebayo (Danny Hylton 85).

Subs not used: Jed Steer, Dan Potts, Carlos Mendes Gomes, Tom Lockyer.

Tykes: Bradley Collins, Callum Styles, Liam Kitching, Mads Andersen ©, Josh Benson (Romal Palmer 78), Carlton Morris, Claudio Gomes, Remy Vita (Jordan Williams 64), Amine Bassi (Devante Cole 64), Domingos Quina, Michal Helik.

Subs not used: Jack Walton, Jordan Williams, Aaron Leya Iseka, William Hondermarck, Aapo Halme.

Booked: Collins 59, Mpanzu 86, Anderson 89.

Referee: Andy Davies.

Attendance: 9,101 (306 Barnsley).

Jones: We're learning how to win games in the Championship

Town chief pleased to grind out victory against Barnsley

Hatters boss Nathan Jones believed his side are learning how to win in the Championship after they triumphed 2-1 against struggling Barnsley this evening.

Despite a poor first half from the hosts in which they struggled to ever get out of first gear, they took the lead on 28 minutes when James Bree’s corner was punched up rather than out by visiting keeper Bradley Collins, Allan Campbell prodding the loose ball over the line before Gabe Osho made sure.

Barnsley levelled just before the break through Carlton Morris, but the introduction of Fred Onyedinma 10 minutes into the second half saw the substitute immediately win a penalty after being felled by Collins, Adebayo slamming into the top corner.

The final half an hour saw Luton manage the game with very little scares, as they climbed up to seventh in the table, with a sixth win from nine in the second tier, as Jones said: “It was a classic win, I’m happy with that, it wasn’t one for the purist, but sometimes you've got to dig them out, especially at this level.

“There's been teams that do fantastically well year in year out in the Championship, that learn how to just win games and that’s what we’re doing at the minute.

“They're very difficult to play against, they pack the midfield, they've got a lot of young, technical players that can cause you problems, but we needed to cause them more problems going that way, show more composure than we should have.

“We mess about before half time, try a backheel when it’s not on, and let them back into the game.

“We should have had a penalty, so we should have been two up at half time, and if we're just professional in what we do, then we see that game out.

“We haven't played the best, but we see that game out.

“Once we made the tactical change (bringing Fred Onyedinma on) I thought we were much, much better.

“They went gung ho late on, and I thought we saw the game out really well.

"So even though it wasn't a classic, I thought it was a wonderful, wonderful win.”

Luton chief admits dishing out a half-time 'rollicking' during Tykes triumph

Town boss had wanted more aggression from his side in midweek contest

Luton boss Nathan Jones admitted he had to deliver a bit of a ‘rollicking’ to his players during the half time break of their 2-1 win over Barnsley at Kenilworth Road last night.

In an opening period where the Hatters were nowhere near their best, they still took the lead on 28 minutes, James Bree’s corner eventually prodded over the line by midfielder Allan Campbell.

However, an out of sorts Town side were pegged back just before the break through Carlton Morris’ excellent finish which saw the sides swap ends all square.

Although still not reaching top gear, the Hatters were much improved in the second period, Elijah Adebayo scoring the winner from the penalty spot on the hour mark as they restricted the previously dangerous Tykes to very little in terms of chances.

It all came about following some stern words from Jones though, who said: "I was raging with their goal, as we had an opportunity on 42, 43 minutes, we take a short one (corner), then we try a backheel and then it allows them to go up the other side and get an opportunity.

"That’s what we’ve got to learn from as we’ve just put a great ball in and scored from it, so do it again, especially right on half time.

"That frustrated me a little bit, but it shows the character that after a little bit of a rollicking, they came out and we were better second half.”

When asked exactly what he had had told his players Jones continued: “We said we need to one, be a bit more aggressive as a back three in terms of stepping in and dominating as I thought Carlton Morris was good first half.

"Then we needed to get hold of it upfront as Harry (Cornick) and Elijah were a bit loose and then once we did that, I felt we could have got a little bit more momentum because they’re quite gung ho.

"They go and then if you can just secure the ball and play through them then you get in at their back four, back three and get opportunities.

"That’s what we didn’t do, we were too eager to go forward at times in terms of one ball, we just needed a bit more composure.

"So a bit more aggression, get hold of it and a little bit more composure and once we did that I felt we had a bit more footing in the game.

"We had to change shape and we felt it was the right thing to do and it worked.”

Full back Bree thought it was the right thing for the manager to do, as he said: "He comes in and sometimes he riles us up, sometimes he’s quite quiet, today, he got us going a little bit and I think we needed it.

"We all knew that we were a little bit off it tonight and we just had to get together and try and make sure we won it."

With 10 minutes gone of the second period, Jones opted to bring on attacker Fred Onyedinma for defender Gabe Osho and move away from his three at the back to a 4-3-3 formation.

It worked immediately, Onyedinma bursting into the area where he was felled by keeper Bradley Collins for a penalty that was gratefully dispatched by Adebayo for what was ultimately the winner.

On the switch, Jones said: "We felt we needed a bit more control in the game and we felt that we weren’t getting that.

"We had three centre halves up against their one, so we weren't able to overpower them in midfield.

"We made the extra change, got a little bit more pressure on it, another one up, the game-changer came on and did fantastically well, his pace got him in."

Bree was also impressed the impact that his team-mate had from the moment he was introduced, adding: "That’s what Fred’s really good at, he’s so quick, presses so high, and I think people don’t really know how to deal with it sometimes.

"I train against him every single day and he’s so quick and he can jink.

"He won the penalty really well and I think he played really well when he came on, so a good substitution."