Berry: The belief is back at Luton under Nathan Jones

Town midfielder Luke Berry has spoken of the added belief that is now coursing through his and the rest of the squad's veins after manager Nathan Jones returned to the club recently.

The former Luton boss was reappointed at the back end of May, replacing Graeme Jones, who left the club by mutual consent in April due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Berry who was signed for the Hatters by Jones in August 2017 from Cambridge United during his first stint in charge, was on target with his first goal of the season during last night's 1-1 draw with Barnsley.

When asked what it has been like playing for his old manager once more, he said: “He’s been fantastic from the day he’s come here, training, everything has been up to level.

"He has great aura about us and he really believes in us to do well.

"He believes that we’re going to stay up with all his heart, so we just need to put the right performances in and make him proud.

“I scored my first goal, that’s my first start under him, he gives me a belief personally and he gives the whole team a belief that they can shoot, they can do things, they can be creative on the pitch.

"That’s a real gift from the manager to put on you that you can be creative on the football pitch.”

Berry had only played seven minutes of Championship football in the first four months of the season under Graeme Jones, although did break into the team before Christmas, with 13 more appearances.

He missed the first few games under Nathan Jones once the season resumed due to injury, but was back with a starring role last night against the Tykes.

Jones was not surprised to see the midfielder react quickest once Elliot Lee's shot had hit the outside of the post and crack a wonderful effort into the top corner on his supposed weaker left foot, saying: "He’s been a big player for us.

"We brought him in because he was the highest goalscoring midfield player in the lower leagues, so I know he has that.

"It was a wonderful strike, Elliot Lee was unlucky not to score anyway, but Berry's finish was sublime.”

Berry's goal was his first since March 2019, when he scored at Bristol Rovers, and a debut Championship strike as well.

He admitted celebrating in front of the Tykes supporters would have made it an even more enjoyable experience, having spent a season at Oakwell earlier in his career, continuing: "It just came back to me and I just thought i’d give it a go on my leftie and it went in.

“It would have been better if the fans were here, maybe I would have given it some, but it was a good feeling.

“I always work on my left foot, so it doesn't bother me which foot, I'm just glad it went in."

Although Berry scored to give Town the upper hand, then went into their shells somewhat, allowing Barnsley to dictate proceedings before the break.

Luton managed to remain in front thanks to two fine Simon Sluga saves, before appearing to gain control of proceedings in the second period, Berry going close to a second with a volley from James Collins' lay-off.

Berry said: "We got the goal and we kind of let them play out, let them play their style of football, were a bit too respectful of them.

"We sorted that out at half time and I thought we were a bit more of a threat second half.

“I just dragged that slightly wide and we had a few other chances, it just wasn’t our day to take the three points."

The equaliser when it came was a cruel blow too, Luton conceding a corner that manager Nathan Jones was livid with, feeling Sluga hadn't got a touch, with substitute Appo Halme netting with his first touch.

Berryu added: “I didn't think it was a corner, I don't think the ref thought it was a corner either, but somehow it ended up as a corner.

"Some of the players, we’re sloppy at the moment, so maybe the refs are a bit sloppy as well.

“That was frustrating but everyone makes mistakes.

“It was ricochet and he’s just poked it in.

"That got their tails up a bit more and it made it a bit of a basketball match, a bit end-to-end.

"We could have nicked it, they could have, it was a bit of a 50/50 game at the end, so probably a draw was a fair result."