Luton Town FC vs Barnsley (25th Apr 2026)

25/04/2026 LUTON TOWN 2-1 BARNSLEY

Palmer winner keeps play-offs hopes alive

Hatters take it to the last day thanks to late Palmer strike

Kasey Palmer’s late winner ensured the Hatters’ late run to the play-offs will go the last day at Bolton next weekend.

With 11 minutes left the midfielder lashed home from close range to earn an eighth win in 10 games and finally overcome a stubborn Barnsley at a packed Kenilworth Road.

Nahki Wells had earlier put the Town in front from the penalty spot only for the mid-table visitors to level through Adam Phillips.

But just when the majority inside the old ground felt their opportunity of gatecrashing the top six had gone, Palmer struck his eighth goal in his last 11 games to spark wild scenes of celebrations.

The three points nudges the Town to within one point of the play-offs knowing a positive result at the Toughsheet Community Stadium could ensure an extension of their season.

Manager Jack Wilshere made two changes to the side that won at Rotherham in the week with Mads Andersen and Isaiah Jones in from the start.

And the Hatters began well, Emilio Lawrence’s rasping effort from inside the box was tipped away by Tykes goalkeeper Owen Goodman inside 75 seconds.

Barnsley, with nothing but pride to play for, had also started brightly and the Town needed a fine intervention from captain Kal Naismith to charge down an effort from Phillips before the same player drove a shot wide on 11 minutes and then nodded over 60 seconds later.

However, any nerves inside Kenilworth Road were eased when the Hatters were awarded a penalty on 15 minutes. Hakeem Odoffin was upended in the area and Wells made no mistake from the spot for his 10th goal of the season.

As the Town pushed for a second, Shayden Morris tested Goodman’s handling with a low shot on 24 minutes but less than two minutes later it was 1-1. Josh Keeley saved a goal-bound drive from Reyes Cleary but Phillips was unmarked to nod home the loose ball.

Hurt by that, the Hatters ended the first half on top. Lawrence blasted over the bar on 33 minutes and then laid on a superb cross two minutes later that Wells skewed wide at the back post before Odoffin then saw a low volley kept out by Goodman.

Barnsley began the second half the more threatening, the Town needing to defend well in the face of sustained pressure from the visitors.

On 64 minutes Wilshere sent on Jake Richards, Gideon Kodua and Devante Cole and the triple change had the desired effect as the Town began to wrestle control of the match back.

And with 11 minutes left, after a period of heavy possession, the Town got their reward. Liam Walsh’s deep left-wing corner was nodded back across goal by Andersen and Palmer was quickest to smash home the loose ball and send Kenilworth Road into raptures.

As time ticked down, Kodua nodded over as the Hatters chased a third to put the game to bed.

Six minutes were added by the officials during which the visitors pushed for a leveller that would all but end the Town’s hopes of the play-offs.

But after substitute David McGoldrick’s late, late effort looped narrowly over the bar the Town could celebrate another important victory in their promotion quest.

And so it will go to the final day. There are various permeations for the Town to finish in the top six but only a win is likely to be enough and that’s only if other teams slip up.

Control the controllables.

See you then.

Come on Luton.

Town: Keeley, Lawrence (sub Kodua 64), Jones, Naismith, Andersen, Odoffin, Walsh, van den Berg (sub Richards 64), Morris (sub Lonwijk 86), Palmer (sub Morris 90+3), Wells (sub Cole 64).

Subs not used: Shea, Al-Hamadi.

Attendance: 11,781, including 1,179 from Barnsley.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xy4NuVrf28 – match highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UpRQiaBEZo – Chris Powell post match interview

League One: Luton Town 2 Barnsley 1

Palmer scores late winner as Luton set up final day play-off decider

A late winner by that man Kasey Palmer means Luton Town’s hopes of reaching the play-offs will go down to the final game of the season as they defeated Barnsley 2-1 at Kenilworth Road this afternoon.

The Hatters had gone into the clash knowing just what was required of them, with Stockport County having beaten Peterborough United in the early kick-off Stevenage drawing 1-1 at Doncaster Rovers, as it meant a draw would be enough to prolong the campaign, but victory would see the gap to Boro cut to a point.

With that in mind, boss Jack Wilshere made two changes from the 2-0 win at Rotherham United, as Izzy Jones and Mads Andersen returned for Nigel Lonwijk and Joe Johnson. Knowing how vital a success was, Luton made a fast start, almost ahead inside 90 seconds, Palmer sliding in combatively to win the ball back well which set Shayden Morris away. He sprinted forward and found the unmarked Emilio Lawrence to his left, the Manchester City’s loanee’s blast turned behind by Owen Goodman.

Luton pressed again on eight minutes, Palmer the architect this time, as he played Nahki Wells through, the striker squaring for Davy van den Berg whose woes in front of goal continued, not getting anywhere near enough on his effort. Barnsley had come to play though, make no mistake about, as a long ball almost saw the dangerous Adam Phillips away, only for a vital Kal Naismith intervention as the Tykes midfielder then put a scorching half volley wide via a deflection, getting up to head the resulting corner narrowly over.

Town were given a great chance on 16 minutes, when a corner saw Hakeem Odoffin get to the ball ahead of Luca Connell, with referee Harry Wager pointing to the spot, which allowed Wells, who had missed his last two efforts earlier in the campaign, to send Goodman the wrong way and notch his 10th of the season.

The Hatters weren’t ahead for long though as a break through the centre saw Barnsley restore parity, Reyes Cleary’s curling shot drawing a fine save from Keeley, but no-one had tracked Phillips, who was able to nod into the empty net. Luton looked to respond, Lawrence sending one attempt into orbit, before on the half hour he raced on to a brilliantly cheeky pass through the legs of his opponent by Palmer that he toepoked over the bar.

He was then freed again by another fine Palmer pass on the flank as this time the Scotland U21 international looked up and whipped in a wonderful cross that Wells could only guide wide of the target at the back post. Jones was starting to get forward from right back, seeing one cross-shot cleared and another parried by Goodman, with the visiting defence able to get the ball away.

Just before the break, Odoffin took matters into his own hands with a 25-yard blast that was well gathered at his near post by Goodman. After the interval, Town were almost caught out when Connell’s shot was diverted narrowly over the bar by Phillips, as the Tykes definitely made the brighter beginning to proceedings.

They brought experienced forward David McGoldrick on with 56 minutes gone, as he shanked wide, before Jones on the hour mark made a terrific block on Cleary, also getting up to win the free kick. Somehow the Tykes didn't get a penalty on 62 minutes when a long ball saw Phillips left alone centrally as he got round Keeley before appearing to be bundled over by Odoffin with the goal gaping, but referee Wager fortunately waved away the appeals.

Town made a triple change midway through the half, but still couldn’t get the forward momentum they needed to really ever threaten a third. That was until the 79th minute when they won three corners in quick succession, as their deadball prowess finally paid off, Walsh swinging the ball in, Andersen climbing well for Palmer to half volley into the roof of the net for his fourth in three games and eighth of the campaign.

Now knowing they had given themselves every chance of finishing above the dotted line next weekend, it was a case of holding on, and Luton were able to do that fairly comfortably, McGoldrick off target twice in the final stages. It all means that Town will head to a Trotters side who have now confirmed their place in the top six, knowing a win could see them extend their campaign into late May.

Hatters: Josh Keeley, Izzy Jones, Hakeem Odoffin, Mads Andersen, Kal Naismith (C), Shayden Morris (Nigel Lonwijk 90), Liam Walsh, Davy van den Berg (Jake Richards 64), Kasey Palmer (George Saville 86), Emilio Lawrence (Gideon Kodua 64), Nahki Wells (Devante Cole 64).

Subs not used: James Shea, Ali Al-Hamadi.

Tykes: Owen Goodman, Mael de Gevigney, Corey O’Keeffe, Adam Phillips (Leo Farfell 70), Tom Bradshaw (David McGoldrick 55). Eoghan O’Connell, Reyes Cleary (Scott Banks 70), Patrick Kelly, Jonathan Bland (Kelechi Nwakali 70), Josh Earl (Georgie Gent 55), Luca Connell ©.

Subs not used: Kieran Flavell, Jack Shepherd, Leo Farfell.

Booked: O’Keefe 45, Earl 45, Bland 67, O’Connell 90.

Referee: Harry Wager.

Attendance: 11,781.