0-0 stalemate with Halifax as we reach 40 points

[Barrow Lad New]

Barrow: Dixon, Barthram, Norrington-Davies, Elsdon, Granite, Jones, Taylor, Rooney, Burgess, Blyth, Angus
53: Hird replaced Granite
70: Kay replaced Rooney
72: Hindle replaced Angus

Booked: Blyth (31, foul on Maher)

Halifax Town: Johnson, Duckworth, Clarke, Brown, Kosylo, King, Southwell, Berrett, Maher, Quigley, Skarz
70: Tomlinson replaced Southwell
74: Edwards replaced Quigley
81: Preston replaced King

Booked: Clarke (54, foul on Angus)

A 0-0 stalemate with few chances, especially from Barrow,sees us remain in 12th place, but now reaching 40 points. Attendance was 1,142 with 61 from Halifax.

Barrow kicked off the first half brightly, Norrington-Davies winning the first corner within two minutes. The fast end-to-end start then saw Halifax’s James Berrett taking a free kick near the right touchline in the 6th minute, from which Joel Dixon, playing his 100th Barrow game, had to make a full stretch save from a Scott Quigley header.

The game was then stopped for 5 minutes when one of the linesmen went off injured. In the 17th minute a fast attack by Cameron King enabled Matthew Kosylo to net, but the effort was ruled offside. Seven minutes later, Quiqley hit the post from close range on the right.

Within five minutes Barrow had their best effort on goal when a quick release by Dixon enabled Jacob Blyth to launch the ball to Norrington-Davies, whose cross Blyth then headed wide of the left post. Blyth was then booked for a foul on Niall Maher.

In the 45th minute, Matty Brown threaded a ball through to Quigley whose shot was saved by Dixon.

Seven minutes into the second, debutant Sam Hird replaced Josh Granite, joining fellow newbie Dior Angus on the pitch. Angus was then fouled by Nathan Clarke who received a yellow card - and still Halifax looked most likely to score.

With twenty minutes left to play, both sides made two changes each, Barrow’s Kay and Hindle coming on for Rooney and Angus, while Halifax replaced Southwell and Quigley with Tomlinson and Edwards.

None of the changes enabled the stalemate to be broken although in the 71st minute Blyth shot over from the edge of the area. Barrow seemed short of ideas on how to break down Halifax, or make the best of the few set pieces, often going back rather than forward.

With ten minutes to play, Preston came on for King as Halifax’s final change. In the 84th minute, Barrow were almost undone as, following a foul on Kosylo, Joe Skarz’s free kick was headed on to Jonathan Edwards who shot wide from close range.

Three minutes later, it was danger time for Barrow again as Kosylo was again fouled, giving him a free kick 20 yards from goal. However, the ball sailed harmlessly over the bar.

Barrow held on to the ball well during the three minutes of injury time, preventing a repeat of the late winner in December when Halifax knocked us out of the FA trophy in appalling weather at Holker Street.

As Halifax had most efforts on target it was probably a point gained for Barrow rather than two lost. Not a memorable match then, but at least we avoided a defeat.

[xerxes]

None of the changes enabled the stalemate to be broken

Nothing can enable a stalemate to be broken! As any chess player will tell you, stalemate ends the game. This metaphor is (mis)used quite commonly in football commentaries - perhaps 'deadlock' would be better.

[Bruce]

Examples of usage of the word stalemate, taken from:
The Cambridge dictionary - Tomorrow's meeting between the two leaders is expected to break a diplomatic stalemate that has lasted for ten years.
The Collins dictionary - The President has ended the stalemate over cutting the country's budget deficit.
The Oxford dictionary – ‘the war had again reached stalemate’
I think your campaign to rid the world of what you see as the misuse of the word is going to be long and lonely!!
(OK, I know, I woke up early this morning and am waiting for it to get light and other people wake up before I can actually do anything productive!)

[whitty1969]

Great report as always Barrow Lad. Take no notice of the 2 English teachers....
It's a forum not an exam

[Holkerbird]

I agreeI whitty. I don't know how BLN does these reports from notes he jots down on scraps of paper as the game is in progress. Keep up the good work as your efforts are appreciated.
Someone (cough Bruce cough) needs to take a sleeping pill.

[Pedro]

Great report as always Barrow Lad. Take no notice of the 2 English teachers....
It's a forum not an exam

Maybe he will be held back for detention.

[Bruce]

By the way, I was defending Barrow Lad New!...

[barrowfan]

Echo what has been said about the English teachers. Perhaps they could do a better job!

[Steelworks End]

Great report as always Barrow Lad. Take no notice of the 2 English teachers....
It's a forum not an exam

Maybe he will be held back for detention.

And forced to watch a recording of the full 90 minutes.

[Suffolk Blue]

Great report as always Barrow Lad. Take no notice of the 2 English teachers....
It's a forum not an exam

Maybe he will be held back for detention.

Firstly thanks Barrow Lad, your reports always seem informed, dispassionate and a fair reflection and I for one would miss em if they weren't there. Since I have a job contributing to a thread without being grammatically challenged I'm amazed that these reports are as comprehensive as they are.

Additionally I'm not sure that the challenge to the term "breaking the stalemate" is correct. It may be technically speaking a misuse of grammar. However the use of a term which though logically impossible may be metaphysically possible is generally considered to be an acceptable use of the language. In fact I think there is something called Zeno's Law which explains this. Hence the term "Squaring the Circle" is widely used by people but is of course logically impossible. It is legitimate because it conveys a distinct meaning.

From everything I've heard about yesterdays encounter, the term "unable to break the stalemate" is about the most appropriate description I can think of.

[Shaun]

Ignore the [SwearFilter] Barrowlad. I didn't pause for even one nanosecond, and I teach English. Every football match involves square balls after all.
Thanks for the report, again. Appreciated.