Match Report

Sutton remained out of luck as for the second game running they matched a side in the top five of the National League but as against Halifax they found themselves on the wrong end of a single goal scoreline and ended the afternoon with only Chorley below them in the table. This time they lost despite Jamie Butler being rarely troubled, the decisive goal coming when a cross from Josh Kay, whose injury time strike had won the game for Barrow at Gander Green Lane in February, looped off Craig Eastmond’s head and dropped inside the keeper’s far post.

The goal came six minutes in to the second half after U’s had enjoyed a fine first 45 minutes but, again, had failed to find the goal that would have given them something to hang on to. Hard though they battled to force an equaliser Barrow held firm despite playing the last fifteen minutes with ten men due to injury, and the last five with only nine fit players as centre back and captain Josh Granite suffered a serious shoulder injury and continued only as a forward for nuisance value.

Kyel Reid was a threat from the start, and after firing one low shot wide he cut in again from the right, left three defenders in his wake with a superb turn, and hit an on target shot that was comfortably fielded by Joel Dixon in the home goal. U’s continued to attack, with Omar Bugiel driving a low shot inches wide from just outside the penalty area and Rob Milsom then attacking on the left and seeing his low shot flash agonisingly wide of the far post.

For Barrow, Ollie Dyson took advantage of a fortunate deflection but blasted wildly over the bar, but the closest anyone came in the first half was when Patrick Brough came forward and hit a shot which deflected off Jon Barden as he challenged and with Butler scrambling back the keeper was relieved to see the ball bounce off the top of the crossbar. It was U’s who finished the half the stronger, though, and Bugiel and Will Randall both had shots blocked, Randall after Milsom had pulled a low corner back to the edge of the penalty area, before Bugiel saw a shot on the turn deflected just wide following another corner (above).

The only disappointment for U’s in the first half would have been the lack of a goal, but hopes that they could push on and maintain that momentum were dashed as Kay’s harmless looking cross ended up in the back of the net. At the same time U’s had to make a change as Bugiel was forced off with a hamstring injury, Aaron Jarvis coming on as substitute, but with the exception of collecting long balls from the back, and coming off his line once to block Jack Hindle with his legs, that was just about Butler’s last serious action of the game, Dan Matuszaka clearing Barrow’s most threatening attack with a fine clearance to prevent Kay’s cross reaching substitute Byron Harrison.

It wasn’t long before David Ajiboye was also introduced for Randall, and his pace immediately caused the defence problems, however U’s couldn’t find the end product to match the approach work as it was a Barrow defender who more often than not reached the ball first. Granite made one fine headed clearance as Harry Beautyman came in at the far post to meet an inviting cross from Eastmond, and Tommy Wright, on for the last twenty minutes, had a shot deflected just wide. Kenny Davis wasn’t far away with a dipping volley which landed on the net, and might have done better with another chance on the edge of the penalty area, going for placement rather than power and giving Dixon a relatively comfortable save.

U’s hopes would have risen when, moments after Barrow had made their third change, Jason Taylor suffered concussion in a collision with Ajiboye and was unable to continue. Ajiboye and Reid continued to attack down the flanks, and Ajiboye, much too quick for Kay, saw two low crosses scrambled away, but despite Granite being injured at the start of the six additional minutes at the end of the game, and Ben Goodliffe being used as an extra centre forward, U’s just couldn’t find the goal that would have given them the draw that was the least they deserved, Dixon on several occasions coming towards the edge of his penalty area to claim high balls before U’s could capitalise.

Barrow: J Dixon, C Brown, P Brough, J Taylor, J Granite, M Platt, J Hindle(sub O Greaves 67), J Rooney, S Quigley(sub M Penfold 81),O Dyson(sub B Harrison 57), J Kay. Subs n/u M Elsdon, M Waddington. Booked: Platt.