Barrow and Alty share the honours in exciting battle

[Barrow Lad]

Barrow: McMillan, Burns, Edwards, Lacey, O’Donnell, Reynolds, Harvey, Davies, Arnison, Rushton, Cribley
Half-Time: Cowperthwaite replaced Arnison
78: Parkinson replaced Harvey
90+2: Allen replaced Rushton

Booked: Burns (82, foul on Walshaw)

GOAL: Harvey (4)

Altrincham: Coburn, Leather, Griffin, Rodgers, Havern, Marshall, Wilkinson, Moult, Perry, Reeves, Clee
Half-Time: Walshaw replaced Perry
64: Lawrie replaced Wilkinson

Booked: Clee (45+1)

GOAL: Reeves (77)

Barrow, spurred on by strong vocal support among the 736-strong crowd, turned in a gutsy, resilient performance, taking an early lead and dominating much of the first hour. In the final 30 minutes, Altrincham turned on the pressure but we still rescued a point.

Barrow, playing towards the Cross Bar end in the first half, took a 4th minute lead when Alex-Ray Harvey blasted in the rebound from a Rushton cross. A minute later at the other end, Reeves shot just wide of the left post from the edge of the penalty area.

However, it was Barrow who had the edge in the first period. In the 10th minute, Coburn had to save a close-range Davies header from another Rushton cross and in the 27th minute saved from Rushton directly.

Altrincham did have chances. In the 29th minute, Moult scooped the ball over from inside the penalty area and then seven minutes later had a shot saved by McMillan.

However, Barrow finished the half strongly and deserved the lead at the break. In the 37th minute, Coburn parried a powerful Reynolds free kick from 20 yards and three minutes later, a foul on Edwards near the left corner flag and Cribley’s free kick led to a goalmouth scramble.

The second half was end-to-end entertainment as both sides went for the win. Seven minutes in, Barrow broke from an Alty corner, resulting in a save from a close-range Rushton shot.

With half an hour to play, Alty upped the pressure. McMillan had to save a Reeves shot from close range and Edwards made some fine tackles in dangerous positions to deny the visitors. In the 72nd minute, Moult again blasted over from close range following a cross from substitute Walshaw. A minute later, a Lawrie free kick led to a goalmouth scramble, the ball ending up in the net but being ruled offside.

Eventually the pressure told when another Walshaw cross in the 77th minute was headed in by Damian Reeves. Three minutes later, Barrow were lucky not to go behind when Rodgers raced through our defence and then Walshaw hit the left post from close range. Burns was judged to have brought down Walshaw on the next attack, giving a free kick in a dangerous position but Lawrie shot wide of the left post.

Barrow did well to ride the storm and even managed a late revival, Edwards launching an 85th minute long shot to Parkinson whose shot was saved. With a minute of normal time remaining, Rushton short just wide of the left post.

The well-fought point still keeps us in the relegation zone but the last two performances give renewed hope for a steady move up the table.