Sedate Barnsley performance punished by Hatters on a day where nothing went right for the Reds.
In association with The Investment Room
A second half finish from James Collins was enough for Luton Town here at Oakwell, as Gerhard Struber's Reds side slumped to a disappointing defeat on the opening day.
In a game that was lacking in any real quality for the most part, Irish international striker Collins produced a moment of magic to crash home a winner on 72 minutes.
It wasn't what anyone of a Reds persuasion had envisaged, with positive feeling ebbing around the club in preparation for this one.
Struber had started with the same XI that had beaten Forest last weekend in the Carabao Cup, but for Elliot Simoes in place of Victor Adeboyejo.
Cauley Woodrow dragged an effort wide early on, but until Callum Styles fired an effort wide towards the end of the half, it had been a really dismal first half.
The visitors, direct in their approach, had the better chances in that opening 45, with Luke Berry and Collins both blazing over the bar when well placed, feeding off second balls.
Going in level at the break was about as good as the Reds could have asked for.
HALF-TIME: Barnsley 0-0 Luton
If we thought things had to get better after the break, we were mistaken.
It was a poor contest. Scrappy, with both sides struggling to find any cohesion, and even the introductions of Dominik Frieser and Romal Palmer failed to improve the fare on offer for Barnsley.
Naturally, from another long ball, the away side punished the Reds and in real style. After coming off second best in that aerial duel just outside the box, the Reds defence saw Collins move himself just inside the area and rifle home an effort into the top corner, giving Jack Walton no chance.
The Reds should have hit back almost immediately when Frieser was found at the far post by Alex Mowatt but the substitute somehow failed to hit the target. It was a real chance. But the only one the Reds mustered in that second 45.
A miserable afternoon fizzled out with Luton holding onto their lead and ending the Reds' six-month unbeaten home run.
FULL-TIME: Barnsley 0-1 Luton
Walton, Ludewig, Sollbauer, Andersen, J.Williams, Ritzmaier (Palmer 58'), Mowatt, Styles, Simoes (Frieser 52'), Woodroow, Chaplin (Schmidt 78').
Unused: Collins, Thomas, Adeboyejo, Helik.
