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The Blues suffered their fifth straight home defeat as they gave giving a poor showing for the opening hour but, following a double substitution in the 64th minute they had Barrow pinned back in their own half for long periods and almost salvaged an unlikely draw against one of the favourites for promotion.

Barrow threatened early on and Mark Wilkinson had to be alert to push a low 25 yard free-kick by Gaughan round the post after George Santos had fouled Shaw. The Blues failed to clear the corner and when the ball was swung back in Peverell was unmarked at the far post to knock the ball in from close range. Soner Zumrutel and Graham Lewis both had wayward efforts from distance as the Blues struggled to break down the Barrow defence but on 23 minutes Wilkinson denied Barrow a second when he blocked Holt's shot from inside the box with his legs and four minutes later Wilkinson pulled off a great save to keep out Housham's close range header but the rebound was forced in from close range by Hume. By now Barrow were well on top and Holt beat Matthew Wilkinson inside the box before shooting into the side netting. The Blues did come into the game for a short spell before half time when on 35 minutes Simon Collins played a neat ball in to Lewis in space on the edge of the box but, unusually for him, his control let him down and the chance was gone. Then Lewis and Santos exchanged passes outside the Barrow box for Lewis to fire in a powerful low shot which was deflected just wide of the right hand post. From the corner Housham looked to have handled as he tried to clear from Zumrutel but the Referee waved away claims for a penalty. On 44 minutes the Assistant Referee Mr Hibbert called over the Referee and after a short conversation Gary Marrow was sent from the dugout into the stand - presumably for something he said to the totally inept Mr Hibbert who, judging by his performance, had never read the rule book. He infuriated both sets of supporters with very late decisions and several times was over ruled by the Referee; I bet the Referee had to show him the way out of the tunnel! Then, on the stroke of half time, Housham scored Barrow's third, finishing well from inside the box after Holt had beaten Matt Wilkinson to knock the ball into his path.

At the start of the second half Zumrutel robbed Gaughan on half way and ran at the Barrow defence before shooting but his effort was blocked and on 51 minutes Barrow 'keeper Bishop was forced to run out and clear from the feet of Andy Evans as he chased after a through ball from Simon Collins. Two minutes later Zumrutel sent over a cross which Evans flicked on to the onrushing Carl Fothergill who hit a first time volley which Bishop brilliantly blocked. Barrow responded with a 25 yard free-kick by Gaughan which Wilkinson easily saved but on 64 minutes Marrow, now looking after affairs from the directors box, made an inspired double substitution. He sent on Sinisa Savic and Chris Gowan in place of Fothergill and Zumrutel and reverted to a back four of Price, Ogley, Wilkinson and Gowan. Within a minute the Blues pulled a goal back as SAVIC wriggled past two challenges into the box before firing low past Bishop into the net. The Blues began forcing the visitors back into their own half with more crosses coming in from both wings. Santos was the width of a post away from pulling a goal back on 74 minutes as his 25 yard free-kick went just wide of the top left hand corner and on 77 minutes Price's cross from the right was headed goalwards by Evans only for it to be deflected wide for a corner. From Collins' corner ROB HANBY headed into the roof of the net to set up a grandstand finish. Barrow managed a breakaway a minute later which led to a corner which Hall headed inches over but the Blues were soon back on the offensive. On 83 minutes Bishop only got half a punch to a cross by Price with the ball falling to Lewis but, with his back to goal, he could only hook it over the bar from just inside the box. Four minutes later Collins had a strong claim for a penalty again waved away when he was held down in the box going for a cross whilst Evans suffered the same treatment just seconds later, this time just outside the box. Two minutes from time Collins headed Gowan's cross just wide whilst a minute into injury time Hanby's 18 yard shot was deflected for a corner as the Blues failed to get an all important third goal.

Frickley Athletic : Mark Wilkinson, Fothergill (Savic 64), Zumrutel (Gowan 64), Hanby, Ogley, Collins, Lewis, Price, Evans, Santos, Matt. Wilkinson. Unused sub. Duffty

Barrow : Bishop, Shaw, Maxfield (Rogers 47), Hall, Hume (Doherty 45), Anthony, Housham, Gaughan, Peverell, Warren, Holt (Jones 62)

Attendance : 258

Referee : Paul Grange (Chadderton)