Blackpool 0-1 Luton Town: Luke Berry goal gives Hatters victory
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Luke Berry stooped in a crowded six-yard box to score for Luton
Luke Berry marked his first Championship start since March with Luton Town's winner on a foul, stormy day at Blackpool.
The midfielder, who scored seven in 15 games last season but has missed two months of the current campaign with a calf injury, was on hand to knock the ball over the line after central defender Tom Lockyer nodded a James Bree corner back across the face of goal.
Victory at Bloomfield Road ended a three-match winless streak for the Hatters to take them to within two points of the play-off places.
But the defeat continued the Seasiders' rollercoaster form, making it two losses on the bounce after two wins had lifted the spirit of their fans.
They almost opened the scoring in a crazy goalmouth scramble as Jerry Yates, Keshi Anderson and Grant Ward had chances blocked by goalkeeper Ethan Horvath and Lockyer.
After Berry's goal, Blackpool threw everything at the visitors, but they were further handicapped as Charlie Patino and his replacement Keshi Anderson were forced off.
On-loan Arsenal midfielder Patino, who had been one of their brighter players in the first half, was forced off at the break, after suffering with illness all week, while Anderson limped off to add to their problems.
They also lost Jordan Thorniley, who had to go off injured after sticking his head in the way of Carlton Morris' shot as it headed for the top corner.
In added time CJ Hamilton hit the post and Kenny Dougall had an effort blocked on the line, but the Hatters clung on for the three points.
Luton manager Nathan Jones told BBC Three Counties Radio:
"Outstanding. The group but their bodies on the line, defended the cage superbly well away from home and came through masses and masses of adversity.
"We had four centre-halves out, people playing out of position, Jordan Clark coming into right back, [James] Bree playing centre half, Lockyer an immense, immense centre half, [Amari'i] Bell defending, Pelly [Ruddock Mpanzu] coming back from injury - and then Luke Berry gets a goal.
"It's just the perfect away performance, perfect away day.
"It's a difficult place to come to and we had chances on the counter - we could have made it a lot more comfortable, but 1-0 is sometimes the best win, especially when you are clinging on in added time and they are bombarding the box. You see the character of people."
Blackpool manager Michael Appleton said:
"There's two ways to look at it, obviously we're disappointed and frustrated to create the amount of chances and opportunities we did today, to not come away with anything.
"We said to the players in there I'm not disappointed we've not picked a point up, we're disappointed we've not picked up all three.
"The other side of it is can we be a little bit more clinical and not give them the opportunity to make the blocks. But at the same time I think you've got to give the opposition some credit - they defended for their lives and they've probably made eight, maybe nine, point-blank blocks within four, five, six yards of the goal today.
"There are positives today, it's difficult at this moment but certainly they're the types of positives we have to take into Tuesday's game."