Poya Asbaghi has broken the record for the longest wait for a Barnsley manager or head coach's first league win after his side suffered a sixth straight Championship loss at Luton Town on Tuesday.

The 2-1 defeat kept the Reds eight points adrift of safety at the bottom of the table while they have not won in 13 league games, and none of Asbaghi's 11.

The hosts took the lead midway through the first half but Carlton Morris levelled on the strike of half-time.

Brad Collins, who had a poor night, conceded a penalty which was scored on the hour-mark and proved to be the winner.

The Reds had some decent spells but were poor in the second half and, overall, the hosts were the better side and had the better chances.

Asbaghi made two changes from the last league game, as Morris and Amine Bassi came in for Devante Cole and Jordan Williams who dropped to the bench.

The Reds played a 3-5-1-1 with Callum Styles at right wing-back, while full league debutant Bassi was just behind lone striker Morris.

Barnsley almost took the lead in the first 30 seconds as Styles played through Domingos Quina who was one-on-one with the goalkeeper. If he had hit it first time, he could easily have scored but he rounded James Shea which took him wide on the right of the box and eventually he blasted the ball across the face of goal from a tight angle.

In the 16th minute, Styles shot wide of the top left corner from about 22 yards out after Josh Benson impressively brought down a fine long ball by Liam Kitching in the box and pulled it back.

Barnsley had started well but Luton grew into the game.

The hosts thought they should have had a penalty for a foul by Remy Vita on Elijah Adebayo but the referee waved appeals away. Then Harry Cornick netted but the goal was ruled out for offside against ex-Red James Bree who latched onto a long ball in the box and found Cornick.

The opening goal came in the 28th minute when Brad Collins came off his line to claim Bree's corner from the left but did not get there and the ball bounced off both Adebayo and Helik before dropping for Allan Campbell to net from close range. His shot was cleared off the line but given as a goal and Gabriel Osho had smashed in anyway.

Luton were on top after the goal but did not create any real chances for 2-0 and were stung by an equaliser seconds before the interval.

Collins' long pass was nudged on by Styles and it should have been cut out by Kal Naismith but he slipped and missed it, putting Morris through. The striker brilliantly jinked past Osho and beat the goalkeeper one-on-one for his third league goal of the season. It was the Reds' first shot on target in 221 minutes.

After the break, Benson saw a 30-yard free-kick easily saved as the Reds again started well, before conceding.

Campbell found substitute Fred Onyedinma in the box and he was tripped by Collins, with Adebayo converting the penalty after a long delay and discussions between the players and officials. Collins was booked for his protests.

It should have been 3-1 but Adebayo shot wide six yards out from a cross by Cornick, which was slightly behind him, after Kitching lost the ball in his half.

Campbell headed wide of a gaping goal from five yards out when leaning back to meet a Onyedinma cross from the left which took a deflection and looped up.

Styles nearly levelled in injury-time when substitute Devante Cole impressively ran down the right of the box and crossed but he headed wide from five yards out unmarked.

Luton (3-5-2): Shea; Bree, Burke, Osho (Onyedinma 55mins), Naismith, Bell; Mpanzu, Campbell, Lansbury; Cornick (Kioso 80), Adebayo (Hylton 85). Unused: Steer, Potts, Mendes Gomes, Lockyer. Yellow cards: Campbell. Goals: Campbell 28, Adebayo 60 (pen).

Barnsley (3-5-1-1): Collins, mark out of ten: 3; Helik 6, Andersen 6, Kitching 5; Styles 6, Benson 6 (Palmer 77mins), Gomes 6, Quina 5, Vita 6 (Williams 64); Bassi 5 (Cole 64); Morris 7. Unused: Walton, Iseka, Hondermarck, Halme. Yellow cards: Collins, Kitching. Goals: Morris 45.

Referee: Andy Davies (Hampshire).

Attendance: 9,101 (306 from Barnsley).

AS IT HAPPENED

  • 6:36pm

    Good evening and welcome to the Chronicle's live text coverage of Barnsley's game at Luton Town from 7.45pm.

  • 6:36pm

    Team news is expected at 6.45pm. No injured players expected to be back but Carlton Morris could start for the first time since having Covid-19.

  • 6:45pm

    Barnsley: Collins; Helik, Andersen, Kitching; Styles, Benson, Gomes, Quina, Vita; Bassi; Morris. Subs: Walton, Williams, Iseka, Palmer, Hondermarck, Cole, Halme.

  • 6:45pm

    Two changes from the last league game, as Carlton Morris and Amine Bassi come in for Devante Cole and Jordan Williams who dropped to the bench.

  • 6:51pm

    Luton: Shea; Bree, Burke, Osho, Naismith (C), Bell; Mpanzu, Campbell, Lansbury; Cornick, Adebayo. Subs: Steer, Potts, Hylton, Mendes Gomes, Lockyer, Kioso, Onyedinma.

  • 6:57pm

    The Reds are bottom of the Championship, eight points from safety, with the fewest wins, goals and points of any EFL side this season.

  • 7:00pm

    Poya Asbaghi has not won any of his first ten league matches as head coach – although he missed two while isolating due to Covid-19 – losing seven including the last five, drawing three, and scoring four goals.

  • 7:04pm

    The club record wait for a manager's first win was ten for Tim Ward in 1953, who took over following the death of long-serving boss Angus Seed.

  • 7:06pm

    Barnsley are the only side in the EFL who have not won away this season, losing ten and drawing four of their 14 away league games with just one point from the last ten.

  • 7:09pm

    It is the longest wait for a first away win of a season since 1975/76 and the longest wait at any point in a league campaign since a 16-game sequence in 2007/08.

  • 7:11pm

    They have not won in 18 away games in all competitions since April last year.

  • 7:13pm

    Asbaghi said: "For every game we don't win, the pressure rises. It's not win or lose for the season against Luton. If we lose, we will not turn up against QPR on Saturday and say the season is over. But of course we cannot afford to keep losing as much as we have done. We have to start winning and hopefully we can at Luton."

  • 7:24pm

    Luton are ninth, three points off the top six.

  • 7:25pm

    They have won seven of their last nine games, losing just one.

  • 7:27pm

    Only the top three have scored more home goals this season than Luton.

  • 7:29pm

    The Hatters won 3-0 at Cambridge United on Saturday in the FA Cup when Barnsley were losing 1-0 at Huddersfield Town.

  • 7:29pm

    Asbaghi said: "I am expecting an intense game in their home ground, with the pitch they have. They play direct balls, (Elijah) Adebayo is a very good striker for this level. It is about handling that in our defence and creating more chances to score more goals than we have recently."

  • 7:29pm

    "We have been in the majority of games. I would prefer to take the lead which would put pressure on the opponents and give us a lot of confidence. But if not we need to stay in the game as long as possible and hopefully it is us who gets the decisive."

  • 7:29pm

    Striker Carlton Morris added: "We look at Luton and think we should be where they are, obviously we were last season. We're in this situation for a multitude of reasons and we have to dig our way out of it starting at Luton."

  • 7:35pm

    Morris added: "They are doing well but, from an analytical standpoint, the gaffer and Ferran (assistant) are excellent at finding weaknesses. We just need to exploit their weaknesses. Kenilworth is a tough place to go but we've won there before and we can do it again."

  • 7:35pm

    James Bree, who came through the Oakwell youth system, has started all but two league games so far. He starts tonight.

  • 7:37pm

    The Hatters won 1-0 at Oakwell in August, starting the 13-game winless run which led to Markus Schopp's sacking and left Barnsley stranded in the relegation zone.

  • 7:42pm

    The Reds' only win in six meetings with Luton was their 2-1 success at Kenilworth Road on Easter Monday.

  • 7:46pm

    GAME UNDERWAY

  • 7:48pm

    Decent chance in the first 30seconds for Barnsley as Styles plays through Quina who goes round the goalkeeper but takes it very wide and blasts the ball across the face of goal

  • 7:49pm

    Big chance. If the new signing had hit that first time instead of trying to round the goalkeeper, the Reds probably would have taken the lead for the first time in the league under Asbaghi

  • 7:50pm

    The Reds have not lost in their last seven games at Luton since 1998, winning five and drawing two.

  • 7:52pm

    A very bright start for the visitors, who have had some other attacks and balls into the box as well as that big Quina chance

  • 7:53pm

    Barnsley are playing out right from the back. Collins has just passed a goal kick two yards to his left to Helik to play a short pass

  • 7:56pm

    A good first ten minutes for Barnsley, who have passed out from their own six yard box with confidence and looked good on the ball. They have had the ball often in the home half and have just won a corner on the left

  • 7:56pm

    10 Benson's left wing corner hits Andersen and goes up in the air then is cleared

  • 7:58pm

    11 Barnsley pressing Luton into errors. Gabriel Osho loses it in his half and has to foul Bassi. Free-kick about 35 yards out on the right

  • 7:58pm

    12 Free-kick from the right wing by Styles and it's headed wide at the back post by Kitching but the whistle had already gone

  • 8:00pm

    This has been a sloppy start by Luton, perhaps a bit of complacency playing the division's current whipping boys. But they have struggled to pass to each other on the rare occasions they have had the ball

  • 8:02pm

    16 Styles shoots wide of the top left corner from about 22 yards out after Benson controlled a long ball in the box and played it back to him

  • 8:05pm

    19 Luton think they should have a penalty after Elijah Adebayo goes down under a tackle by Vita. The referee says now, and the linesman who was very well placed

  • 8:08pm

    21 Luton starting to get into this game. They are finding their big striker Adebayo in dangerous areas with crosses. We have been here before when Barnsley make a good start but faded. Hopefully that is not the case tonight

  • 8:09pm

    23 Luton have a goal ruled out for offside. Harry Cornick fires home but the flag is up

  • 8:10pm

    James Bree was given offside as he latched onto a long ball in the box and found Cornick

  • 8:13pm

    27 Helik heads a Cornick cross behind for a corner

  • 8:15pm

    GOAL!
    28 James Bree takes a corner from the left. There is an almighty scramble on the line and Gabriel Osho smashes in

  • 8:18pm

    Now given to Allan Campbell who had a shot which was blocked, but must have been just over the line, before Osho lashed in. Looked like Collins came for corner and didn't get there then it ricocheted between Adebayo and Helik's heads before dropping and Campbell got the finish

  • 8:19pm

    Unfortunately Brad Collins is having a very sticky spell after a great first half of the season. He has now been at least partly at fault for four goals in his last five games

  • 8:20pm

    Barnsley have responded pretty well to falling behind. They have had a corner cleared and now Quina has a shot blocked on the edge of the box

  • 8:22pm

    Luton starting to threaten from crosses, Andersen heads a dangerous one behind for a corner which is cleared but then another cross goes all the way out at the back post with Osho not far away

  • 8:24pm

    38 Barnsley win a corner on the left

  • 8:25pm

    38 Benson's left wing corner is headed out then Luton clear three more times in a spell of head tennis before Benson gives away a foul

  • 8:28pm

    42 A decent move ends with Bassi trying to latch onto a chipped pass on the right of the box. He goes down next to a defender who did put an arm across him but it didn't look like a foul

  • 8:29pm

    43 Luton corner on the left. It's flicked on at the front post then headed behind by Helik for another corner

  • 8:29pm

    43 Next corner taken short but Barnsley intercept

  • 8:30pm

    GOAL!
    Carlton Morris levels!!

  • 8:32pm

    Collins forward to Styles who nudges the ball on and a defender totally misses it so Morris is through. He brilliantly jinks past Osho and beats the goalkeeper. Barnsley's first shot on target in 221 minutes is a crucial goal

  • 8:34pm

    HALF-TIME: Luton 1, Barnsley 1. Carlton Morris' leveller on the stroke of half-time provides a lifeline for the Reds

  • 8:50pm

    SECOND HALF UNDERWAY

  • 8:52pm

    A quiet start to the second half. The next goal is obviously crucial. Barnsley have played pretty well and had the better chances overall

  • 8:53pm

    49 Morris wins a free-kick 30 yards out. He is causing a lot of problems for Luton

  • 8:54pm

    50 Benson's 30-yard free-kick is easily saved by Shea who dives comfortably to his right to gather

  • 8:57pm

    Again Barnsley passing the ball around confidently and nicely. They are the team trying to get forward so far in this second half

  • 9:00pm

    Luton bring on attacker Fred Onyedinma for defender Osho. Attacking change

  • 9:01pm

    Penalty to Luton

  • 9:02pm

    Looked like Collins tripped Onyedimna

  • 9:04pm

    GOAL!
    Elijah Adebayo smashes the penalty into the top left corner

  • 9:06pm

    It looked like a foul, With substitute Fred Onyedinma getting to the ball before Collins who is having a tough night and was booked for arguing

  • 9:08pm

    Looks like a pretty incredible miss from Luton. Kitching loses the ball and Cornick darts down the left before crossing to Adebayo who puts it behind from six yards out. The cross was slightly behind him but it's a huge chance

  • 9:08pm

    Cole on for Bassi and Williams on for Vita

  • 9:14pm

    70 Bree's corner from the left. Headed up and over by, I think, Andersen. Another corner

  • 9:14pm

    71 Cornick's right wing corner is headed out at the back post

  • 9:17pm

    Approaching the final 15 minutes here. Barnsley desperately need something to happen and finally ignite this horrific season

  • 9:19pm

    74 Luton close to 3-1 again. They get to the byline on the left of the box and a deflected cross loops to the back post for Campbell who heads over a few yards out. It was quite a hard chance as he was leaning back

  • 9:20pm

    76 Luton corner on the left. James Bree takes. Morris heads it behind for a corner on the right

  • 9:22pm

    77 The right wing corner is headed up in the air then Cornick heads but he gets little power on it and the goalkeeper easily catches

  • 9:22pm

    Palmer replaces Benson. Asbaghi choosing not to put another forward on

  • 9:24pm

    80 Palmer blazes well over from 25 yards

  • 9:27pm

    82 Styles free-kick is cleared

  • 9:29pm

    Luton take off Elijah Adebayo, who made it 2-1 from the penalty spot, for Danny Hylton

  • 9:30pm

    Michal Helik up front now for Barnsley. Desperate times

  • 9:32pm

    Barnsley not really looking like they are about to score an equaliser but they weren't in the first half then Morris scored out of nowhere

  • 9:33pm

    YELLOW CARD
    Liam Kitching booked for stopping a counter attack

  • 9:35pm

    Five added minutes

  • 9:35pm

    Chance for the Reds in first of five added minutes. Cole gets down the right of the box and crosses, Styles has a free header but sends it wide across the face of goal

  • 9:39pm

    Into the last of the five added minutes

  • 9:40pm

    FULL-TIME: Luton 2, Barnsley 1. The Reds suffer a sixth straight Championship defeat

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