Kasey Palmer’s late winner ensured the Hatters’ late run to the play-offs will go the last day at Bolton next weekend.

With 11 minutes left the midfielder lashed home from close range to earn an eighth win in 10 games and finally overcome a stubborn Barnsley at a packed Kenilworth Road.

Nahki Wells had earlier put the Town in front from the penalty spot only for the mid-table visitors to level through Adam Phillips.

But just when the majority inside the old ground felt their opportunity of gatecrashing the top six had gone, Palmer struck his eighth goal in his last 11 games to spark wild scenes of celebrations.

The three points nudges the Town to within one point of the play-offs knowing a positive result at the Toughsheet Community Stadium could ensure an extension of their season.

Manager Jack Wilshere made two changes to the side that won at Rotherham in the week with Mads Andersen and Isaiah Jones in from the start.

And the Hatters began well, Emilio Lawrence’s rasping effort from inside the box was tipped away by Tykes goalkeeper Owen Goodman inside 75 seconds.

Barnsley, with nothing but pride to play for, had also started brightly and the Town needed a fine intervention from captain Kal Naismith to charge down an effort from Phillips before the same player drove a shot wide on 11 minutes and then nodded over 60 seconds later.

However, any nerves inside Kenilworth Road were eased when the Hatters were awarded a penalty on 15 minutes. Hakeem Odoffin was upended in the area and Wells made no mistake from the spot for his 10th goal of the season.

As the Town pushed for a second, Shayden Morris tested Goodman’s handling with a low shot on 24 minutes but less than two minutes later it was 1-1. Josh Keeley saved a goal-bound drive from Reyes Cleary but Phillips was unmarked to nod home the loose ball.

Hurt by that, the Hatters ended the first half on top. Lawrence blasted over the bar on 33 minutes and then laid on a superb cross two minutes later that Wells skewed wide at the back post before Odoffin then saw a low volley kept out by Goodman.

Barnsley began the second half the more threatening, the Town needing to defend well in the face of sustained pressure from the visitors.

On 64 minutes Wilshere sent on Jake Richards, Gideon Kodua and Devante Cole and the triple change had the desired effect as the Town began to wrestle control of the match back.

And with 11 minutes left, after a period of heavy possession, the Town got their reward. Liam Walsh’s deep left-wing corner was nodded back across goal by Andersen and Palmer was quickest to smash home the loose ball and send Kenilworth Road into raptures.

As time ticked down, Kodua nodded over as the Hatters chased a third to put the game to bed.

Six minutes were added by the officials during which the visitors pushed for a leveller that would all but end the Town’s hopes of the play-offs.

But after substitute David McGoldrick’s late, late effort looped narrowly over the bar the Town could celebrate another important victory in their promotion quest.

And so it will go to the final day. There are various permeations for the Town to finish in the top six but only a win is likely to be enough and that’s only if other teams slip up.

Control the controllables.

See you then.

Come on Luton.

Town: Keeley, Lawrence (sub Kodua 64), Jones, Naismith, Andersen, Odoffin, Walsh, van den Berg (sub Richards 64), Morris (sub Lonwijk 86), Palmer (sub Morris 90+3), Wells (sub Cole 64).

Subs not used: Shea, Al-Hamadi.

Attendance: 11,781, including 1,179 from Barnsley.