Barnsley 0-1 Luton Town: James Collins strike the difference at Oakwell
- Published
James Collins has scored four goals already this season after netting a hat-trick in Luton's Carabao Cup win over Norwich last weekend
James Collins' late effort helped Luton Town to a scrappy win over Barnsley at Oakwell on the opening day of the Championship season.
In a game of few chances, Collins broke the deadlock in the 71st minute, beating Tykes keeper Jack Walton from just inside the penalty area.
The 29-year-old raced onto a Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu headed pass, before finding the top corner to give Nathan Jones' side a late lead.
Barnsley nearly levelled moments later but debutant Dominik Frieser headed Alex Mowatt's cross into the side-netting as Luton held on to all three points.
Just 52 days ago, the Tykes and the Hatters beat Brentford and Blackburn respectively to complete two remarkable escapes from relegation which had looked odds-on for the pair when last season resumed post-lockdown.
But both sides lacked creativity in the first game of the new campaign, with Collins' rare moment of quality the difference between the two teams.
Barnsley boss Gerhard Struber:
"We have on the physical side a disadvantage and we have to play on the ground very quick; we need a high discipline on the ball.
"We forget in many situations and today the opponent found a good momentum that [meant] we had not so much control of the ball in the end.
"That is the reason that we lose this game and that is what we have to make better in the next games.
"I think this is not a surprise for us when we forget our style on the ball and it is difficult especially when we must play long balls like the other teams, then we have a disadvantage."
Luton manager Nathan Jones:
"Apart from their chance, it's about as good an away performance as you're likely to see in terms of solidity, in terms of what we did and the way we pressed.
"We organised very well and limited them to very little. We just lacked a little bit of quality in the final third.
"If we did then we would have had more chances, but when you've got a goalscorer like James Collins, you get opportunities and he puts them away."