Barnsley’s survival hopes took another blow (along with their opponents) as the Reds and Luton only managed to battle to a point a piece at Kenilworth Road.
The Reds conceded the first goal at Kenilworth Road for the first time in six visits when ex red Luke Berry scoredhis first goal of the season, the fourth former Oakwell employee to net against his former paymasters and the second doing so for Luton after Jacob Butterfield in August – Ben Pearson and Ashley Fletcher are the other two in 2019-2020.
The goal came after just 13 minutes meaning Barnsley have conceded in the opening quarter of an hour in successive games for the first time since October 2018 when they conceded after eight minutes at Charlton and then two minutes at Shrewsbury in League One.
Simon Sluga was shown a yellow card for bringing down Alex Mowatt in the first half, the first opposition goalkeeper to be booked against Barnsley since Nottingham Forest’s Brice Samba in September.
Barnsley were behind at half time for the 14th time in the league this season.
After going 15 games without a substitute netted Aapo Halme became the second to net for the Reds in three games.
It is the fourth match Halme has scored in for the Reds and all four have ended in draws.
His goal is only the fourth Barnsley have scored in their past seven games.
Barnsley have conceded the first goal in 23 league matches this season,
This was only the fifth time that Barnsley have rescued points when conceding the first goal – also drawing with Swansea, Bristol City, West Brom and Sheffield Wednesday.
Barnsley have now failed to win any of their last 56 Championship matches in which they have conceded the first goal, (D12 L44) since defeating Leeds 3-2 three years ago (21st January 2017)
There were six yellow cards shown, the most in 12 matches since six were also shown at Charlton in February.
Luton have managed to remain unbeaten against Barnsley in a league season for the first time since 1967-68, Barnsley have won at least one game in the 12 campaigns they have met in between.
Barnsley are unbeaten in six visits to Kenilworth Road (W4 D2) and have lost only one of the last nine.
That defeat was in the League Cup in 1998 – they are unbeaten in their last eight league trips, with their last league reverse coming in 1993 (0-5)
Barnsley had seven shots on target, their most away from home in the Championship this season and their most on the road at this level since Millwall in September 2017 (9)
They won 11 corners, their most in a game this season and most at this level since the first home game of 2017-2018, v Ipswich (also 11)
Barnsley Team:
13. Jack Walton
2. Jordan Williams
6. Mads Andersen
18. Michael Sollbauer
17. Marcel Ritzmaier
10. Mike Bahre
27. Alex Mowatt
14. Kilian Ludewig
9. Cauley Woodrow
11. Conor Chaplin
7. Jacob Brown
Substitutes:
28. Elliot Simoes (for Bahre 59)
20. Callum Styles (for Williams 80)
24. Aapo Halme (for Chaplin 82)
19. Patrick Schmidt (for Woodrow 83)
Unused Substitutes:
3. Ben Williams, 40. Brad Collins, 16. Luke Thomas, 33. Matty Wolfe.
Luton Team:
12. Simon Sluga
26. James Bree
18. Cameron Carter-Vickers
5. Sonny Bradley
3. Dan Potts
2. Martin Cranie
8. Luke Berry
17. Pelly Ruddock
10. Elliot Lee
9. Danny Hylton
19. James Collins
Substitutions:
11. Andrew Shinnie (for Lee 45)
14. Harry Cornick (for Hylton 71)
Unused Substitutes:
7. Callum McManaman, 20. George Moncur, 29. Jacob Butterfield, 36. James Shea, 6. Matty Pearson, 30. Peter Kioso, 4. Ryan Tunnicliffe.
Luton manager Nathan Jones said:
"I’m really disappointed because first-half we started really well and then we allowed them too much of the play, we didn’t go on and get the second, and that’s what I was disappointed with as well.
"Second half I thought we were much better, started really well. We allowed them in certain areas but we always had a threat. The disappointing thing is to concede late because I didn’t see them scoring. We controlled it. We were disciplined in our shape and what we did.
"I thought we controlled the game until that point, so to concede so late, momentum can shift.
"Then we had a glorious chance straight after. If we could score that, then it’s a wonderful night but it wasn’t to be and we have to take the point because this is another point towards the total."
Sky Bet Championship results
TUESDAY 7TH JULY 2020
Nottingham Forest (5th) 0-1 Fulham (4th)
Arter 45+4
Brentford (3rd) 2-1 Charlton Athletic (20th)
Bonne 8
Benrahma pen 75
Pinnock 85
Luton Town (24th) 1–1 BARNSLEY (23rd)
Berry 13
Halme 84
Reading (13th) 0-0 Huddersfield Town (19th)
Cardiff City (6th) 2-3 Blackburn Rovers (10th)
Vaulks 14
Graham 22
Glatzel 41
Samuel 46
Armstrong 70
WEDNESDAY 8TH JULY 2020
Millwall (11th) 0-2 Middlesbrough (18th)
Assombalonga 68
Fletcher pen 87
West Bromwich Albion (2nd) 2-0 Derby County (9th)
Diangana 11
O’Shea 76
Birmingham City (17th) 1-3 Swansea City (7th)
Jutkiewicz 5
Brewster 12
Cabango 45
Fulton 52
Bristol City (12th) 2-1 Hull City (22nd)
Diedhiou 14
Paterson 53
De Wijs 60
Wigan Athletic (15th) 1-0 Queens Park Rangers (14th)
Moore 33
Sheffield Wednesday (16th) 1-3 Preston North End (8th)
Murphy 58
Sinclair 78
Stockley 87
Potts 90+6
THURSDAY 9TH JULY 2020
Leeds United (1st) 5-0 Stoke City (21st)
Klich pen 45
Costa 47
Cooper 57
Hernandez 72
Bamford 90+3
Barnsley lie in 23rd place in the Sky Bet Championship with 42 points from 42 games. We are 22 points outside the Play-Offs, 38 points outside the Automatic Promotion Places, 39 points outside First Place and 4 points inside the Relegation Zone.
Up to 9/7/20
Next Up:
At Oakwell:
Sky Bet Championship Matchday Forty Three: Barnsley v Wigan Athletic, Saturday 11th July 2020. Kick-Off: 3pm
On The Road:
Sky Bet Championship Matchday Forty Four: Leeds United v Barnsley, Thursday 16th July 2020. Kick-Off: 5pm