Barnsley began 2019 with a 0-0 draw at fellow promotion-chasers Luton Town.

The Reds had the best chance of the match in the ninth minute but Cauley Woodrow missed a one-on-one then they were restricted to long-range efforts while Luton were on top in the second half without carving out many big opportunities. 

The result leaves Barnsley still in fourth, six points behind second-placed Luton who have played a game more. The Reds are now unbeaten in five games all against fellow top ten sides, winning three of them. 

Head coach Daniel Stendel made two changes from the side who beat Charlton Athletic 2-1 three days previously. Dani Pinillos was injured after the red card tackle on him by Charlton’s Chris Solly on Saturday so was replaced at left-back by Ben Williams. Kenny Dougall came back in for the benched Mike Bahre and played alongside Alex Mowatt as defensive midfielders with Cameron McGeehan in front of them in a 4-2-3-1.

Woodrow, who began his career at Luton, should have put the visitors ahead when he was put clean through by Mamadou Thiam following a good move and he chipped the goalkeeper but the ball sailed wide of the left post.  

That began a period of heavy pressure on the home side who withstood it with the only effort being a long-range shot by former Hatter McGeehan which was easily saved. 

Luton almost took the lead in the 30th minute but Adam Davies got down to his right to claw Alan McCormack’s shot out of his bottom right corner after it came through a forest of legs.

Andrew Shinnie had two long-range shots, one wide and one straight at Davies, as the final section of the first half was more even with both sides attacking without really threatening. 

The Reds began the second half on top with Thiam shots from outside the box going straight at the goalkeeper then narrowly wide either side of a Brad Potts effort which deflected just wide of the top right corner. 

Luton striker Danny Hylton – who netted against the Reds for Oxford in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final for Oxford at Wembley in 2016 – had two headed chances but sent them both wide under pressure from defenders.

Luton, who began to dominate after the hour-mark, had a succession of free-kicks and corners which James Justin sent into the box but headers from Hylton and Sonny Bradley were off target.

Shinnie once again fired wide from long range then Davies got down well to his right to keep out a shot by his former Oakwell team-mate Elliot Lee from 25 yards. 

Mowatt and Woodrow both fired wide from long-range in injury-time but the match finished as a goalless draw. 

Luton (4-4-2 diamond): Shea; Stacey, Bradley, Pearson, Justin; Shinnie (Lua Lua 90+6), McCormack, Mpanzu, Lee (Cornick 87mins (Berry90)); Collins  Hilton. Unused: Grant, Jones, Isted, Sheehan. Yellow cards: Shinnie. 

Barnsley (4-2-3-1): Davies; Cavare, Pinnock, Lindsay, B Williams; Dougall (Bahre 64mins), Mowatt, Potts (Adeboyejo 89), McGeehan, Thiam (Brown 75); Woodrow 6.  Subs: Greatorex, Jackson, Hedges, Moncur.

AS IT HAPPENED
  •  
  • GAME UNDERWAY
  • 15:03pm
     
    1 Luton corner headed down but cleared by McGeehan. Then Barnsley tried to break but lost it and James Collins is put through only for Davies to come out and smother
  • 15:03pm
     
    So a good start for the hosts, Barnsley just need to settle down
  • 15:07pm
     
    Five minutes in and Luton have had most of the ball and attacked more than their visitors. But Barnsley have had a little bit more possession in the last minute or so as they are trying to settle into the game
  • 15:08pm
     
    7 Cavare is tackled by James Collins deep in his half but luckily it goes out for a throw
  • 15:11pm
     
    9 Massive chance for Cauley Woodrow. He is put clean through by Thiam and tries to chip the goalkeeper but sends it wide of the left post
  • 15:11pm
     
    By far the best opportunity of the game so far and Barnsley really should be 1-0 up
  • 15:12pm
     
    10 Kenny Dougall tries to score his first Reds goal from 25 yards out but blazes it well over the bar
  • 15:14pm
     
    After Luton had the better of the first five minutes, Barnsley have been on top more recently with the Hatters currently struggling to get out of their half
  • 15:16pm
     
    13 Thiam wins Barnsley's first corner then takes it short, to Mowatt and gets it back before beating two players then seeing a cross deflected off a home defender and gathered by the goalkeeper. Barnsley appeal for handball but no penalty given
  • 15:17pm
     
    15 Cavare barges Shinnie off the ball on halfway then exchanges passes with Thiam but hesitates in the box and it is cleared
  • 15:19pm
     
    17 Mowatt takes a corner from the right and it leads to a lot of Reds possession the box before Thiam's cross is caught
  • 15:19pm
     
    Thiam looks full of confidence after his goal against Charlton. He has skipped past two Luton defenders in their box twice already
  • 15:22pm
     
    The hosts must have spent just a few seconds in the Reds half in the last ten minutes. They can't have been penned in as much as this is their unbeaten home league season so far
  • 15:23pm
     
    22 Williams wins a corner after latching onto a great Dougall pass. Thiam's corner cleared
  • 15:25pm
     
    23 McGeehan shoots from 25 yards, trying to curl it into the top left corner but it lacks power and the goalkeeper catches easily
  • 15:26pm
     
    The home crowd are getting a bit frustrated as they are seeing the visitors dominate possession and launch regular attacks into the Hatters half
  • 15:30pm
     
    The game has been slightly more even in the last few minutes as we approached the 30-minute mark
  • 15:33pm
     
    30 Elliot Lee thinks he should have a penalty after Cavare gave the ball away deep in his box. But the referee thinks Pinnock has put it out for a corner, which ends to McCormack shooting through the crowd and Davies getting down well to his and tipping it wide of the bottom right corner
  • 15:34pm
     
    That was the closest the hosts have come to opening the scoring and it was another top save by Davies who is having a good season
  • 15:35pm
     
    33 Luton are having the better of the game now as a good move leads to Shinnie slicing a 20-yard shot wide
  • 15:37pm
     
    Ten minutes until the break now in what has been an entertaining match so far
  • 15:40pm
     
    Ben Williams has had a solid game so far, getting forward regularly and doing his defensive work diligently
  • 15:41pm
     
    39 Woodrow shoots from 25 yards out but the shot is a few feet wide and high of the top right corner
  • 15:44pm
     
    42 Good move sees Dougall nutmeg a Luton player to pass to Potts who gets into the box and squares to Woodrow whose 15-yard shot is deflected and going wide before Shea gathers
  • 15:45pm
     
    43 Shinnie shoots for the second time from outside the box, this time it is on target but Davies saves the shot which is straight at him
  • 15:48pm
     
    45+1 James Justin's left-wing free-kick is headed behind by Cavare as the whistle goes
  • 15:48pm
     
    HALF-TIME: Luton Town 0, Barnsley 0
  • 16:02pm
    Mamadou Thiam in action in the first half
  • 16:04pm
     
    SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
  • 16:06pm
     
    Barnsley will be hoping for another long period of pressure like in the first half but this time with a goal to show for it
  • 16:07pm
     
    48 Thiam shoots from 25 yards. It is powerful but straight at the goalkeeper who catches easily
  • 16:09pm
     
    49 Luton half clear a cross but Thiam acrobatically blocks it with a back heel and Potts' 20-yard shot takes a big deflection and goes just wide. The following corner is played short and Thiam shoots into the side netting 20 yards out of the right wide
  • 16:13pm
     
    Luton have settled down in the last few minutes after defending a lot early in the second half
  • 16:14pm
     
    55 Jack Stacey crosses from the right and Hylton heads well wide under pressure from Pinnock
  • 16:15pm
     
    56 Potts fires over from 25 yards
  • 16:16pm
     
    57 Hylton has another headed chance from a Ruddock cross and it goes well wide
  • 16:18pm
     
    59 Mowatt gives away a free0kick of the left and Lee takes it low but it is cleared at the near post then Barnsley have to scramble another cross behind for a corner
  • 16:19pm
     
    60 The corner is cleared and Barnsley break with some excellent passing but Potts is eventually tackled well in the home half
  • 16:21pm
     
    Barnsley have played with a swagger and confidence all game, as shown by an interception by Lindsay who went 40 yards up the pitch with the ball
  • 16:22pm
     
    YELLOW CARD
    Ethan Pinnock first man in the book then the left-wing free-kick he gives away is punched out by Davies with the offside flag up
  • 16:23pm
     
    Barnsley have made their first change with Bahre replacing Dougall. An attacking change as Stendel looks to win this match
  • 16:23pm
     
    Bahre is now behind the striker Woodrow with McGeehan dropping back alongside Mowatt
  • 16:26pm
     
    Luton have had a lot of free-kicks on the wings deep in the Reds half. The latest by Justin is deflected then headed back to Davies by a Reds defender
  • 16:28pm
     
    69 Woodrow shoots from 30 yards out but his curling effort is easily caught by Shea
  • 16:30pm
     
    70 Yet another wide Luton free-kick from Justin is headed onto the roof of the net by Hylton
  • 16:31pm
     
    72 Another Justin set piece, a corner this time, creates a chance as Bradley heads just over the bar
  • 16:32pm
     
    The Hatters look the more likely to score at the moment as they are bombarding the visitors' box with corners, free-kicks and crosses
  • 16:33pm
     
    74 For the third time, Andrew Shinnie shoots wide from 25 yards
  • 16:35pm
     
    Barnsley's next change sees Thiam replaced by Jacob Brown who goes up front in a 4-4-2 with Bahre moving out to the left
  • 16:38pm
     
    YELLOW CARD
    Andrew Shinnie
  • 16:40pm
     
    81 Mowatt corner headed out then Bahre's shot takes a big deflection and loops straight to the goalkeeper
  • 16:41pm
     
    82 Brown has been a bundle of energy since coming on, he bursts down the right and finds Potts who should shoot but his pass is cut out
  • 16:42pm
     
    83 Elliot Lee shoots from 25 yards out but his former team-mate Davies gets down well to his right to keep it out of the bottom corner
  • 16:45pm
     
    A break now with Alan McCormack down in Luton's box with what looks like cramp. He's up now but has to walk off then come back on when play restarts
  • 16:46pm
     
    Luton's first change sees Harry Cornick replace Elliott Lee
  • 16:48pm
     
    Last Barnsley change sees Potts taken off for Victor Adeboyejo
  • 16:52pm
     
    Former Barnsley player Luke Berry is on for Cornick who has only been on three minutes but was inured while being superbly tackled by Lindsay
  • 16:52pm
     
    Last home change sees Kazenga Lua Lua comes on for Shinnie
  • 16:55pm
     
    FULL-TIME: Luton 0, Barnsley 0