Barrow v Oldham Athletic, match thread

[saltcellar]

Is that our first EFL Tue night win this season?

Thank you boys and staff what a night you’ve given us sat in the stand so emotional, every fan singing and hugging so so happy. When we stick together WE can make things happen. Would love to hear AJ’s goal commentary but not sure if can get on bbc sounds?

Come on boys we can do it.

After 7 Midweek League defeats it was the first points we have picked up.

[Barrow afc 2018]

Is that our first EFL Tue night win this season?

Thank you boys and staff what a night you’ve given us sat in the stand so emotional, every fan singing and hugging so so happy. When we stick together WE can make things happen. Would love to hear AJ’s goal commentary but not sure if can get on bbc sounds?

Come on boys we can do it.

After 7 Midweek League defeats it was the first points we have picked up.

Cheer’s Saltcellar

[Barrow Lad New]

Barrow move within a point of Tranmere, Crawley and Newport with a superb fighting “under the lights comeback” which brought back memories of that FA Cup comeback against Nuneaton back in 2002! If we can carry that spirit onto Saturday’s lunch time home tie against Walsall, we may yet escape the drop.

With 80 minutes played it looked like we were heading towards yet another 1-0 home defeat. Then came a brilliant and almost unbelievable finale to achieve a memorable victory and celebrations by players and fans, with car horns honking down Holker Street as if we won the cup!

The first half was very even and ended goalless. We were denied a penalty ten minutes in, Smith controversially being booked for diving, and, five minutes before the break, Harper was put through on goal by Smith but shot straight at the keeper. Oldham hit the bar thanks to Stanway’s save onto it in the closing seconds.

That denied penalty was the first of a few decisions which seemed to favour Oldham, persistent fouling (on Gordon especially) not resulting in any bookings. However, MacDonald would follow Smith into the referee’s notebook in the 22nd minute.

In the 28th minute, McCann shot wide of the left post from outside the area and five minutes later a Whitfield cross was headed over by Jackson.

The 42nd minute saw a good run by Smith who put Harper through on goal, but he shot straight at Harper.

We just couldn’t make the final ball tell, and in the one minute of added time we nearly paid the price when a ball forward from Woods gave Fondop a header on goal which was saved by Stanway onto the bar.

We were plugging away but they looked dangerous on the break. In the second half. It took just over three minutes for Oldham to gain the lead. A fast run by Pett down the left resulted in a cross by Robson to Payne who slotted the ball in from close range. This was the sucker punch Oldham had been threatening and followed another foul on Gordon. A free kick and booking for Simeu was awarded for yet another foul on our No.25 five minutes later but Hudson saved Jackson’s free kick.

As Gordon was then fouled yet again it appeared they were playing the referee and taking him out of the game. Cruelly, and probably out of his frustration, Gordon himself was carded on the hour for kicking the ball away!

At this stage we were struggling to get back into the game and, in the 63rd minute, Oldham replaced the cautioned Simeu with Leake.

However, a good cross by Jackson in the 67th minute gave Whitfield a header on goal which went wide. Three minutes later Whitfield was replaced by Newby as the visitors brought on Hammond for Garner. Fletcher then replaced Smith in what would turn out to be an inspired change.

We first successfully rode out a period of sustained pressure from Oldham and, in the 78th minute, Oldham’s Drummond went down injured and had to be replaced by Hawkes.

With the break in play for the injury, it appeared that a momentum we were starting to build again would be snuffed out. However, in the 80th minute we put Oldham’s goal under pressure winning a couple of corners. The second resulted in a goalmouth scramble, a good cross from Newby with Williams passing to Rose who fired in from close range to the elation of the Barrow fans who now sensed a comeback, increasing in volume.

The 82nd minute saw us equalise, while the 83rd minute would see us take the lead! Oldham seemed shell-shocked and, then following the restart, Gordon intercepted Hudson’s kick on the edge of the box with only him to beat- which he did!

Oldham then threw everything at Barrow having regained composure and, five minutes later, as we struggled to clear a wave of attacks, Pett fired in their equaliser from the edge of the area.

To Barrow’s credit, and buoyed by a vociferous crowd, 2-2 was not the final result. In the first of seven minutes of added time, after seconds earlier having a cross caught by Hudson, Fletcher fired home from a Newby cross into the area.

In the third minute of added time Newby was replaced by Thompson for an agonising five minutes of game management which we successfully achieved.

A lengthy ovation, with Josh Gordon awarded our man of the match. Attendance was 2,617.

[MikeRenney]

Well done Elliot Newby supplying the crosses for two of the goals.
The second one picked out Fletcher perfectly.

[Leo]

Whits goes off and Newby ( who can't cross a road) on.
Sh!te subs again.....

[Cokey]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J0h0fzXsN ... 3D%3D&ra=m

Match highlights.

[Mark Johnson]

That was [SwearFilter] mental

[tommy2thumbs]

Cannot believe what I've just seen!

You and two thousand others...

[Mark Johnson]

We played with a lot of intensity in that second half , same against Bromley... we need to look to replicate this on Saturday. Our biggest challenge is backing up a good performance as we haven't been able to do it much at all this season.

Walsall will be there for the taking if we get at them. Nothing to play for and on the back of a hammering.

Smith was excellent tonight. Gordon different class, he's absolutely tireless. The goal he got summed him up completely

[Methuselah]

I take my hat off to the team tonight.The effort,the determination,the never say die attitude and to cap it off Josh Gordon did tonight what we hoped he would do all season,namely pinch the ball off the goalie and then slot it into the back of the net.Well done guys my faith in you has finally been restored.You may indeed pull off a miracle.More of the same please on Saturday.Onwards we go.

[jeff1966]

As most know, we are shit. Can’t pass onto the correct foot, shoot, score or defend. That effort can’t be faulted tonight. Even if we came away at 2-2, would have been oh well least they showed a bit of fight, which has been lacking.

Tonight could end up being one of the greats at Holker street but won’t be remembered if we go down, so roll on saturday

[kikka]

That's more like it lads . I always believed that we had the ability in the squad to create chances ...and to take them once we gained a bit of confidence ...and tonight has proved it . Keep that belief , skill, effort and determination ... and we can gather enough points to stay in this league . It will be important for both players and supporters to believe that ...and to show that spirit and belief in matches .

We maybe didn't start out this evening playing too thoughtfully ... we seemed to work hard at getting the ball forward quickly towards the right areas ...but too often that resulted in high balls down the throats of their large defenders... or passes that were airbourne and usually too fast for our forward players to run on to ... giving our, less tall, strikers very little chance to hold the forward ball or lay it off any way other than hopefully. Once we began to pass it up the pitch on the ground , things definitely improved . We have the players that can do that , once they believe in one another ... and the result was that chances were created ... and taken .

So come on folks ... if we win our remaining home games ...and can gain anything on our travels ...we can build on this win and other recent good performances ... and stay in this League.

Well done to all concerned ...things are improving .

[tictactoe]

Didn’t wake up this morning expecting that result but hells bells it was welcome. I’ve always said if we get beat but we’ve tried I can accept that, but lately the team haven’t looked as though they’re trying/fighting. Tonight they did that and got a superb result. I’d said I couldn’t see another win this season and happy to be wrong. Now need to carry that fight on for the remaining games and maybe, just maybe …….

[Wintergreen]

Well - that was Barrovian Bedlam 2.0 right there; a memorable night to be at Holker Street. A Herculean effort from the team and the supporters together and even our Announcer nailed it at the end with that dance track. Wonderful stuff.

So the Great Escape is definitely ON - get yourselves there on Saturday and bring your pals 12.30 KO!

[WalneyOne]

Whits goes off and Newby ( who can't cross a road) on.
Sh!te subs again.....

I'm enjoying my large slice of humble pie.