Luton maintain play-off hopes after Barnsley win

Luton Town beat Barnsley 2-1 at Kenilworth Road in a result that keeps up their hopes of making the League One play-offs.

A late winner by Kasey Palmer won the match for Jack Wilshere’s side, in a game that had been tied after Adam Phillips cancelled out Nahki Wells’ opener.

With Stevenage drawing at Doncaster, the victory means that Luton will enter the final day still with hopes of reaching the play-offs. They are one point behind Stevenage in the final play-off place going into next weekend’s League One season finale.

Arriving off the back of a midweek win over a League Two-bound Rotherham, Luton began quickly, with Emilio Lawrence denied by Barnsley keeper Owen Goodman inside the opening two minutes of the contest.

Barnsley had a few moments going forward in the opening phase of the match, with Phillips having a strike blocked and another going wide.

With 16 minutes on the clock, Luton Town found themselves in front. Luca Connell brought down Hakeem Odoffin in the box, and from the spot, Wells put the penalty in the back of the net.

But 10 minutes later, Barnsley were level. Josh Keeley parried away an initial shot by Reyes Cleary, but Phillips got to the loose ball first and headed it into the back of the net.

Luton did have opportunities to retake the lead before the break, with Lawrence slicing a strike off target from a decent position before Odoffin had a decent hit denied by Goodman.

Barnsley had a period of positive pressure in the second half, with their single best opportunity missed by the veteran striker David McGoldrick.

A tense match would ultimately have its third goal with 12 minutes of the 90 to go, and it would be a Luton player scoring it. Liam Walsh’s corner picked out Mads Andersen, who in turn flicked on for Palmer to thump it home and score his 4th goal in 3 games.

Gideon Kodua would miss a chance to make the points secure for Luton, before McGoldrick missed two decent opportunities in the final stages to wrestle 2 points out of their hands.

But the referee would soon wrap things up, confirming Luton’s victory and with it their continued hopes of making the play-offs and fighting for an instant return to the Championship.

Luton will wrap up their regular League One season next weekend away at Bolton, knowing that a positive result could yet see them join the Lancashire club in the play-offs.