Barrow AFC v Accrington Stanley FC (H)

[Jim]

Dissapointing there, Thought their goal was offside, what the hell was the ref looking at for acquah getting pulled down..... happy with the point but feel cheated there.

On the balance of play, you have to say it was a fair result. However, Pete Wild is very critical of the referee - missed a clear penalty and bottled a second yellow card. Most, if not all of the yeallow cards, were fouls that stopped us breaking, usually a player about to run clear. I know it's only a caution for that, but it was pretty cynical and crude.

[olbarrafancumbak]

in terms off effort, hate to say but stanley deserved the point...

Poor conditions granted but how we dont own these conditions??? a point is a point but wrexcum on Monday, we are going to have to turn up!

You mean the Wrexham walloped at Walsall tonight ?

Unfortunately yes.. if we are to be serious contenders, we need to be kicking them right in the arse in their backyard!

[andyg]

Bit frustrated with result but thought a draw was fair. Wild fuming over the Acquah pen not given. Hope the good away record continues on Monday and then we play in form Tranmere next weekend - not easy as usual!

[Bigfathoss]

Garner just doesn't have any redeeming traits. The first half was wasted with him up front. Whits' goal was as good as I have seen. What a man.

[LCBAFC40]

Very poor 1st half - conditions didn't help but team had to be changed at 1/2 time. Thought we had a couple of chances to go 2-0 up but poor passing stopped any chance. Their goal was our sloppiness in their half just like the Stockport 1st goal. Ref was poor esp their late foul which should have been a red then Acquah being pulled down and no pen !
Points better than nothing and we are still unbeaten but feels like the last 2 games we could / should have won so 4 points dropped. Massive game on Monday

[blue nige]

The conditions were horrendous, I wouldn't pick Garner again just not interested, we'd struggle if Spence or Whitfield didn't play. Stanley to their credit played well in the counter attacks they did ,BUT if only we had a decent Striker, I think we'd get automatic promotion!, still could have been worse when their player hit the bar in injury time ,just about warming up now !

[Matty]

Dreadful conditions, pitch is deteriorating badly, that game will have done it no help whatsoever. Draw was a fair result. If you can't win, don't lose is pretty much all I can say about that.

[_bluebird_]

Think on nights like tonight perspective is everything, closer to top than we are 8th and I'd have bit your hand off for that in August come the turn of the year. Get something from Wrexham and it will have been an excellent Xmas period. Tough conditions and a point on the board

[Barrow Lad New]

In poor playing conditions with aqually showers, Barrow were held to a draw by a spirited Accrington Stanley, whose dominance in possession in the first half resembled ours against Stockport County on Boxing Day.

Stockport made four changes for before the start of the second half, we made three. One of these, Ben Whitfield, scored within 7 minutes of the restart but unfortunately we left ourselves open going for a second, falling to a counter attack in the 71st minute. We had most chances in the second half, but only the crossbar stopped a power strike by Nolan in the 95th minute, which would have ended our unbeaten run.

None of the three teams above us fared any better, Stockport and Mansfield also drew, while Wrexham lost. However, chasers Notts County gained ground as they beat Morecambe 5-0.

Although the referee booked six Accrington players (to our none), he also bottled giving a second yellow to one player, and also gave a caution to Shipley for what should have been a straight red for a bad challenge on Stephenson in the 87th minute.

Accrington started as we did on Boxing Day, beating us to nearly every ball and allowing us very little possession. Fortunately, a lack of incisiveness in the final third with good Barrow defending kept a clean sheet at half time, when changes could be made.

The first Stanley player, Whalley, was booked within two minutes. In the 8th minute a long distance shot from Woods was easily saved by Farman. Whalley was also causing us problems down the left side as the half progressed, and in the 34th minute he was fouled on the edge of the area by Chester. Fortunately, Pritchard’s kick went wide of the left post.

Our only shot on target in the first half came in the 41st minute, Walsh easily saving a Campbell 20 yard strike. A minute later a good cross from Gotts gave Telford a chance in the area, but his shot was blocked.

Martin fouled White in the 44th minute for Stanley’s second yellow.

At half time, Acquah, Spence and Whitfield replaced Garner, Campbell and Newby which had immediate impact on our possession and chance creation. Gubbins went into the book within two minutes for fouling Acquah.

In the 51st minute after two saves from Whitfield, our No.34 had a free kick which led to a goalmouth scramble, Acquah and Canavan coming close to breaking the deadlock.

Seconds later, Whitfield unleashed a superb strike from the left into the top right corner for 1-0 to send the Barrow contingent of the 3,549 strong crowd wild. To be fair, the 347-strong Stockport contingent had been in loud voice throughout the game and were only temporarily silenced.

Farman was called into action in the 59th minute to save a 20-yard sharp shot from Whalley who continued to threaten on the counter.

The fourth booking for Stanley came in the 62nd minute, Woods going into the book. Whitfield’s free kick again went out for a corner, from which Ray shot wide.

The second goal would not come, and we then overstretched ourselves in the 71st minute, Whalley again breaking and passing to Pritchard with only Farman to beat. Pritchard drilled his equaliser into the right corner.

Three minutes later, we were again under the cosh as Whalley was fouled by Spence on the edge of the area. However, Nolan’s free kick went over the bar.

More Barrow changes were tried with Ogungbo and Foley coming on for Gotts and Chester in the 78th minute. Henderson replaced an injured Pritchard for Stanley 5 minutes later.

In the 87th minute the Barrow fans were incensed when Shipley only received a yellow for scything down Stephenson. In the 90th minute Acquah appealed for a penalty after he went down in the area. In added time Josh Woods followed his namesake Ben into the book.

Canavan was announced as Barrow’s man of the match and with less than two of the six minutes of added time to play, Nolan unleashed a power shot from 25 yards which crashed against Farman’s crossbar, keeping the final score at 1-1.

[saltcellar]

Dreadful conditions, pitch is deteriorating badly, that game will have done it no help whatsoever. Draw was a fair result. If you can't win, don't lose is pretty much all I can say about that.

?????
I believe our groundsman said this morning the pitch was the best it has been for a good while this season.

[StephenD]

The pitch wasn't the issue the wind and rain were.

I've been at both games with Accrington and both were even with the draw a fair result in my opinion.

[McMark]

Dreadful conditions, pitch is deteriorating badly, that game will have done it no help whatsoever. Draw was a fair result. If you can't win, don't lose is pretty much all I can say about that.

?????
I believe our groundsman said this morning the pitch was the best it has been for a good while this season.

You can believe him all you want I ain’t buying into that one measly bit. We got lucky with the weather for it to be on end of.
Weak reffing and lack of creativity mainly due to the conditions only contributed to what was mainly a dull game Whitfield goal excluding of course as that was Special.

[StephenD]

?????
I believe our groundsman said this morning the pitch was the best it has been for a good while this season.

You can believe him all you want I ain’t buying into that one measly bit. We got lucky with the weather for it to be on end of.

I get the point, but all along the A590 yesterday there were floods where there aren't normally so the fact the game was on says something after Wednesday's downpours.

[barrowaberdeen]

The first half would get football stopped. I didn't think they were especially better personally The conditions were vile.

Thank God for the subs, all three who went off deserved to, especially Ged Garner. But equally, what is wrong with some folk in the stand- we are 4th, get a grip!

Early second half we were well on top and scored a great goal. They were under pressure and conceding a number of cynical shithouse fouls and bookings.

They then morphed weirdly into Arsenal for a minute and scored a wonderful team goal. This completely threw us for 10 minutes.

The fouling increased as we regained the ascendency culminating in an assault from Shipley. He'd lost all control, the ball was long gone, it was a straight red but somehow in the refs fevered imaginings it wasn't. It's the angriest I've been at an official for a couple of years that. We've a duty of care to players. No wonder PW flipped and of course was then booked. Of course all this was being managed by the scouse reject hammer throwing that has long been Coleman's M.O rather then whatever plucky underdog tale he choses to peddle.

Then we had a clear penalty turned down and they rattled the bar with a thunderous strike which would have brought them a Brinks Matt of a result.

Off the park it was 2002 or whatever again with bigger numbers. They made plenty noise with their dog on a string, out with their carer schtick. But most of it was cringey...'Barrow's going bust' folks. However we were as poor as we can be. We simply must be better at home as a support, from not screaming 'abysmal' at the bench from the Main Stand when we are in our highest position in half a century, to simply singing in the HSE. Twenty to forty folk are trying to carry the ground- it's as simple as that. There's some flickers in the Main Stand and Pop Side too...come on brothers and sisters, newbies, returnees and oldies, we can do this. We were cracking in parts on Boxing Day. We are decent away.

Anyway, we didn't lose, we are 4th in League 2, and are taking 1000 to watch us play the Philadelphian State Circus next.

Itsa notso bad.

[Methuselah]

I thought we did ok tonight given the conditions which were horrendous for both sides.Our problem at the moment is that we seem to switch off at crucial points in the game giving the opposition time to counter attack.We did the same against Stockport.Hopefully we are more switched on when we play Wrexham.Onwards and Upwards.