Nahki Wells first half header proved to be decisive as Luton returned to winning with boss Jack Wilshere crediting his players for responding to their defeat after the defeat at MK Dons.
Boos rang out from more than 6,000 travelling Town fans on Saturday, but they were replaced quickly with cheers against Barnsley, as Mads Andersen scored against his former club in the second minute to settle any Hatters nerves.
Again, Town created chances but it took until just before the break for Wells – who had earlier hit the post – to head into an unguarded net, for his seventh of the season, to put some daylight between a Tykes team that came to Kenilworth Road on an eight-game winless streak.
The visitors too created chances but eventually pulled one back near the hour mark, with the hardest of them all. This time, though, the Hatters did not shrink and saw their way to three much-needed points.
Wilshere said: “Credit to the players because it’s not easy. We knew that what we were coming into. We knew that there was some disappointment around, of course, naturally, when we lose a game like that, where we should win [at MK].
“But the players dealt with that well, started fast on the front foot, settled us down, but we kept that same intensity up and pressure up and probably, when we look it back tomorrow and we reflect on it, a little bit of a similar feeling in terms of the chances we create, and we don’t take the game away from them [Barnsley].
“But that being said, I felt like we dealt with that period of the game where that could potentially get more and more dangerous, we dealt with that well, whether it would be with playing a little bit more direct or slowing the game down at times, which I felt last season we didn’t do well enough. We spoke about that.
“So, yeah, credit to the players. They deserve that.”
The open nature of the game continued into the second period where Jordan Clark headed over from seven yards and saw two more efforts saved by Cieran Slicker, who also denied Wells.
But, just before the hour mark, substitute striker Makenzie Kirk smashed a rocket past James Shea from an acute angle that he had very little right to shoot from. It crashed in off the crossbar and, from there, the nerves around Kenilworth Road kicked in.
But only really in the stands. The players, to their credit, defended doggedly with Andersen leading that charge and earning himself the man of the match award, while George Johnston, who’d made the mistake that cost Town the game on Saturday, was not far behind the Dane in a clearance contest. The defender had also set up Wells for what proved to be the winner, so it was a redemption day for him.
Elsewhere, Isaiah Jones, who came off the bench late in the first half to replace Hakeem Odoffin – who crumpled to the turf injured – nullified any threat from Barnsley’s speed merchant Reyes Cleary, who had done so much damage to the Hatters in the 5-0 thumping at Oakwell last season. He just wasn’t a going concern here.
Yet there was a nervous moment in Town’s penalty box at the death when Amani Richards went over Kal Naismith’s leg. There was contact and referee Carl Brooks immediately put the whistle to his lips, but it was to punish the Tyke who he adjudged to have dived in order to win a penalty.
Luton survived and saw out the game, only for a dugout melee to ensue after the final whistle when Barnsley boss Daniel Stendel said something that Wilshere took exception to when they shook hands. It turned into a shove and though coach David Bridges ushered the Town boss away, the ruckus continued with players and staff from both sides.
Wilshere said afterwards: “It’s just passion. I want to win. He wants to win. And that’s that.”
But once the red mist dissipated, Wilshere gathered his men in the middle of the pitch for a team huddle and a welcome walk around the pitch to applause this time, rather than boos.
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